The SR-71 Blackbird
About the SR-71 Blackbird
The Blackbird was an extremely unique aircraft. The heat generated by this aircraft was so great that it galvanized the titanium, making the plane go even faster. The SR-71 was so fast that it could out-fly missiles. In fact, it stayed completely unbeaten and not a single unit of the thirty two blackbirds were lost during their military missions, twelve were lost by accident. In 1974, the SR-71 completed the famous New York to London stretch in 1 hour and 54 minutes and still holds the record for being the fastest aircraft in the world. Due to political reasons the SR-71 Blackbird program was officially terminated on the 22nd of November 1999. The last flight of the SR-71 was on October 9th, 1999. Many are now on display in museums throughout the United States and one in England.
List of Museums where the SR-71 Blackbirds are on display.
2. AFFTC Museum Edward Air Force Base, California, USA
3. Kalamazoo Aviation History Museum Michigan, USA
4. Museum of Aviation Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, USA
5. USAF Armament Museum Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, USA
6. Castle Air Museum Atwater, California, USA
7. Kansas Cosmophere and Space Center Hutchinson, Kansas, USA
8. Imperial War Museum Duxon, UK
9. Beale AFB Beale Air Force Base, California, USA
10. Strategic Air and Space Museum Ashland, Nebraska, USA
11. Barksdale Global Power Museum Louisiana, USA
12. Virginia Aviation Museum Richmond, Virginia, USA
13. Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum McMinnville, Oregon, USA
14. Smithsonian National Air and Space Museums Chantilly, Virginia, USA
15. Blackbird Airpark Museum Palmdale, California, USA
16. March Field Air Museum March Air Force Base, Riverside,California, USA
17. National Museum of the United State Air Force , Wright-Patterson Air Force, Ohio, USA
18. Airman Heritage Museum Lackland Air Force base, San Antonio, Texas, USA
19. Armstrong Flight Research Center Palmdale, California, USA
20. Hill Aerospace Museum Hill Air Force Base, Northern Utah, USA
The Futuristic SR-72
Lockheed Martin manager for Hypersonic, Brad Leland believes that the speed of the SR-72 will give the USA a huge advantage. The SR-72 will need slight modification to be able to launch missiles at six times the speed of sound! Giving the enemies very little time to react. Brad Leland believes that the SR-72 will be fully operational by 2030.