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No SR-71 Blackbird: The CIA Once Had a Smaller, Faster Spy Plane The A-10 Oxcart spy plane was very useful, but it was not invincible and one was nearly killed over Vietnam. Key point: The spy plane helped keep tabs on various Cold War adversaries, especially during times of high tensions. In fact, the plane's photographs of North Korean activity helped Washington decide not to launch a major retaliation in the aftermath of the seizure of the USS Pueblo. Analysis of Week’s photos located the USS Pueblo near Wonsan anchored next to two patrol boats—and also revealed that Pyongyang had not...

Lockheed test pilot Bill Weaver became the man who quite literally fell to earth from an altitude of 78,800 feet.

MiG-25 One of the early jet fighters that can be counted among the fastest jets ever designed was the MiG-25. The Soviet Mikoyan-Gurevich airframe made extensive use of stainless steel, as a typical aluminum airframe would not have been able to cope with the stresses at the high speeds the MiG-25 was intended for. The airframe’s more robust steel construction came at a cost, however. The MiG-25 was a beast of a plane and tipped the scales at about 64,000 pounds—without fuel or a full weapons load out—adversely affecting flight performance. The heavy airplane was intended to be the Sovi...

How the SR-71 Was Retired for Good (Even It Was the Fastest Plane Ever) It could cross continents in just a few hours, and at 80,000 feet, the Blackbird could survey 100,000 square miles of the ground below per hour. Here's What You Need to Remember: No other U.S. Air Force aircraft could fly faster or higher than the Lockheed SR-71 "Blackbird," and on its final flight, it set a truly impressive record. The reconnaissance aircraft flew from the west coast of the United States to the east coast – some 2,404 miles – in just 68:17 minutes. During that flight, it traveled from St. Louis, Miss...

Blackbird: The SR-71 Is World's Fastest Plane (And Is Retired?) During its twenty-four-year career, the SR-71 remained the world's fastest and highest-flying operational aircraft in the world. And while she might be retired, she lives on in the movies and on TV.  The Lockheed SR-71 "Blackbird" was never really much of a secret during its time in service with the United States Air Force. It had been first mentioned in a speech by then-President Lyndon Johnson in July 1964, then described as the RS-71. However, USAF Chief Of Staff General Curtis Lemay preferred the SR (Strategic Reconnaissance...