Warbird Information Exchange

Anybody know exactly why Lockheed used the nickname Lulu Belle for the first Shooting Star prototype? Somebody's wife's name? Character in L'il Abner? Inside joke?

And who was it that came up with that name? Kelly Johnson himself?

Memphis Belle was already taken? Lulu Belle sounded better than Clyde? I got a million of 'em!

_________________
45-47=-2

Pappy was flying it, I saw it on Baa Baa Black Sheep...

Phil

_________________
A man's got to know his limitations.

After a bit of Googling, according to the author Steve Pace in his book 'The Projects of Skunk Works: 75 Years of Lockheed Martin's Advanced Development Programs' Lulu-Belle was a 'seductive songstress featured in a 1926 play'. Also made into a movie in 1948 with Dorothy Lamour.

An orchestral tune from 1927: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7HsDCONeHjs>

The tune does sorta bring the XP-80 to mind!

_________________
Kevin McCartney

Lulubelle was also the name of Humphrey Bogart's M3 Lee tank in the 1943 film Sahara.

_________________

All right, Mister Dorfmann, start pullin'!
Pilot: "Flap switch works hard in down position."
Mechanic: "Flap switch checked OK. Pilot needs more P.T." - Flight report, TB-17G 42-102875 (Hobbs AAF)