Here are some of the most mind-blowing SR-71 blackbird facts and some unknown SR-71 blackbird stories.
- The SR-71 Blackbird is a long-term, high-altitude, Mach 3+ strategic investigation aircraft invented by Lockheed Martin & Skunk Works. It was then manufactured by the American aerospace company Lockheed Corporation.
- The SR-71 Blackbird was introduced in January 1966 and operated by both the United States Air Force (USAF) and NASA.
- It was developed as a black project from the Lockheed A-12 aircraft for rapid surprise attack on an enemy during the 1960s. The SR-71 blackbird costs 34 million dollars.
- The Blackbird was constructed 85% out of titanium alloy and the remaining 15% was made from polymer composite materials.
- It was the world’s fastest air-breathing highest-flying operational manned aircraft to have taken to the skies throughout its career.
- The SR-71 blackbird top speed could exceed Mach 3 which is above 2,200 mph. That’s literally faster than a speeding bullet and over 3 times faster than the speed of sound.
- The SR-71 Blackbird aircraft retired in 1998 from (USAF) and in 1999 it retired from (NASA). During the Cold War, this plane flew higher and faster than any other planes.
- SR-71 records are unimaginable as on 28 July 1976, it broke the world record the absolute altitude record of 85,069 feet (25,929 m) and at the same day another SR-71 set an absolute speed record of 3,529.6 kilometers per hour (2,193.2 miles per hour).
- The SR-71 Blackbird aircraft was originally built to be equipped with weapons but it was then converted into a spying aircraft and so it can’t fire a gun and doesn’t carry a bomb.
- The pilots of SR-71 had to be married because it would be hard for them to change loyalties to the USSR. Single males are more likely to defect since they’ve got nothing to lose.