Why “143”?
Why we’re called 143
In 1943, a small team of Lockheed engineers built America’s first jet fighter, the XP-80 Shooting Star, in just 143 days. We took our name from those 143 days.
XP-80 “Lulu Belle” at Muroc Army Airfield, 1944
Fast doesn’t mean sloppy. It means focused.
In June 1943, Kelly Johnson set up what would become Lockheed’s Skunk Works: a small team given the freedom to move fast. They shipped America’s first production jet fighter in 143 days, ahead of schedule.
June 1943
The Army Air Forces gives Lockheed 180 days to build a jet fighter. No prototype to reference and no domestic jet engine expertise.
October 1943
The formal contract arrives, four months after work began. The mission was too important to wait for paperwork.
November 1943
The XP-80 Shooting Star delivers 37 days early. It flew operationally for three decades.
That’s the spirit we wanted to capture: a small, focused team with the right tools doing the impossible. It’s why we’re called 143, and it’s how we think about the product we’re building.
Want the longer story of how 143 came to be? Read about the project.