Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird

On December 22, 1964 (just eight days prior to the ol'Kunnel's honorable discharge from the U.S. Air Force) the new highly classified Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird strategic reconnaissance aircraft made its first flight. The first time up, it exceeded 45,000 feet and 1,000 mph. Just ten months earlier, President Lyndon B. Johnson had announced the super-secret class of Mach 3 aircraft, the predecessors to the Blackbird. Although a series of aircraft were built simultaneously, including the A-11/12, the YF-12A and the SR-71, the Air Force concentrated its efforts on the SR-71.

The Blackbird had a distinguished history as a high-speed, high altitude reconnaissance aircraft, flying over nearly every hot spot in the world as events unfolded, providing essential information to our nation's leaders. The Air Force retired the Blackbird January 25, 1990, after 25 years of service, and over 65 million miles.

The SR-71 holds many records for speed and altitude, including four set on its last flight on March 6, 1990, when Pilot, Lt. Col. Ed Yeilding, and Reconnaissance Systems Officer, Lt. Col. J.T. Vida, delivered 64-17972 to the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum. Those records include a transcontinental mark, covering 2,404 statute-miles from Oxnard, California, to Salisbury, Maryland, in 68 minutes, at an average speed of 2,112 mph.

Interesting Facts

Code-named "Senior Crown"

Grew several inches in flight due to thermal expansion of airframe

Designed with stealth in mind but had large radar signature

Required crew to use pressure suits

Burned 40,000 pounds of fuel every two hours

Evaded surface-to-air missiles merely by accelerating

Used titanium acquired from the Soviet Union

Nicknamed "Habu," pit viper found on Okinawa

Shut down for good October 9, 1999

Renamed SR-71 [from RS-71] by USAF Chief of Staff Gen. Curtis Lemay

-- AIR FORCE Magazine / May 2012

13:32 5/16/2012

Visit the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird Photo Gallery!
If you have any photos the Ol'Kunnel
would like to hear from you!

08:23 9/1/2004