Creator of the Lockheed Corporation's infamous Skunk Works division. Before founding Skunk Works, designed P-38 Lightning, one of the best fighters of WW2. Skunk Works designed and built, under his leadership, America's first jet fighter, the P-80, America's first Mach 2 fighter (the F-104 Starfighter), the ultra-high altitude U-2 recon jet (see Gary Powers) and the Mach 3+ SR-71 Blackbird, which, if it were built today, would probably still be considered way ahead of its time. In short, engineering stud.