Tag Archives: Jim Zwayer

The Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird Mach 3-strategic reconnaissance aircraft remained the world’s fastest and highest-flying operational aircraft. From 80,000 feet, it could survey 100,000 square miles of Earth’s surface per hour. The iconic Lockheed SR-71 required aircrews to wear a special silver pressure suit to ensure their safety. This proved to …

on Jan. 25, 1966 when Blackbird tail number 952 disintegrated mid-air during a systems evaluation flight. The mission was intended to investigate procedures designed to reduce trim drag and improve high Mach cruise performance while the centre of gravity (CG) was located further aft than normal, reducing the Blackbird’s longitudinal …