The Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird (so named for its heat-resistant black paint) first flew in 1964, and since that time it has remained the world’s fastest aircraft. Tanks in the inner wings and upper fuselage carry the 80,000 pounds of special, superheated fuel.
Few weapon systems have ever entered the military arena with such blinding superiority as did the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird. No weapon system has ever maintained that same degree of superiority over a period of four decades. Today, the Blackbird is still the fastest, highest-flying, most-effective reconnaissance aircraft in history, even though budgetary considerations have caused it to be withdrawn from active service.
Like the U-2, a product of the U.S. government’s super-secret Skunk Works research & development center, the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird is a perfect expression of Kelly Johnson’s genius and his leadership of a brilliant team of fewer than 200 engineers.
The USAF’s SR-71 was a two-seat development of the earlier A-12 aircraft used by the Central Intelligence Agency. The Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird first flew on December 22, 1964, and by December 1967, all 31 of the Blackbirds had been delivered to the USAF.
The Blackbird was both a miracle of design and of production, for its performance (speed of Mach 3.2, more than 90,000 feet of altitude, a 4,000-mile range) had to overcome not only the sound barrier, but also the heat barrier. Skin temperatures of the craft exceeded 1,050 degrees Fahrenheit. Special fuels, hydraulic fluids, electronics, and glass had to be developed to match the strength of the aircraft’s titanium structure.
A Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird, flown invariably by a highly skilled crew, became an invulnerable, invaluable reconnaissance aircraft. Unlike satellites in fixed orbits, the SR-71 could be deployed within hours to anywhere in the world.
The usefulness of the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird went beyond military applications to diplomatic roles. During the 1973 Middle East Yom Kippur War, reconnaissance photos taken by the SR-71 determined the positions of the advancing Israeli forces, and were used during subsequent peace negotiations. And as a research instrument, the SR-71 has few peers; although officially retired, Blackbirds are rumored to be occasionally flown — “unofficially” — in NASA research.
Blackbirds set many records for speed and altitude, the last one a transcontinental speed record of less than 68 minutes — on the delivery flight of a retired SR-71 to the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C.
LOCKHEED SR-71 BLACKBIRD SPECIFICATIONS
Wingspan: 55 ft. 7 in.
Length: 107 ft. 5 in.
Height: 18 ft. 6 in.
Empty Weight: 60,000 lbs
Gross Weight: 170,000 lbs
Top Speed: Mach 3.2-plus
Service Ceiling: 90,000 ft.-plus
Range: 2,600 miles
Engine/Thrust: Two Pratt & Whitney J58 turbojets/32,500 lbs each
Crew: 2
Equipment: Wide range of classified intelligence-gathering equipment
source
SR-71 pilot talking to Air Traffic Control:
SR pilot: "Am I cleared to 80,000 feet?”
Air Traffic Control back: "If you can get there”, starts laughing.
SR pilot back: "Descending to 80,000 feet."
This documentary collection is a gem. Especially the uncut interview of Pat Halloran near the end. The comment regarding the speed record from New York to London "…it'll never be broken…" is going to be forever true. No need to spend the money with satellites now easily taking photos much more detailed than the SR-71. That time in flight history came and went, but did so so quickly it seems it never happened.
"It'll never be beaten". Nice to hear the pride in their voices. Such a beautiful bird.
Love how the Oxcart isn't even mentioned as it was still classified. But no Oxcart, no SR. .
"DO YOU EVEN READ MY CHRISTMAS LIST?!?!"
?? I think I saw one once,at RAF Alconbury.It would have been late 80s,and there were armed guards surrounding it.Would that fit ?
Speed record. It’ll never be beat he says. I’m sure they gotta have something now if they had this during Vietnam.
Lockheed Martin was a vender at this 2016 conference in New Orleans. https://pin.it/b7nemgphrdic42
Can this jet that is engaged in solar radiation management be identified? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CgVVK5uwZ38
New York to London 1hour 55mins,
CHENNAI-OKYO 100 TON, 6 MACH 2 H 240,000 HP; 12,000 CBM IN 23 M ^3 PRESSURE VESSEL AT 600 BAR . 1.23 Mn LBS/SFT WATER THRUST INSTANTLY FARE 2000 $
NO FUEL, NO CO2e , NO ELECTRIC HYDRO ENERGY 100 TON, 6 MACH WATER LANDING , FLOAT IN WATER. 45* PAD LAUNCH, RANGE 120,000 KM 2 Mn HP, 100,000 CBM 46.5 M^3
6 mach 100 ton, 200,000 ft altitude, no fuel, no co2e, range 100,000 km airline/ sea line
You know, i wonder if anyone had the shadow of sr-71 pass over them without them knowing what it really was…
merci
Aircraft tail sections and some stabs were made of titanium before the SR , such as the F-100, F105 etc.
Yeah while the turbo prop as angled, that's not the angle.
What a beautiful and impressive airplane!
The BlackBirds are the most Impressive Air Planes ever built. There shape is so much like a Sword / Dagger that they couldn't help Slice through the Skies.
V
When you have to include seconds when mentioning a flight time… The SR-71 has always fascinated me, although I never realised how large it was. And as for satellites… it's pretty obvious that the USAF have something that can replace the SR-71. Maybe it's a drone, maybe it's fully autonomous. We just don't know, and we never will, until that time that they have the successor to its successor ready for deployment.
I was told by an SR pilot it was known for over Mach 7. Something they won't talk about. I am very informed on such planes. I have worked on many hangers and had a taste for information. A couple times I was removed because I ask too many questions. Some of mine were answered at evening parties with pilots.
It makes you wonder if the us gov had made some of this up considering how shitty it's acting now.
It looks familiar to us that watch X-Men as it was the inspiration of their VTOL Blackbird (X-Jet).
That was the right call on refueling in the air on the speed records a record is cool the people's lives are more important it's not worth it
1960's tech.. wtf do we have now that's obviously classified. just insane.
The only craft I liked better than this was the X-15.
Why would we retire this plane ?? Nothing can touch it. It's the very best. Thank God it was ours!! It's a beautiful plane. Shame it will never fly again.
i just touched one sr71 in duxford five days ago. gave me goosebumps just to see it.. but the feeling of the aircrafts wing on my finger was absolutely amazing even if it was just one second
This plane still looks futuristic in 2019, yet it was designed and built in the 50's and 60's before computer aided design & testing etc. Amazing.
Kelly was a tough son of a gun, he kicked Richard in the ass when he looked at the 117 and said that thing will never fly.!!!
mach 3+ not just mach 3
"We were outrunning the SUN"
SAID: No one other then a SR71 pilot.
we as a society have reached the pinnacle of advancement .The fastest jet? been and gone…the biggest moving land machines been gone scrapped…the yanks dont care about future generations just quick cash now,the biggest ship? gone scrap..space travel? to the moon and back never to be done again….now there is just a spiral into some sort of malthusian event coupled with the modern world wide version of lord of the flies…
I always laugh when I watch an X-Men or Deadpool movie and they show the SR-71 as a VTOL aircraft. Having been on the launch and recovery team in the USAF for this plane I can tell you it needs lots of runway for takeoff & landing and a BIG orange drag chute for those landings.
Jewish Murdered Count Bernadotte, savior of over 11,000 Jews, while he visited Israel.
85% of Soviet gov. was Jewish 1917-1956. Jewish Butchered over 66,000,000 Russians, NEVER AID THE BUTCHERERS.
JEWS DANCED ON ROOFTOPS AS 9/11 USA MEN AND WOMEN LEAPT.
DON'T EXTEND YOUR GRACE TO EVIL.
A machine without compare. Unique. The bench mark of air-breathing aeronautical engineering genius and endeavour; then, and now.
Long live America!!!
what if you have to take a shit right after they put the suit on?
The most beastly and beautiful bird ever made by mankind I've always been a huge fan of this aircraft
It was expensive = FACT
It was too expensive = OPINION
Raced the sun…and won