(DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA) – The Lockheed SR-71 aircraft, better known as the “Blackbird,” is a strategic long-range reconnaissance aircraft developed by the American aerospace company, Lockheed Corporation.
With a maximum speed of Mach 3++, this twin-engine, two-seater aircraft was operated by the United States Air Force and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). A total of 32 secret Blackbird aircraft were built. Most of the aircraft’s airframe is made of Titanium.
The first Blackbird aircraft took its maiden flight on December 22, 1964, and the first operational flight occurred in January 1966 with the United States Air Force’s strategic reconnaissance unit based in California.
Throughout its 24 years of service with the United States Air Force, the SR-71 Blackbird, capable of flying at Mach 3++, remained the fastest and highest-flying aircraft at 80,000 feet altitude.
The United States Air Force retired the Blackbird on January 26, 1990, due to decreasing defense needs and high operational costs. During its active service with the U.S. military, the Blackbird was never shot down by enemy forces.
In its final flight on March 6, 1990, piloted by Lt. Col. Ed Yeilding and Lt. Col. Joseph Vida, the Blackbird set a flight record by flying from Los Angeles to Washington in just 1 hour, 4 minutes, and 20 seconds. On average, it flew at a speed of 3,418 kilometers per hour.
Upon arriving at Washington-Dulles International Airport, the Blackbird was handed over to the Smithsonian Museum, thus concluding its active service with the United States Air Force.
Here are some interesting facts about the SR-71 (Strategic Reconnaissance) or “Blackbird” aircraft:
- The cockpit’s windshield is made of pure quartz with a thickness of 1.25 inches.
- Due to the thickness of the cockpit windshield, the interior remains quiet even when the aircraft is flying at Mach 3++.
- Current flight engineers have studied the Blackbird using modern technology to determine if its design could be improved. However, they concluded that the Blackbird’s design is already perfect and cannot be enhanced further.
- No Blackbird aircraft were shot down by enemy forces during its 24 years of service with the U.S. military. However, 12 out of 32 aircraft were reported to have crashed due to technical issues.
- The Blackbird uses a special “fuel” to power itself, which should not be called “fuel” but rather a chemical compound called MIL-T 3829 or Jet-Propellant 7 (JP7).
- The aircraft can fly up to 2,000 nautical miles but requires in-flight refueling from a modified KC-135Q aircraft to replenish its special “fuel” during flight. Only modified KC-135Q aircraft were allowed to carry the Blackbird’s “fuel.”
- Each Blackbird aircraft has six “fuel” tanks.
- Unlike fighter aircraft that require a short preparation time for takeoff, preparing the Blackbird for flight involves meticulous preparations that can take hours before the secretive aircraft can move to the runway and take off.
- To this day, the Blackbird is still recognized as the fastest aircraft in the world, allowing it to soar to the edge of outer space.
- While the Blackbird is recognized as the fastest and highest-flying aircraft, achieving these feats would not be possible without its fearless pilots, special “fuel,” and a dedicated crew that takes a long time to prepare it for each flight. — DSA