On Jul. 4, 2019, Robert J. “Bob” Gilliland, former Lockheed test pilot and the first man to fly the iconic SR-71 Blackbird spy plane, died at the age of 93 at Rancho Mirage, California retirement facility where he had been living for several years. The death was announced by his …
Read More »
on Jun. 1, 2019 Former SR-71 pilot Lieutenant Colonel Ben Bowles has passed away. Ben Douglas Bowles, 87, of Salem, was born on Jan. 14, 1932. Ben was born in Richmond and raised near Roanoke and in Detroit, MI. The family relocated to Salem, VA where he learned to fly …
Read More »
Col. Richard H. Graham a former Blackbird pilot, explains in his book why the SR-71 Blackbird had to refuel after takeoff Actually, most SR-71’s operational sorties started off with a refueling after takeoff. “Many people believe we refueled after takeoff because the aircraft leaked fuel so profusely that we needed …
Read More »
Tom Cruise is an American actor and producer famous known for Top Gun famous movies from back in the 80s. Top Gun sequel dubbed Top Gun: “Maverick” filming is underway right now. A lot of Rumors are circulating regarding which Aircraft Tom Cruise will fly in the movie Paramount Pictures …
Read More »
On Jan. 31, 1986 Captain Mikhail Myagkiy claims to Achieve a RADAR lock on SR-71 Blackbird while participating in Peacetime Aerial Reconnaissance Operations Program (PAROP) missions to the Barents Sea area. Here is our previous article, retired Soviet MiG-31 pilot Major Mikhail Myagkiy share details how he was able to …
Read More »
The Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird Mach 3 strategic reconnaissance aircraft remained the world’s fastest and highest-flying operational aircraft throughout its nearly 24-year career. From 80,000 feet, it could survey 100,000 square miles of Earth’s surface per hour. And in the off chance, that an enemy tried to shoot it down with …
Read More »
In this article, we will share with you the story of the SR-71 Blackbird that made an emergency landing in Norway after spying over Murmansk Lieutenant Colonel Bredette (BC) Thomas tells the story of the infamous SR-71 Emergency Landing in Norway. The Blackbird was crewed by BC Thomas himself and Lieutenant …
Read More »
The keeping of aviation records goes back to October 1905 when representatives from eight countries, including the U.S., met in Paris to form the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale, or FAI. The FAI later became the world governing body for official aircraft—and later, spacecraft—records and to supervise sport aviation competitions. The National …
Read More »
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 …
Read More »
Today we will share with you an Unknown Story of the SR-71 Blackbird that was saved by a Tanker after a Double-Engine Flameout over Northern Laos Col. David P. Dempster recalls in Richard H. Graham’s book SR-71 Blackbird Stories, Tales and Legends: on 19 April 1968, *Jim Watkins and …
Read More »