In his book The Aircraft Designers: A Northrop Grumman Historical Perspective, stretching two, 500 page volumes, Ciminera provides an insider’s report on the design of the iconic Tomcat, exploring the dreams of kids who aspired to fly it and the remarkable individuals who transformed those dreams into tangible hardware.
“I wrote the book to talk about the history of the company and the background. Most importantly though, it was to identify and remember the people that created these airplanes. Between the creation phase and first flight, who were they? What were their stories? You always hear about the chief designers but what about the others?” explains Ciminera.
He learned early on in his career that it takes the support of many to succeed.
Ciminera traces his career back to an early opportunity in designing airplanes. At the age of 12, with little knowledge, he began the journey. Through high school, he worked persistently, even buying his own drawing board. Sending his designs to aircraft companies, Ciminera received feedback, marked with corrections and approvals.
“This experience fueled my passion, eventually earning me a scholarship to Rensselaer, the oldest engineering school in the U.S. During college, I spent every summer as an apprentice at Grumman. Despite it being a very unusual move, I was hired into preliminary design upon graduation.”
Ciminera humbly acknowledges his journey is not a solo effort insisting that nobody achieves success on their own. ”I was given the chance. You don’t get there by yourself. Yes, you have to have the qualities and the drive and
the ambition and a certain attitude, but nobody does it alone, people help you get there.”
The Aircraft Designers: A Northrop Grumman Historical Perspective is a retrospective that not only unveils the fascinating history of one of the largest aerospace companies of the 20th century but also highlights Ciminera’s meticulous chronicle of the dynamic company and the extraordinary engineers who played a pivotal role in making Northrop Grumman a great success.
In 1994 Northrop purchased Grumman while Ciminera was living in Long Island, New York. In 1996 he was invited to work on the F-18 Hornet production and production programs and made the move to Southern California.
He and his wife Donna began renting a home on the Palos Verdes Peninsula in 1996 after several Northrop compatriots suggested it was a nice place to live. In 2000 they purchased a house and have lived on the hill ever since.
“We kind of fell in love with the place. It’s a beautiful place to live and is very convenient to everything, it’s relatively quiet. My wife is very active in animal protection. So we had some cats and a dog and this community was very amenable to that. It’s just beautiful. There are some restaurants, I play golf occasionally, it’s five minutes from my house, it’s a public course and things like that make Palos Verdes a lovely place to live.”
Besides airplanes, Ciminera loves flowers. He inherited a love of gardening from his father. His green thumb blooms into full display every spring when his garden comes to life. Ciminera loves laboring in his garden and has been actively involved in a gardening society at the South Coast Botanic Garden for years.
The couple lead an active life and have no plans to slow down. Ciminera says he doesn’t like the word retired. He is 86 and she is 82. Donna Ciminera runs the Pet Protection League and spends many hours managing the large foundation. Her husband remains fully engaged with his interests.
Ciminera sits on the board of the COA (Christian Outreach in Action), a non-denominational center in Long Beach that cares for those in need. He also coordinates the Hot Food Ministry at his church where he and his team have been preparing hot meals for 20 years.
“I go back to RPI (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute) twice a year to work with the dean of engineering, and the advisory council of the school of engineering, it keeps me up to date on what’s going on and I get to meet a lot of students and help them. I’m also the president of the board of the Western Museum of Flight in Torrance, which is a small, very fine museum with some very unique airplanes and we’ve been building it up.”
The Western Museum of Flight’s mission is to “capture the imagination and inspire achievement through memorable experiences that celebrate the rich Southern California aerospace legacy.” They house three types of airplanes used in the movie Top Gun including the Tom Cat, the plane used to stand in for the Mig, and the one used by “Viper” in the training exercises.
Mike Ciminera’s journey from a 12-year-old dreaming of designing airplanes to a distinguished figure in aerospace is a testament to passion, collaboration, and the unsung heroes behind iconic aircraft. His book, “The Aircraft Designers,” not only delves into the history of Northrop Grumman but also shines a light on the remarkable individuals who brought these dreams to life.
Beyond the pages, Ciminera’s vibrant life in Palos Verdes, from his love for gardening to active involvement in charitable endeavors, reflects a commitment to community and a perpetual drive to contribute. As he embraces the dynamic chapters of his life, from Long Island to Southern California, Ciminera continues to soar, symbolizing that a life well-lived is a collaborative masterpiece, much like the airplanes he dedicated his career to.
