Engineering Faster Planes in WWII: Kelly Johnson, the P-38 and the P-80

Clarence "Kelly" Johnson (BSE AeroE ’32, MSE ’33) was a bold an innovative aircraft designer. One of his earlier planes, the Lockheed P-38 Lightning, echoes that description well. It's unique twin-boom and central nacelle (for the cockpit) design gave it great stability and maneuverability at higher speeds than other planes offered...
Until it entered a steep dive. Then things went south, fast.
Johnson worked through the P-38's difficulties in collaboration with the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA, the predecessor to NASA), which led to a greater understanding of the aerodynamic challenges of high-speed flight. Johnson used this new knowledge in the design of his next plane, the Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star - America's first operational jet fighter.
After watching, continue by reading the incredible story of how Johnson and his team developed the P-80 in only 143 days during the height of WWII, and created Skunk Works in the process: