• A black spy plane stands in an all black air hanger, lit from the light from above. The curvy form of the plane--bulging at two engines on either wing and curving up toward the cockpit--give the sense of an almost science fiction aircraft (although it's very real).
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    SR-71 Blackbird

    The Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird was the world’s fastest jet-powered aircraft. It was built to fly high and fast, making it one of the most amazing planes in history. The Blackbird was used by the U.S. Air Force for reconnaissance, which means it was designed to gather information without being detected by enemies. It could fly so fast and high that no other plane could catch it!

    The SR-71 flew more than 2,800 hours over 24 years of service. On its final flight in 1990, two pilots, Lt. Col. Ed Yeilding and Lt. Col. Joseph Vida, set a speed record by flying from Los Angeles to Washington, D.C., in just 1 hour, 4 minutes, and 20 seconds! They were flying at an average speed of over 2,100 miles per hour, faster than the speed of sound!

    This incredible aircraft was designed by Clarence "Kelly" Johnson and built by Lockheed Aircraft Corporation. Its body was made mostly of titanium to handle the heat from flying so fast. The Blackbird’s powerful engines and special shape helped it fly higher and faster than anything else at the time.

  • A black spy plane stands in an all black air hanger, lit from the light from above. The curvy form of the plane--bulging at two engines on either wing and curving up toward the cockpit--give the sense of an almost science fiction aircraft (although it's very real).

Photographer:

Dane Penland

ID#:

WEB11652-2010

Source:

Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum

Owner:

Smithsonian Institution

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Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird

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