Tag Archives: SR-71 Blackbird

In January 1984 a rare incident occurred when the SR-71 Blackbird drag chute doors opened inadvertently at high Mach, creating problems, as RSO Lt. Col. Curt Osterheld (Ret) explains in Col. Richard H. Graham’s book The Complete Book of the SR-71 Blackbird: Pilot Lt. Col. Joe Matthews and I were …

There are very many aircraft that have exceeded the speed of Mach 2.0. Some of them are research aircraft, some are military and some are simply flying for reconnaissance purposes. But there is always something special with supersonic aircraft. If we ask the question that names the Fastest jet in …

How fast was the SR-71? Let’s answer the question with someone who actually knows. Tim Yarrow an aviation Research and Analysis expert was an Electrical Engineer at Lockheed Martin’s secretive “Skunk Works” team from 1974-1994….here’s his answer: Faster than widely published. Blackbird’s cruise speed was officially Mach 3.2…but there’s MORE. Blackbird …

The Lockheed Skunk Works (now Lockheed Martin) built the original SR-71 aircraft. Each aircraft is 107.4 feet long, has a wingspan of 55.6 feet, and is 18.5 feet high (from the ground to the top of the rudders, when parked). Gross takeoff weight is about 140,000 pounds, including a possible …

Ed Cobleigh a fighter pilot with the US Air Force, US Navy, Royal Air Force, Imperial Iranian Air Force, and the French Air Force. He also served as an Air Intelligence Officer working with the CIA, FBI, and M16 on a variety of covert projects. He knows fighter planes, fighter …

In 1982 during maintenance procedures at Beale Air Force Base a Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird that fell on its right-wing during maintenance due to a Stupid Mistake The SR-71 #964 was going through a routine maintenance procedure at Beale Air Force Base. Due to Technician Improper maintenance procedures and failure to …

The Pratt & Whitney J58 was a jet engine that powered the Lockheed A-12, and subsequently the YF-12 and the SR-71 aircraft. This fascinating video in the post explains how the engine technology of SR-71 makes the blackbird the fastest plane ever. It’s been called “black magic”: an engine that …

Here’s Everything we know about Mach 5+ ‘Son of Blackbird’ hypersonic jet design to replace the SR-71 Blackbird In 2013, Lockheed Martin announced the development of the successor to the SR-71 Blackbird spy plane. The SR-72 is the successor to the SR-71 Blackbird spy plane, which was the fastest plane …

On Apr. 21, 1989, SR-71 Blackbird #61-17974, better known as Ichi-Ban departed Kadena Air Base (AB) on a mission. At the controls were Pilot Lt. Col Dan House, and RSO Blair Bozek. As #974 accelerated through three times the speed of sound, the left compressor bearing froze, causing the immediate …

The SR-71A (61-7974 / 2025) was lost on 21 April 1989 over the South China Sea and is the last loss of any Blackbird. After taking off from Kadena AFB, her right engine exploded, taking several hydraulic lines with it and crippling the flight controls. Pilot Maj. Daniel E. House …