1939-1941
Before the United States entered World War II, Britain's Royal Air Force bought about 3,000 Lockheed Hudson bombers.
“the British Royal Air Force ends up buying about 3,000 of these Hudson's from Lockheed.”
Topic
Lockheed Corporation
8 facts from 1 episode, in date order. These are what speakers said on the shows, each linked to the moment it was said. They aren't independently verified.
World War II
Lockheed built over 10,000 P-38 Lightning fighters during World War II, and the top U.S. Army Air Corps aces flew them.
“They made over 10,000 of them during the war, and all of the top aces in the U.S. Army Air Corps flew them.”
1944
To meet the 180-day deadline, Lockheed used a Halford H-1B Goblin engine from a British company in its first jet fighter prototype.
“So they find this British company, Halford, and they take the Halford H-1B Goblin engine, and that is what they put in this prototype.”
1950s
Lockheed bought 275 acres in Sunnyvale, California, and built a campus with 137 buildings.
“they also buy 275 acres just down the road in Sunnyvale and they build a huge campus there, 137 buildings.”
1960
The Lockheed Polaris A-1 missile, fired from submarines, could reach land targets up to 1,200 nautical miles away; the first Polaris submarine began its patrol in 1960.
“Equipped with Lockheed, Polaris A-1, undersea-fired nuclear warheads, ballistic missiles, could reach land-based targets up to 1,200 nautical miles away from wherever the submarine was when it launched it.”
1960-1972
From 1960 to 1972, Lockheed Missiles and Space accounted for over a third of Lockheed's revenue and 128% of its profit, per the hosts' figures.
“LMSC accounted for over a third of that revenue and 128% of the profit.”
1970s
Lockheed's L-1011 airliner project lost the company $2.5 billion.
“the L-1011 airliner project loses Lockheed $2.5 billion.”
Undated
Robert Gross bought the Lockheed division out of the Detroit Aircraft Corporation bankruptcy for $40,000, a price so low that founder Alan Lockheed considered bidding to buy it back.
“this price that he bought it for, $40,000, was so low that Alan Lockheed actually considered bidding to buy his company back”
Episodes