The Lockheed SR-71 was an advanced, long-range, Mach 3 strategic reconnaissance aircraft developed from the Lockheed A-12 and YF-12A aircraft by the Lockheed Skunk Works. The SR-71 was unofficially named the Blackbird, and called the Habu by its crews. Clarence "Kelly" Johnson was responsible for many of the design's innovative concepts. A defensive feature of the aircraft was its high speed and operating altitude, whereby, if a surface-to-air missile launch were detected, standard evasive action was simply to accelerate. The SR-71 line was in service from 1964 to 1998, with 12 of the 32 aircraft being destroyed in accidents, though none were lost to enemy action.
- The SR-71 is one of the most magnificent military jets ever developed. People have been fascinated with this aircraft for decades.
- The SR-71 was nicknamed "Blackbird" because of its special paint, formulated to absorb radar signals, radiate heat, and camouflage the aircraft against a dark sky. Designed as a high-flying, extremely fast reconnaissance platform with a small radar cross-section, the Blackbird operated beyond the speed and range of enemy defenses. It was a product of the famed Lockheed "Skunk Works" under Kelly Johnson.
- The aircraft can fly more than 2,200 mph and at altitudes of over 85,000 feet. This operating environment makes the aircraft excellent platforms to carry out research and experiments in a variety of areas - aerodynamics, propulsion, structures, thermal protection materials, high-speed and high-temperature instrumentations, atmospheric studies, and sonic boom characterization.
- The SR-71 is powered by two of Pratt and Whitney J-58 turbojets with afterburners, each producing 34,000 pounds of thrust. The airframes are built almost entirely of titanium and titanium alloys to withstand heat generated by sustained Mach 3 flight. Aerodynamic control surfaces consist of all-moving vertical tail surfaces above each engine nacelle, ailerons on the outer wings, and elevators on the trailing edges between the engine exhaust nozzles.
- Although this aircraft looks like a fighter, the SR-71 was not built to be maneuverable. It was the size and weight of a small airliner - 150,000 pounds fully fueled. Pilots said that flying it while wearing a 50-pound pressure suit was "like driving an MG in a football uniform." Nevertheless, its pilots and crews became extremely attached to it. The U.S. Air Force accepted only two percent of pilot applicants for its SR-71 program. A total of 120 officers flew it operationally over its 24-year history.
- The SR-71's retirement from service was controversial, but its $85,000-per-hour operating cost was a major factor. Twelve of 32 SR-71 were crashed during early tests but they suffered no fatalities. Eight others are in Air Force warehouses, and NASA used three as supersonic test beds. Museum's SR-71 is one of nine Blackbirds sent to museums in the United States. During its delivery flight on March 6, 1990, this Blackbird set a record for Los Angeles to Washington, DC in 1 hour, 4 minutes, 20 seconds with 2,124 mph average speed.
