SR-71 Blackbird: Was This Mach 3 Spy Plane Retired Too Soon?
What if the SR-71 Blackbird came out of retirement like a hall of fame quarterback to save the day after 9/11? That almost happened.
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What if the SR-71 Blackbird came out of retirement like a hall of fame quarterback to save the day after 9/11? That almost happened.
Before the SR-71, there was the A-12, a high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft that was built for the United States Central Intelligence Agency.
In fact, when the SR-71 streaked by, SAMs could barely lock on to target, and if they did the Blackbird was already out of range. This allowed it to outrun and evade over 4,000 enemy missiles that were fired at it over the years.
Nicknamed after an illegitimate child, the SR-71C was, remarkably, two separate SR-71s pieced together. It made some history.
In July 1976, an SR-71 even set two world records – one was an absolute speed record of 2,193.167 mph while the other was an absolute altitude record of 85,068.997 feet.