New York to London in two hours
New York to LA in one hour
Cruising altitude of double the deepest point in the Ocean
Few aircraft have inspired as much admiration as the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird. It's arguably the most extraordinary aircraft ever operated by the United States.
On July 28, 1976, the Blackbird broke the World Records for fastest airspeed at 2,193.167 mph and highest altitude 85,068.997 ft. Its pilots could see space and could figuratively travel back in time.
Everything on this airplane was designed with a specific purpose. See the two pointed cones protruding from the engines? Those were essential to the operation of the Blackbird because they slowed down the flow of hypersonic air to allow the engines to cool down, while also contributing to more than half of the engine's thrust!
It's also incredibly rare. 32 were made, 29 were operational, 12 were lost in accidents (none in combat), and 18 of this specific model are in aviation museums across the country—including the Strategic Air Command & Aerospace Museum in Ashland, Nebraska (pictured below).
