Skunk Works

A Personal Memoir of My Years of Lockheed

By: Ben R. Rich, Leo Janos

Narrated by: Pete Larkin

From the development of the U-2 to the Stealth fighter, the never-before-told story behind America's high-stakes quest to dominate the skies. Skunk Works is the true story of America's most secret and successful aerospace operation. As recounted by Ben Rich, the operation's brilliant boss for nearly two decades, the chronicle of Lockheed's legendary Skunk Works is a drama of Cold War confrontations and Gulf War air combat, of extraordinary feats of engineering and human achievement against fantastic odds. Here are up-close portraits of the maverick band of scientists and engineers who made the Skunk Works so renowned. Filled with telling personal anecdotes and high adventure, with narratives from the CIA and from air force pilots who flew the many classified, risky missions, this book is a riveting portrait of the most spectacular aviation triumphs of the 20th century.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your My Library section along with the audio.

©2013 Ben R. Rich (P)2015 Hachette Audio

Great listen

A little hard to keep up with who the author is speaking for but great book and story on skunkworks

Glad the Skunks Works are an American Company!

Loved this books. Would have given it 5 on story but there are occasions when the book gets a little geeky on production, finance, procurement, accounting issues which are necessary but get a little boring. But the books was still great.

A GREAT INSIDERS ACCOUNT

IF YOUR AT ALL INTERESTED IN HOW THE U-2, SR-71 AND B117 WERE CONCEIVED, BUILT AND USED BY THE PEOPLE THAT DID IT, THIS IS THE BOOK FOR YOU

wonderful story. narrator nyaaaaa

An amazing recount of events from several different people. And an amazing and informative dump truck of information. The story jumping is easy to follow and keeps the momentum going. That planning alone speaks for a wonderfully organized mind, GREAT JOB AUTHOR!!! The order in which this storyis retold is just intelligent. Thanks guys.
BUT. The ehhhh New Ehhhh Englander Scotch drinking narrator gets old about 2/3 of the way through the book. So cocky sounding after awhile. If I was the producer I would have REALLY PUSHED this guy to loosen the Polo and get into the individual people's personalities and vocal stylings a lot more. He has to have the ability to do more than his own voice and his voice with his nose plugged. His cadence and emotion was great. (I can understand time constraints to get the book out quicker and less time given to planning how to tell the facts).

I know it's live account of events and has to be delivered as facts from each person's statement. Your telling a story too though. Weave it, let yourself get drawn in deeper.
Would I choose another narrator, emphatically NO. But I wouldn't push record until about four fingers of scotch and some more passion is showing.

A Must Read or listen book.

Every avation fan should read or listen to this book. Stories about production of U2,Blackbird and stealth fighter are an eye opener....

Fantastic look into the Skunk Works!

This was a great one! I've been a huge plane guy since I was 10 years old and hearing how these guys did what that did with limited technology, by today's standards, was phenomenal! Wish there was more in regards to the 5th gen air crafts but these are more or less after his time there so I knew there wouldn't be so it's not a negative. It was just so good I wanted more! If you love planes, especially military planes, then this one is a must! Fantastic!

Skunk Works

This book was an amazing story of what a few determined men can do given the opportunity. Ben and Kelly developed some of our countries greatest planes on minimal budgets.
I have found myself looking for additional information about Ben and Kelly on the internet. It was very interesting to see how things have progressed since this book was written in the 90's, almost exactly as Ben predicted.

great book on problem solving

loved it! just what I needed to understand what it takes to mesh research with development.

Great....However

This story is unmatched. A

This is a fantastic read,however
This story is unmatched it makes me proud to be an American, and the Skunk Works could only happen here in a free country and under a profound free enterprise system. However why does an author,any author suppose that by frequent taking the name of the Lord in vain makes this or any story more real or authentic is beyond me and is extremely offensive and as a result will not pass on an otherwise wonderful story. This is not only unacceptable but extremely offensive. D J

A Good Read

interesting but dated. Hubris spun memoir of a good man. who was "right there" during the heyday of the US aerospace industry.