The American Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird, built by the famous Lockheed Skunk
Works division is as of today the world's fastest manned air breathing jet
ever flown with an official top speed of mach 3.3, although some claim that
it is higher and since some parts of the Blackbird project are still classified
we can't know for certain.
The Cold War spy plane had to prove itself during a series of test flights,
the first took place on December 22, 1964.
Here's Some Photos Of The SR-71 Blackbird. Enjoy! :)
"It is a race this jet will not let us lose. The Mach eases to 3.5 as we
crest 80,000 feet. We are a bullet now - except faster" - Major Brian Shul,
Author of 'Sled Driver'.
Scores of significant aircraft have been produced,
in the 100 years of flight, following the achievements
of the Wright brothers, which we celebrate in December.
Aircraft such as the Boeing 707, the F-86 Sabre Jet, and
the P-51 Mustang, are among the important machines,
that have flown our skies.
But the SR-71, also known as the Blackbird, stands alone
as a significant contributor to Cold War victory, as the
fastest plane ever, and only 93 Air Force pilots ever steered
the 'sled,' as it was called.
The SR-71, was the brainchild of Kelly Johnson,
the famed Lockheed designer, who created the
P-38, the F-104 Starfighter, and the U-2.
Not only is it black, had been a secret project at Area-51, and looking like it was
from another planet, it was the fastest aircraft the world had ever seen.
More importantly for the US - it was faster than anything the Soviets
had ever built. Although it carried electronic countermeasures, the
main defensive system of it versus missiles was simply to outrun them.
The SR-71 was an expensive aircraft to operate.
The most significant cost was tanker support, and
in 1990, confronted with budget cutbacks, the Air
Force retired the SR-71.
The SR-71 served six presidents, protecting America for a quarter of a century.
Un-be-known to most of the country, the plane flew
over North Vietnam, Red China, North Korea, the
Middle East, South Africa, Cuba, Nicaragua, Iran,
Libya, and the Falkland Islands.
On a weekly basis, the SR-71, kept watch over every
Soviet Nuclear Submarine, and Mobile Missile Site,
and all of their troop movements.
In the first 100 years of manned flight, no aircraft was more remarkable.
The Blackbird had outrun nearly 4,000 missiles, not once taking a scratch from enemy fire.
On her final flight, the Blackbird, destined for
the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum,
sped from Los Angeles to Washington in 64 Minutes,
averaging 2,145 mph, and setting four speed records.
The SR-71 was never fitted with any weapons. It was simply not built to shoot.
It was built to surveil and take pictures and since it could not be shot
down it had no need to be fitted with weapons.
Since the dawn of these airplanes there have been countless
missiles and other rocket-propelled aerial vehicles moving
faster than Mach 3.3 but there has never been a manned, air-breathing one.
Just being able to accelerate away from a surface-to-air missile
and use that feature as a main defence is a huge accomplishment
on its own. The SR-71 Blackbird will reserve a special place in
most aviation lover's hearts.
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