For those info junkies like me (I never read 'fiction!') here are some facts about the Blackbird (recently hi-lited on PBS):



* The Lockheed SR-71 was an advanced, long-range, Mach 3 strategic reconnaissance aircraft developed from the Lockheed YF-12A and A-12 aircraft by the Lockheed Skunk Works.

* The SR-71 was one of the first aircraft to be shaped to reduce radar cross section. However, the aircraft was not stealthy and still had a large enough radar signature to be tracked by contemporary systems. The aircraft's defense was its high speed and operating altitude

* In a 17-year period of its operational history (from 21 July 1972 to 21 April 1989) the SR-71 flew without a loss of any type. Other operational highlights include:

* 3,551 Mission Sorties Flown
* 17,300 Total Sorties Flown
* 11,008 Mission Flight Hours
* 53,490 Total Flight Hours
* 2,752 hours Mach 3 Time (Missions)
* 11,675 hours Mach 3 Time (Total)

* Records

The SR-71 remained the world's fastest and highest-flying operational manned aircraft throughout its career. From an altitude of 80,000 ft (24 km), it could survey 100,000 square miles per hour (72 square kilometers per second) of the Earth's surface. In addition, it was accurate enough to take a picture of a car's license plate from this altitude. On 28 July 1976, an SR-71 broke the world record for its class: an absolute speed record of 2,193.1669 mph (3,529.56 km/h), and a US "absolute altitude record" of 85,068.997 feet (25,929 m).

The Blackbird, piloted by Colonel Ed Yielding and Lt. Col. J.T. Vida, set a coast-to-coast speed record at an average 2,124 mph (3,418 km/h). The entire trip was reported as 68 minutes and 17 seconds. Three additional records were set within segments of the flight, including a new absolute top speed of 2,242 mph measured between the radar gates set up in St. Louis and Cincinnati.

* Design and operational details

The airframe was made of titanium obtained from the USSR during the height of the Cold War. Lockheed used all possible guises to prevent the Soviet government from knowing what the titanium was to be used for. In order to keep the costs under control, they used a more easily-worked alloy of titanium which softened at a lower temperature.

* Air inlets

The air inlets were a critical design feature to allow cruising speeds of over Mach 3.2, yet provide subsonic Mach 0.5 airflow into the turbojet engines.

* Stealth

There were a number of features in the SR-71 that were designed to reduce its radar signature. The first studies in radar stealth technology seemed to indicate that a shape with flattened, tapering sides would reflect most radar away from the place where the radar beams originated. To this end, the radar engineers suggested adding chines (sharp edges leading back to the left and right of the nose and along the sides of the fuselage) to the design and canting the vertical control surfaces inward. The plane also used special radar-absorbing materials which were incorporated into sawtooth shaped sections of the skin of the aircraft, as well as cesium-based fuel additives to reduce the exhaust plumes' visibility on radar.

* Escaped untouched by over 4000 missiles launched at it over it's lifetime!


Specifications (SR-71A)

General characteristics

* Crew: 2
* Payload: 3,500 lb (1,600 kg) of sensors
* Length: 107 ft 5 in (32.74 m)
* Wingspan: 55 ft 7 in (16.94 m)
* Height: 18 ft 6 in (5.64 m)
* Wing area: 1,800 ft2 (170 m2)
* Empty weight: 67,500 lb (30 600 kg)
* Loaded weight: 170,000 lb (77 000 kg)
* Max takeoff weight: 172,000 lb (78 000 kg)
* Powerplant: 2× Pratt & Whitney J58-1 continuous-bleed afterburning turbojets, 32,500 lbf (145 kN) each
* Wheel track: 16 ft 8 in (5.08 m)

* Wheel base: 37 ft 10 in (11.53 m)
* Aspect ratio: 1.7

Performance

* Maximum speed: Mach 3.2+ (2,200+ mph, 3530+ km/h) at 80,000 ft (24,000m)
* Range:
o Combat: 2,900 nm (5400 km)
o Ferry: 3,200 nm (5,925 km)
* Service ceiling: 85,000 ft (25,900m, 16 miles)
* Rate of climb: 11,810 ft/min (60 m/s)
* Wing loading: 94 lb/ft2 (460 kg/m2)
* Thrust/weight: 0.382

I believe this plane's fuel tanks leaked profusely on the ground. It was the air pressure and heat that expanded the tanks and sealed them in flight.

It used so much fuel on take off and obtaining its flight level, it had to be fueled right after it took off.

I saw one these planes up close at a museum. I believe it was Smithsonian. It really makes you feel small.

...leaked fuel on the ground like a sieve!! Have one here at Pima Air & Space Museum in Tucson (also saw the one in Palmdale, CA), but they're both just a shell (engines removed!!).

It also said on PBS that still fastest Mil aircraft to date (not counting NASA test A/C!)---- I'm not sure we could easily beat the design even with today's technology!!!

I think you are right. The plane's technology was impressive for the time. I am sure the camera's and such equipment could be better, but the power plant and the plane are untouchable.

Hey, I've seen the one at the Pima Air Museum. I think they have one of the detachable drones there too don't they? We have one in our musuem here at Robins AFB, GA as well as a U-2.

the U2 had only 'height' to avoid getting shot down (and it did as we all know, Frances Gary Powers), but the SR-71 had 'height & speed!' My dad (USAF 21 yrs) told me stories of mid 50's Germany (Geibelstadt), when all of a sudden 20 guys in plain clothes with sub-machine guns came out & lined up along the run way, the U2 took off in minutes, and everything went back to 'normal! Must of been cool!!!