Celebrity Lecture Series: The Aircraft Designers A Northrop Grumman Historical Perspective with Michael Ciminera, Northrop Grumman Vice President, Retired. Mike Ciminera has covered the incredible saga of the Northrop lineage from the earliest days of the flying wings to the modern era of highly successful strategically deterrent aircraft and some of the most formidable tactical aircraft in the modern combat aviation inventory. Mike, who himself has played a significant role in the development of modern tactical aircraft, will share his insights with us which has led us to the eagerly anticipated volumes that preserves a significant portion of American aviation history.