George S. Schairer, "Aircraft Design: Present and Future," Journal of Aircraft, Vol. 2, No. 5, Sept. 1965, pp. 361-367.
Edward H. Heinemann and Rosario Rausa, Ed Heinemann, Combat Aircraft Designer, Naval Institute Press, Annapolis, 1980. Describes the military aircraft design trends on the West Coast from the '20s onward.
Edward H. Heinemann, "The Art of Aircraft Design: Then and Now," AIAA Student Journal, Summer 1982, pp.42-45.
Clarence L. "Kelly" Johnson with Maggie Smith Kelly, More Than My Share of It All, Smithsonian Institute Press, Washington, 1985, paperback 1989. Especially good describing his early days.
Harald Penrose, Architect of Wings, A Biography of Roy Chadwick - Designer of the Lancaster Bomber, Airlife, Shrewsbury, 1985. This designer also developed the Avro Vulcan.
Fred E. Weick and James R. Hansen, From the Ground Up: The Autobiography of an Aeronautical Engineer, Smithsonian Press Institute Press, Washington, 1988. A very detailed story, with a good balance between the aeronautical and engineering career aspects of one of the remarkable early designers. He presents his viewpoint on the Ercoupe and Piper designs, as well as his experience in the liability problems that began in the 1980s.
John W. Fozard, "9th Sir Sydney Camm Memorial Lecture: Jubilees in Design and Development-some comments on the change over the period of Camm's work and influence," Aeronautical Journal, April 1988, pp. 127-144. Although not by Camm, it describes the design process at Hawkers. The author became Hawkers chief designer and was a key player in the Harrier development.
John W. Fozard, ed., Sydney Camm and the Hurricane, Perspectives on the Master Fighter Designer and His Finest Achievement, Smithsonian Institute Press, Washington, 1991. This book is a compilation of design experiences at Hawker. Ranges from about 1925 to 1965, and the Harrier. Extends a lot of the commentary provided in Fozard's paper cited above.
Irving T. Waaland, "Technology in the Lives of an Aircraft Designer," 1991 Wright Brothers Lecture, AIAA Aircraft Design and Operations Mtg., Sept. 1991. Discusses the Gulfstream I and II, E-2, XF10F, F-11A, F-111B, F-14, A-6, F-18, and stealth. The first discussion of the evolution of the B-2 shape. The management approach to a successful project is also discussed.
Ben R. Rich and Leo Janos, Skunk Works, A Personal Memoir of My Years at Lockheed, Little, Brown and Company, Boston, 1994. This is a good book about the F-117, and many of Rich's early experiences. Gives a lot of details and design tips, as well as another view of working for Kelly Johnson. He also comments about future trends in aircraft design and manufacture.
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direct comments and suggestions to W.H. Mason, mason@aoe.vt.edu