LOCKHEED MARTIN CORPORATION

USA

Allan and Malcolm Loughead built their first aircraft, the Model G seaplane, in 1913. Formed the Loughead Aircraft Manufacturing Company at Santa Barbara, California, in 1916. Built F-1 twin-engined flying-boat 1918, S-1 monocoque- fuselage biplane 1919. Company liquidated 1921. The Lockheed Aircraft Company of Hollywood was formed in 1926. Built the Northrop-designed high-wing
Lockheed 10 Electra
10 Electra
Vega from 1925, a fast two-seater intended for airline work; 141 were built between 1925 and 1932. Company moved to Burbank 1928. Vega gave rise to low-wing series of transports, the Altair/Orion/Sirius, differing in seating arrangements. Many records and notable flights performed on these aircraft.

In 1929 Lockheed became part of the Detroit Aircraft Corporation, a multicompany body that went bankrupt in 1931. Lockheed brothers left the company, formed Lockheed Brothers Aircraft Corporation Company purchased by Robert
Lockheed 14 Super Electra
14 Super Electra
E. Cross and Lloyd Stearman for a consortium, resumed trading under old name. Launched a new series of twin-engined transports, starting with the Lockheed 10A Electra. In 1937 the L-14 Super Electra appeared, a smaller executive version of the L-10A. RAF bought 250 bomber variants of 14, called Hudson, in 1938. L-18 Lodestar flew 1939, a lengthened and more powerful Model 14. Ventura of 1941 was a bomber variant of Model 18. Naval PV-1
Lockheed 18 Lodestar
18 Lodestar
came in 1942 and the torpedo-carrying PV-2 Harpoon in 1943. Success of the Harpoon led to long-range Neptune, main equipment of patrol squadrons 1947-1962.

In 1939 TWA formulated a requirement for a long-range transport and C. L. Johnson designed the 558km/h Constellation, which first flew in 1943. First 22 requisitioned as military transports. Built up to 1958 in increasingly powerful, larger-capacity and longer-range versions. First flight August 1954 of C-130 Hercules tactical military turboprop transport,
Lockheed P-38 Lightning
P-38 "Lightning"
later also produced in commercial form; delivered from 1956 and remaining in production in 1999 in latest C-130J form with fully integrated digital avionics, advanced engines and propellers, and other improvements (well over 2,200 Hercules transports built). C-130 followed by much larger strategic C- 141 StarLifter transport (first flown December 1963) and C-5A Galaxy (first flown June 1968) which, at 348,810kg gross weight and with a span of 67.88m, was then the world's
Lockheed F-80 Shooting Star
F-80 "Shooting Star"
largest operational aircraft; C-5B followed for USAF and two C-5As modified to carry outsized space cargoes as C-5Cs. Company also produced the four-turboprop Electra airliner (first flown December 1957) and derived P-3 Orion long-range maritime patrol/reconnaissance aircraft (first flown August 1958, and remaining in production in the U.S.A. until 1995, although Japanese Kawasaki-built examples continued in production).

The Lockheed P-38 Lightning of 1939, introduced as a high-altitude interceptor, had worldwide use, mainly as ground-attack and fighter-bomber
Lockheed P-3 Orion
P-3 "Orion"
aircraft. First U.S. jet fighter was Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star (first flown January 1944), which later saw service in Korea. F-104 of 1954 was smallest-span-ever American service aircraft (wings spanned 6.7m) and first fighter capable of sustained Mach 2.0. Saw widespread service as part of U.S. offshore arms and aid deals. Subsequent activities included CP-140 Aurora for Canada as a development of the Orion ;S-3 Viking carrierborne anti-submarine aircraft (first flown January 1972 and later
Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird
SR-71 "Blackbird"
also used by the U.S. Navy in ES-3A electronic reconnaissance and signals/ communications intelligence, and U.S.-3A carrier onboard delivery variants); and L-1011 TriStar widebodied airliner (first flown November 1970).

Secret "Skunk Works"at Palmdale, California, was responsible for the military U-2 Dragon Lady spyplane (first flown August 1955), A-12 Mach 3.6 strategic reconnaissance aircraft sponsored by the CIA (first flown April 1962) and developed into the YF-12 interceptor and fully operational SR-71A Mach 3+ strategic reconnaissaace aircraft for
Lockheed C-5 Galaxy
C-5 "Galaxy"
the USAF, and more recently the F-117A stealth fighter for subsonic night attack on priority targets (first flown June 1981; see below), among other types.

In September 1977 Lockheed Aircraft Corporation took new name Lockheed Corporation. The Tactical Military Aircraft division of General Dynamics bought by Lockheed Corporation in March 1993, becoming Lockheed Fort Worth Company. In March 1995 Lockheed Corporation merged with Martin Marietta to form present Lockheed Martin Corporation. Intended merger with
Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk
F-117 "Nighthawk"
Northrop Grumman, announced in July 1997, did not take place. Present company set-up includes Lockheed Martin Tactical Aircraft Systems in charge of F-16 production and updates and part of the F-22 program; Lockheed Martin Aeronautical Systems tasked with F-22, military transport and maritime patrol aircraft work, plus production and support of C-130 and P-3; and Lockheed Martin Skunk Works which undertakes advanced, secret and innovative design/development, present work including support and improvement of F-117A, U-2,
Lockheed F-22 Raptor
F-22 "Raptor"
X-33 reusable launch vehicle and more. There are many other divisions.

Current Lockheed Martin programs include continued production of the F-16 fighter and C-130 transport, development and production of the F-22 Raptor air dominance fighter (first flown September 1990, with first flight of an engineering and manufacturing development aircraft September 1997, and deliveries of full production to start to USAF in 2002 to allow initial operational capability in 2005); and development in association with Northrop Grumman and BAe of Joint Strike Fighter for U.S. forces.


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All the World's Rotorcraft


Virtual Aircraft Museum


1, 2, 5 Vega
3 Air Express
8 Sirius
YP-24
8 Altair
9 Orion
10 Electra
12 Electra Junior
14 Super Electra
"Hudson"
P-38 "Lightning"
18 Lodestar
Vega Starliner
37 / PV-1 Ventura / PV-2 Harpoon
Vega 35
XP-49
F-80 "Shooting Star"
XP-58 "Chain Lightning"
P-2 Neptune
T-33
F-94 "Starfire"
89 Constitution
Super Constellation
XF-90
F-104 "Starfighter"
C-130 "Hercules"
XFV-1 Salmon
U-2
L-188 "Electra"
1329 JetStar I / II
P-3 "Orion"
SR-71 "Blackbird"
VZ-10 Hummingbird
C-141 "Starlifter"
C-5 "Galaxy"
L-1011 "Tri Star"
QT-2 / Q-Star / YO-3A
S-3 "Viking"
XST "Have Blue"
F-117 "Nighthawk"
F-22 "Raptor"