Skunk Works: A Personal Memoir of My Years at Lockheed

  • Author: Ben R. Rich
  • Page count: 382
  • Started on: 2026/01/01
  • Finished on: 2026/01/10
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    • ★★★★☆

Book cover of Skunk Works by Ben R. Rich and Leo Janos, featuring a stylized illustration of a stealth aircraft (likely the F-117 Nighthawk) in black and gray tones. The title "SKUNK WORKS" is in large red text above the aircraft, with a quote from Tom Clancy at the top and another quote from the Seattle Times below. The authors’ names are in bold red and yellow text at the bottom.

The Skunk Works was founded in 1943 as a division of Lockheed to develop cutting-edge, secret airplanes for the US agencies (mostly the CIA and Department of Defense). The book tells the story of Skunk Works through Ben Rich, who headed the department for nearly two decades, and was part of it for over 40 years.

Skunk Works shares a surprising amount of detail for a memoir about top-secret aircraft and Cold War operations. Ben and co-author Leo Janos talk through the development of the U-2, the SR-71 Blackbird, the F-117 Nighthawk, and other projects. They do this through anecdotes, interviews with and quotes from other key players, such as other designers, test pilots, and key figures from the agencies for which these planes were constructed.

It’s a fascinating topic to read more about. While of course all information shared has been declassified, it still provides great insight into how Skunk Works operated from its creation until the early ’90s.

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