Register 176 Seats Remaining

The Impossible Factory

The True Story of Kelly Johnson and the Lockheed Shunk Works

Author Josh Dean and former Skunk Works Director Steve Justice discuss the visionary Kelly Johnson and the radical innovation hub that designed the greatest airplanes of the twentieth century.

Before Hollywood took center stage, Lockheed Aircraft Corporation made Burbank a powerhouse of innovation, employing tens of thousands and producing aircraft that helped shape the outcome of World War II. For many local families, Lockheed wasn’t just a workplace. It was a defining part of community life and a source of pride.

At the heart of this legacy was the legendary Skunk Works, founded by visionary engineer Clarence "Kelly" Johnson. This small, agile team revolutionized aviation with groundbreaking designs like the P-38 Lightning, U-2, and the iconic SR-71 Blackbird - each pushing the limits of speed, altitude, and imagination.

Join us as we celebrate the people, ideas, and ingenuity behind these achievements. This program offers a chance to honor those who worked at Lockheed and to introduce a new generation to Burbank’s remarkable role in shaping aviation history.

Want to discover more of Lockheed's history in Burbank? Check out Burbank in Focus, our digital library of Burbank images!

“Josh Dean has delivered a kerosene-soaked masterclass in what extreme innovation looks, feels and even smells like. This story could not be more timely as the U.S. tries to revive its industrial base and rekindle its inventive spirit.” —Ashlee Vance, New York Times bestselling author of When The Heavens Went On Sale

"I absolutely loved The Impossible Factory. It's a page-turner that reveals who Kelly Johnson was as a person and how he and the brilliant team he assembled at Lockheed Skunk Works were able to design the aircraft that shaped the twentieth century. We learn about the evolution of planes over seventy years and meet test pilots and engineers, military leaders and politicians, collaborators and successors – all people essential to building the world we live in today. A must-read book." —Katherine Sharp Landdeck, author of The Women with Silver Wings

Upcoming events