Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird | New York to London in 1h 54 mins | The untouchable reconnaissance plane
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Published 2022-01-20
Just do a sr71a blackbird speed check!
The SR-71 was developed as a black project from the Lockheed A-12 reconnaissance aircraft during the 1960s by Lockheed's Skunk Works division. American aerospace engineer Clarence "Kelly" Johnson was responsible for many of the aircraft's innovative concepts. The shape of the SR-71 was based on that of the A-12, which was one of the first aircraft to be designed with a reduced radar cross-section. At one point, a bomber variant of the aircraft was under consideration, before the program was focused solely on reconnaissance. Mission equipment for the reconnaissance role included signals intelligence sensors, a side-looking airborne radar, and a photo camera; the SR-71 was both longer and heavier than the A-12, allowing it to hold more fuel as well as a two-seat cockpit. The SR-71 designation has been attributed to lobbying efforts by USAF Chief of Staff General Curtis LeMay, who preferred the SR (Strategic Reconnaissance) designation over simply RS (Reconnaissance, Strategic). The aircraft was introduced to operational service in January 1966.
During aerial reconnaissance missions, the SR-71 operated at high speeds and altitudes (Mach 3.2 and 85,000 feet, 25,900 meters) to allow it to outrace threats. If a surface-to-air missile launch was detected, the standard evasive action was simply to accelerate and outfly the missile. On average, each SR-71 could fly once per week due to the extended turnaround required after mission recovery. A total of 32 aircraft were built; 12 were lost in accidents with none lost to enemy action. During 1988, the USAF retired the SR-71 largely for political reasons; several were briefly reactivated during the 1990s before their second retirement in 1998. NASA was the final operator of the type, retiring their examples in 1999. Since its retirement, the SR-71's role has been taken up by a combination of reconnaissance satellites and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs); a proposed UAV successor, the SR-72 is under development by Lockheed Martin, and scheduled to fly in 2025. The SR-71 has been given several nicknames, including "Blackbird" and "Habu". As of 2021 the SR-71 continues to hold the official world record it set in 1976 for the fastest air-breathing manned aircraft, previously held by the related Lockheed YF-12.
The SR-71 was the world's fastest and highest-flying air-breathing operational manned aircraft throughout its career.
General characteristics:
Crew: 2; Pilot and reconnaissance systems officer (RSO)
Length: 107 ft 5 in (32.74 m)
Wingspan: 55 ft 7 in (16.94 m)
Height: 18 ft 6 in (5.64 m)
Wheel track: 16 ft 8 in (5 m)
Wheelbase: 37 ft 10 in (12 m)
Wing area: 1,800 sq ft (170 m2)
Aspect ratio: 1.7
Empty weight: 67,500 lb (30,617 kg)
Gross weight: 152,000 lb (68,946 kg)
Max takeoff weight: 172,000 lb (78,018 kg)
Fuel capacity: 12,219.2 US gal (10,174.6 imp gal; 46,255 l) in 6 tank groups (9 tanks)
Powerplant: 2 × Pratt & Whitney J58 (JT11D-20J or JT11D-20K) afterburning turbojets, 25,000 lbf (110 kN) thrust each
JT11D-20J 32,500 lbf (144.57 kN) wet (fixed inlet guidevanes)
JT11D-20K 34,000 lbf (151.24 kN) wet (2-position inlet guidevanes)
Performance
Maximum speed: 1,910 kn (2,200 mph, 3,540 km/h) at 80,000 ft (24,000 m)
Maximum speed: Mach 3.32[N 5]
Ferry range: 2,824 nmi (3,250 mi, 5,230 km)
Service ceiling: 85,000 ft (26,000 m)
Rate of climb: 11,820 ft/min (60.0 m/s)
Wing loading: 84 lb/sq ft (410 kg/m2)
Thrust/weight: 0.44
Avionics
3,500 lb (1,588 kg) of mission equipment
Itek KA-102A 36–48 in (910–1,220 mm) camera
SIGINT and ELINT equipment in the following compartments
A - nose radar
D - right chine bay
E - electronics bay
K - left forward mission bay
L - right forward mission bay
M - left forward mission bay
N - right forward mission bay
P - left aft mission bay
Q - right aft mission bay
R - radio equipment bay
S - left aft mission bay
T - right aft mission bay
More Aviation Icons @ • Airplanes | Icons & Stories
0:00 Introduction
1:47 January 25, 1966
5:14 Winter, 1957
9:45 Spring, 1958
12:59 March, 1959
24:05 December 22, 1964
33:55 March 21, 1968
36:18 August 26, 1981
42:55 March 6, 1990
#blackbird #aircraft #SR71
All Comments (21)
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It’s crazy that they went from propeller planes in WW2 to this with all its capabilities and speed at Mach 3.2 in just 20 years roughly.
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The people who created this plane are the type of people who should be famous, it’s genius.
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I was at Palmdale for the last SR71 fly over. The plane is simply an American achievement of the highest order. My father retired from the Skunkworks, and I couldn’t be more proud that he was counted among these men. 🙏🇺🇸
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Kelly Johnson was one of the truly great American heroes. His contribution to avionics is unmatched by anyone.
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I'm the daughter of an aeronautical engineer who was -also- a pilot, so I grew up in small planes and airports. When I told my dad, over a drink during his last battle with cancer, that the Blackbird was the most stunningly beautiful plane ever designed, he told me he was proud of me for having better taste and sense than some generals he knew. 8-)
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The SR-71 was, and still is, a landmark in aviation. Speed, looks, technology-no other plane comes close. Great documentary.
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I’m 43 years old and this aircraft is actually one of the reasons I joined the military. I did a report on the SR-71 in 7th grade and absolutely fell in love with it and the military. Unfortunately my grade’s were not good enough nor did I have that great 20/20 vision to land my ass in the Air Force and I ended up and infantrymen in the USMC lol just a bit different… but I still love the aircraft none the less.
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The SR-71 was a design marvel 50 years ahead of it's time design wise. The fact it wasn't made using computers still astounds me to this day. It's a legend among the aviation community and likely will be for many years to come. It should not have existed when it was made.
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My father was a mechanic on the SR- 71. I still have memories of seeing these awesome planes flying over Beale AFB in California. Even today, still the most beautiful aircraft ever made.
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WOW. I get goose bumps! My dad worked at Lockheed and he was part of the Skunkworks. He's passed now and I sure miss him.
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I can't remember where I saw it, but I remember reading a comment that read along the lines of: "my grandad grew up in the Soviet Union military and worked in one of the jets designed to tackle the SR-71, and was there first hand to witness the sheer speed of the blackbird... and in 2005 he went to a space museum, reached out, and touched the jet and said "finally, caught you" I don't remember who said that, but that comment has never left my mind whenever I think about the SR-71
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The SR-71 has to be the coolest looking aircraft ever to grace the skies ! 👍
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My Father worked with Kelly Johnson on this Aircraft in Palmdale and Burbank but was primarily located in Ontario,Ca. Dad was Lockheeds highest paid Radar engineer from 1954 to 1978 with only an 8th grade education, He was self tought, the fact that Dad was an FCC licensed Ametuer Extra class Ham radio operator is pretty much how he landed the position without filling out an application, Lockheed didn't know he didn't have a diploma and somehow found that out in the 70's and made dad go back to school and get one, boy was Dad pissed!🤣
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This magnificent machine was created by guys with vision, determination and a can-do attitude. No ridiculous computer modelling or twenty-three year old grads that say it can't be done, just slide rules, HB pencils, a pack of Marlboros and sheer bloody determination. Gentleman, the world salutes you all.
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When I was a kid my first ever experience with the SR-71 Blackbird was a small Matchbox toy. At the time I thought it was just a toy spaceship that looked cool, I was around four when I got that toy. A few years later I got a post from an aerial photograph of a Blackbird in flight & couldn’t believe something that looked this amazing was real. I would read books, articles, any information I could on the Blackbird was just always amazed at this incredible aircraft. I took JROTC classes in high school & on of my teachers for that class was a former crew chief for the Blackbird, I always asked him questions about the plane & his experiences working on it. I remember him telling me when seeing it take off & land was two of the most amazing things anyone can ever experience & that from talks with the pilots he worked with that flying at Mach 3 was just indescribable. I still remember going to that class in 1998, my teacher pulled me aside & asked if I heard the news, I told him what news? He told me that the Blackbird had been retired, I was dumbfounded & asked why? He told me let’s have a moment of silence for the aircraft, we did & after our moment of silence he said that aircraft is an amazing piece of engineering & that it was officially being retired because satellites were now going to be used for that purpose, & that the short retirement in the 90s didn’t count but for me to just think of the long career that the Blackbird had & the time it was designed & built just a feat of engineering. I’ve never got to see one up close but when I was in the military I was stationed in Okinawa in the early 2000s & I went to Kadena airbase to see where some of its flights took off from.
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Saw the Blackbird up close on a couple occasions in the mid-80s in England, included from a car near the runway when one was taxiing and taking off. Looking at these videos of test flights from sunny California doesn't quite capture the dark, menacing spookiness of this plane like it does seeing it in the gloomy early evening of rural England. Also, it maybe quiet at altitude but taking off it was absolutely deafening! As an Air Force brat I was used to jet noise, but this thing was on another level.
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It’s amazing how they were able to creat this at such an early age... hard to imagine what other feats they have engineered that are top secret and unknown to the general public. Hats off to the engineers!
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The most important quote here..... "I think one of the lessons of the SR-71 is, when you give men and women a task and you give them the authority and the resources, it's amazing what you can create. "
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I met Col. Rosenberg briefly at an aviation presentation in California. He was a very unassuming man--none of that hotshot pilot swagger, but rather just an ordinary guy. But of course he was NOT just an ordinary guy. He flew 230 combat missions in Vietnam, many of them over enemy territory. He was an instructor at the Air Force's version of the Top Gun school. He calmly dodged a missile over North Korea. He was selected to take flying legend Chuck Yeager for a ride in the SR-71, and post-Air Force, he was a captain with United Airlines. He's an example of America's finest.
