as asides, to bolster the effect of the printed speech balloons. replied the voice at the other end. [12] Pursued by local lovelies Hopeful Mudd and Boyless Bailey, Tiny was even dumber and more awkward than Abner, if that can be imagined. One day, Culver's phone rang and he answered it by saying "Skonk Works, inside man Culver speaking." All Rights Reserved. Skunk Works name was taken from the "Skonk Oil" factory in the comic strip Li'l Abner. World Wide Words: Skunk works Their monetary unit was the "rasbucknik", of which one was worth nothing and a large quantity was worth a lot less, due to the trouble of carrying them around. After 1989, Lockheed reorganized its operations and relocated the Skunk Works to Site 10 at U.S. Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale, California, where it remains in operation today. Kelly Johnson's elite engineering group was originally housed in a rented circus tent adjacent to a smelly plastics factory. Tiny Yokum: "Tiny" was a misnomer; Li'l Abner's kid brother remained perpetually innocent and 1512 "y'ars" old despite the fact that he was an imposing, 7-foot (2.1m) tall behemoth. Li'l Abner also featured a comic strip-within-the-strip: Fearless Fosdick was a parody of Chester Gould's plainclothes detective, Dick Tracy. The comic derivation is true, said Dianne Knippel, director of communications for Lockheed Martin Co. She directed us to LockheedMartin.com, where we learned that the name came about during World War II when engineer Kelly Johnson brought together a select team to develop new aircraft. The local children were read harrowing tales from "Ice-sop's Fables", which were parodies of classic Aesop Fables, but with a darkly sardonic bent (and titles like "Coldilocks and the Three Bares"). [13] The first YP-38 was built there before the team moved back to Lockheed's main factory a year later. Schertz, TX | Official Website There were even Dogpatch-themed family restaurants called "Li'l Abner's" in Louisville, Kentucky, Morton Grove, Illinois, and Seattle, Washington. Li'l Abner Gets a Job Part 2, script and art by Al Capp; Abner takes a job at the skunk works. Various Asian, Latin, Native American and European characters spoke in a wide range of specific, broadly caricatured dialects as well. All Rights Reserved. Slipping past Iraqi radar on the morning of January 17, 1991, Lockheeds Nighthawk bombed thirty-seven critical targets across Baghdad, a surgical strike that led, in just forty-three days, to the successful conclusion of Operation Desert Storm. Named for a run-down factory in the Li'l Abner comics, Skunk Works has been the home of some of the most advanced plane research in history, including the U-2, F-22 Raptor and SR-71 Blackbird . [9] She is consistently the toughest character throughout Li'l Abner. Gould was also personally parodied in the series as cartoonist Lester Gooch the diminutive, much-harassed and occasionally deranged "creator" of Fearless Fosdick. Capp himself originated the stories, wrote the dialogue, designed the major characters, rough penciled the preliminary staging and action of each panel, oversaw the finished pencils, and drew and inked the faces and hands of the characters. The five titles were: Amoozin But Confoozin, Sadie Hawkins Day, A Peekoolyar Sitcheeyshun, Porkuliar Piggy and Kickapoo Juice. Natural landmarks included (at various times) Teeterin' Rock, Onneccessary Mountain, Bottomless Canyon, and Kissin' Rock (handy to Suicide Cliff). "It's Jack Jawbreaker!" In addition, Capp was a frequent celebrity guest. "There is, however, a fighting chance to escape for hundreds of innocent bystanders who happen to be in the neighborhood but only a fighting chance. A rich guy falls in love with Daisy Mae. The formal contract for the XP-80 didnt arrive at Lockheed until Oct. 16, 1943, four months after work had already begun. [7] In 1952, Abner reluctantly proposed to Daisy to emulate the engagement of his comic strip "ideel", Fearless Fosdick. Al Capp's life and career are the subjects of a new life-sized mural commemorating his 100th birthday, displayed in downtown Amesbury, Massachusetts. What is Skunkworks? | Webopedia During September 2015 the proposed aircraft was deemed to have developed into more of a tactical reconnaissance aircraft, instead of strategic reconnaissance.[11]. An attack aircraft that rendered itself invisible to enemy radar. This aircraft first flew in 1966 and remained in service until 1998. Humorously enough, many states tried to claim ownership to the little town (Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama, etc. ), yet Capp would not budge. The one and only Lockheed Martin Skunk Works has a 75-year track record developing aircraft systems that push the boundaries of whats possible. In the same neighborhood was a plastic factory that produced a terrible odor that permeated the tent. Awakening, he exclaims the phrase. Skunk Works meaning and philosophy explained. Al Capp was an outspoken pioneer in favor of diversifying the National Cartoonists Society by admitting women cartoonists. A plump, juicy Hammus Alabammus is the rarest and most vital ingredient of "ecstasy sauce", an indescribably delicious gourmet delicacy. The staff was cautioned that they had to operate in strict secrecy. They included Andy Amato, Harvey Curtis, Walter Johnson and, notably, a young Frank Frazetta, who penciled the Sunday continuity from studio roughs from 1954 to the end of 1961 before his fame as a fantasy artist. According to the strip, scores of locals were done in yearly by the toxic fumes of the . What does a Skunk Works do? - Digitopoly Written and drawn by Al Capp (1909-1979), the strip ran for 43 years - from August 13, 1934, through November 13, 1977. The phrase "skunk works" originated from the aeronautics industry, and in that context it had a specific meaning (and still does). Since the system entered service with the U.S. Air Force in late 2014, Auto GCAS has been credited with seven saves eight pilots and seven F-16s. The U-2 ceased overflights when Francis Gary Powers was shot down during a mission on May 1, 1960, while over Russia. But where did the term come from? An American folk event, Sadie Hawkins Day is a pseudo-holiday entirely created within the strip. The designation "skunk works" or "skunkworks" is widely used in business, engineering, and technical fields to describe a group within an organization given a high degree of autonomy and. This would prove to be a common practice within the Skunk Works. It made its debut in Li'l Abner on November 15, 1937. Hilda Terry was the first woman cartoonist to break the gender barrier when the NCS finally permitted female members in 1950. Impossible missions always were, and continue to be, their particular area of expertise. Sworn to secrecy, they went by the code name Skunk Works (named in jest after Lil'Abner's "Skonk Works" forest, where musty and rank concoctions were brewed). [11] His first words were "po'k chop", and that remained his favorite food. Rounding out the cast were soap opera star Laurette Fillbrandt as Daisy Mae, Hazel Dopheide as Mammy Yokum, and Clarence Hartzell (who was also a prominent actor on Vic and Sade) as Pappy. Skunk Works is an official pseudonym for Lockheed Martin's Advanced Development Programs (ADP), formerly called Lockheed Advanced Development Projects. Capp has appeared as himself on The Ed Sullivan Show, Sid Caesar's Your Show of Shows, The Today Show, The Red Skelton Show, The Merv Griffin Show, The Mike Douglas Show, and on This Is Your Life on February 12, 1961, with host Ralph Edwards and honoree Peter Palmer. President Eisenhower needed something quicker, stronger, and more elusive. "When Li'l Abner made its debut in 1934, the vast majority of comic strips were designed chiefly to amuse or thrill their readers. At one extreme, he displayed consistently devastating humor, while at the other, his mean-spiritedness came to the fore but which was which seems to depend on the commentator's own point of view. Charlton published the short-lived Hillbilly Comics by Art Gates in 1955, featuring "Gumbo Galahad", who was a dead ringer for Li'l Abner, as was Pokey Oakey by Don Dean, which ran in MLJ's Top-Notch Laugh and Pep Comics. For other uses, see, United States Patent and Trademark Office, "Cherokee rocket scientist leaves heavenly gift", "Lockheed Skunk Works' next-generation U-2 morphs into 'TR-X', "Aircraft Company Remodels Old Distillery", "Nominet UK Dispute Resolution Service DRS 04100 Lockheed Martin Corporation vs. UK Skunkworks Ltd Decision of Appeal Panel", "Lockheed Martin's Skunk Works Celebrates Diamond Anniversary", "75 Years of Lockheed Martin's Skunk Works", "75 years on, Lockheed's Skunk Works is still innovating", "Opinion: Johnson's Skunk Works legacy is in safe hands", "Analysis: Does Skunk Works hiring binge indicate secret new programme? Today's column maps the scope of change. The name "Skunk Works" was taken from the moonshine factory in the comic strip "Li'l Abner." Where it was originally spelled "Skonkworks" and their swill was made from old boots and dead skunks. White, David Manning, and Robert H. Abel, eds. "One of the few strips ever taken seriously by students of American culture," wrote Professor Berger, "Li'l Abner is worth studyingbecause of Capp's imagination and artistry, and because of the strip's very obvious social relevance." In many localities, the tradition continues. The Birthplace Of Stealth: 10 Things You Didn't Know About - HotCars In the fourth type, according to MacLean, there were only two: Pogo and Li'l Abner. After this, Capp simply expanded Li'l Abner by another row, and filled the rest of the space with a page-wide title panel and a small panel called Advice fo' Chillun. The phrase, used then as an informal nickname, comes from " Skonk Works" the Kickapoo Joy Juice bootleg brewing operation in Al Capp's "Li'l Abner" comic strip. ", "Al Capp Replies to Critic of Newspaper Comic Strips;", "Li'l Abner Lost In Hollywood by Michael H. Price", "Gov. The Skunk Works had predicted that the U-2 would have a limited operational life over the Soviet Union. The production of Li'l Abner has been well documented, however. German jets had appeared over Europe. Construction Technical Specifications | Schertz, TX [50], Capp has also been credited with popularizing many terms, such as "natcherly", schmooze, druthers, and nogoodnik, neatnik, etc. The "Skonk Works" was a dilapidated factory located on the remote outskirts of Dogpatch, in the backwoods of Kentucky. The designation "skunk works" or "skunkworks" is widely used in business, engineering, and technical fields to describe a group within an organization given a high degree of autonomy and unhampered by bureaucracy, with the task of working on advanced or secret projects. John Updike, calling Li'l Abner a "hillbilly Candide", added that the strip's "richness of social and philosophical commentary approached the Voltairean. Johnson promised the Pentagon theyd have their first prototype in 150 days. One day, Culvers phone rang and he answered it by saying Skonk Works, inside man Culver speaking. The joke was not lost on his coworkers and soon the employees adopted the name for their mysterious part of Lockheed. We have invested in developing and demonstrating hypersonic technology for over 30 years. What the Hell is a Skunk Work? The Register Comic strips typically dealt with northern urban experiences before Capp introduced Li'l Abner, the first strip based in the South. Li'l Abner: Al Capp, Skunk Works, Dogpatch USA, Shmoo, Fearless Fosdick, Frank Frazetta, Basil Wolverton, Bob Lubbers, Lower Slobb [3] According to Ben Richs memoir, an engineer jokingly showed up to work one day wearing a Civil Defense gas mask. The stage musical, with music and lyrics by Gene de Paul and Johnny Mercer, was adapted into a Technicolor motion picture at Paramount in 1959 by producer Norman Panama and director Melvin Frank, with an original score by Nelson Riddle. In his November 5, 1977 strip, Li'l Abner and Daisy Mae make a final visit to Capp, and Daisy insisted the Capp settle on a date. He challenged the bureaucratic system that stifled innovation and hindered progress. Most of the old Skunk Works buildings in Burbank were demolished in the late 1990s to make room for parking lots. (also, "Wal, cuss mah bones!") They have filed several challenges against registrants of domain names containing variations on the term under anti-cybersquatting policies, and have lost a case under the .uk domain name dispute resolution service against a company selling cannabis seeds and paraphernalia, which used the word "skunkworks" in its domain name (referring to "Skunk", a variety of the cannabis plant). Before long he was in hundreds more, with a total readership exceeding 60,000,000. Outside the comic strip, the practical basis of a Sadie Hawkins dance is simply one of gender role-reversal. The style of the Fosdick sequences closely mimicked Tracy, including the urban setting, the outrageous villains, the galloping mortality rate, the crosshatched shadows, and the lettering style even Gould's familiar signature was parodied in Fearless Fosdick. Lower Slobbovia and Dogpatch are both comic examples of modern dystopian satire. [38] Other promotional tie-ins included the Lena the Hyena Contest (1946), the Name the Shmoo Contest (1949), the Nancy O. Contest (1951), the Roger the Lodger Contest (1964) and many others. Slobbovia is an iceberg, which (as real icebergs do) continually capsizes as its lower portions melt. Building on obscure research that showed radar beams could be diverted by angled triangular panels, the Skunk Works team designed the F-117 Nighthawk. FactSnippet No. Lockheed Martin was awarded this prestigious medal in 2007 for an exceptional record of developing cutting-edge aircraft, technologies, and systems solutions for the U.S. Government. His engineers turned one out in 143 days, creating the P-80 Shooting Star, a sleek, lightning-fast fighter that went on to win historys first jet-versus-jet dogfight over Korea in 1950. Warren M. Bodie, journalist, historian, and Skunk Works engineer from 1977 to 1984, wrote that engineering independence, elitism and secrecy of the Skunk Works variety were demonstrated earlier when Lockheed was asked by Lieutenant Benjamin S. Kelsey (later air force brigadier general) to build for the United States Army Air Corps a high speed, high altitude fighter to compete with German aircraft. (In his book The American Language, H.L. Kellys 14 Rules and Practices" are still in use today as evidenced by our small, empowered teams, streamlined processes and culture that values attempting to do things that havent been done before. In his essay "The Decline of the Comics", (Canadian Forum, January 1954) literary critic Hugh MacLean classified American comic strips into four types: daily gag, adventure, soap opera, and "an almost lost comic ideal: the disinterested comment on life's pattern and meaning." Skunkworks Robotics - Our Inspiration - WildApricot One main building still remains at 2777 Ontario Street in Burbank (near San Fernando Road), now used as an office building for digital film post-production and sound mixing. The original "Skonk Works" was a liquor still where something was always brewing in Al Capp's comic strip Li'l Abner. Big Funds Need a 'Skunk Works' to Stir Ideas Li'l Abner made its debut on August 13, 1934, in eight North American newspapers, including the New York Mirror. The demise of KSP in 1999 stopped the reprint series at Volume 27 (1961). Evil-Eye Fleegle and his "whammy" make an animated cameo appearance in the U.S. Armed Forces Special Weapons Project training film, Self Preservation in an Atomic Attack (1950). Li'l Abner visits the corrupt Squeezeblood comic strip syndicate in a classic Sunday continuity from October 12, 1947. [6] Early in the strip's history, Abner's primary goal in the storyline was evading the marital designs of Daisy Mae Scragg, the virtuous, voluptuous, barefoot Dogpatch damsel and scion of the Yokums' blood feud enemies the Scraggs, who were her character's bloodthirsty kinfolk. Li'l Abner | The Blog by Javier Li'l Abner Yokum was a hillbilly who lived in Dogpatch somewhere in the mountains. A total of six Collier trophies, the most prestigious award in the aeronautics industry, have been collected by the Skunk Works division since 1943, but its quite possible the divisions most impressive legacy has yet to be written. I have seen this epithet before, usually in the phrase skunk works, meaning a semi-official project team that is tacitly licensed to bend the rules and think outside the box. Designed to help the U.S. and allies leverage emerging technologies to create a resilient multi-domain network. After Capp's death, the Shmoo was used in two Hanna-Barbera produced Saturday morning cartoon series for TV. Missions Impossible: The Skunk Works Story | Lockheed Martin Capp derived the family name "Yokum" as a combination of yokel and hokum. Kelly Johnson and his Skunk Works team designed and built the XP-80 in only 143 days, seven fewer than was required.[4]. Her moniker was a pun on both salami and Salome. There was an engineer working on the XP-80 team named Irv Culver. Schertz, Texas 78154. The trophy is awarded annually by the National Aeronautic Association for the greatest achievement in aeronautics or astronautics in America, with respect to improving the performance, efficiency, and safety of air or space vehicles, the value of which has been thoroughly demonstrated by actual use during the preceding year. And then they would deliver. I've never heard anyone mention this, but Capp is 100% responsible for inspiring Harvey Kurtzman to create Mad Magazine. Following the 1989 revival of the Pogo comic strip, a revival of Li'l Abner was also planned in 1990. The local geography was fluid and vividly complex; Capp continually changed it to suit either his whims or the current storyline. [8] Once married, Abner became relatively domesticated. Comic dialects were also devised for offbeat British characters like H'Inspector Blugstone of Scotland Yard (who had a Cockney accent) and Sir Cecil Cesspool (whose speech was a clipped, uppercrust King's English). In late 1959, Skunk Works received a contract to build five A-12 aircraft at a cost of $96 million. Our Services. "He knew how to take an otherwise ordinary drawing and really make it pop. In response to the question "Which side does Abner part his hair on? It was later reprinted in The World of Li'l Abner (1953). This vital reconnaissance, unobtainable by other means, averted a war in Europe and a nuclear crisis in Cuba. Implementation of Auto GCAS on the F-35 is anticipated five years earlier than originally planned. Just look at Fearless Fosdick a brilliant parody of Dick Tracy with all those bullet holes and stuff.