THE 456th FIGHTER INTERCEPTOR SQUADRON

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The Lockheed SR-71

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The B-71 designation was used briefly during the development of proposed fighter and (reconnaissance) bomber versions of the Lockheed A-12. The fighter version became the YF-12A, but the bomber version never materialized. A strategic reconnaissance version was built which kept the bomber sequence number, but dropped the bomber designation in favor of the one-of-a-kind SR designation (strategic reconnaissance). The USAF Museum has an SR-71A (S/N 61-7976) on display in the Modern Flight Hangar and a YF-12A (S/N 60-6935) on display in the Research and Development Hangar.

The SR-71, unofficially known as the "Blackbird," is a long-range, advanced, strategic reconnaissance aircraft developed from the Lockheed A-12 and YF-12A aircraft. The first flight of an SR-71 took place on December 22, 1964, and the first SR-71 to enter service was delivered to the 4200th (later, 9th) Strategic Reconnaissance Wing at Beale AFB, California, in January 1966. The U.S. Air Force retired its fleet of SR-71s on January 26, 1990, because of a decreasing defense budget and high costs of operation. The USAF returned the SR-71 to the active Air Force inventory in 1995 and began flying operational missions in January 1997. The aircraft was retired again in 1998.

Throughout its nearly 24-year career, the SR-71 remained the world's fastest and highest-flying operational aircraft. From 80,000 feet it could survey 100,000 square miles of Earth's surface per hour. On July 28, 1976, an SR-71 set two world records for its class: an absolute speed record of 2,193.167 miles per hour and an absolute altitude record of 85,068.997 feet.

 
TYPE
SR-71A
SR-71B
SR-71C 		Number Built/Converted
29
2
1 		Remarks
Strategic Reconnaissance Aircraft
Trainer version
Hybrid aircraft YF-12 and SR-71

SPECIFICATIONS
Span: 55 ft. 7 in.
Length: 107 ft. 5 in.
Height: 18 ft. 6 in.
Weight: 170,000 lbs. loaded
Armament: None
Engines: Two Pratt & Whitney J58s of 32,500 lbs. thrust each with afterburner
Crew: Two
 

PERFORMANCE
Maximum speed: Plus 2,000 mph.
Range: Plus 2,900 miles
Service Ceiling: Plus 85,000 ft.

 

INTERESTING NOTE

Originally designated RS-71, the Skunk Works was forced to change about 29,000 blueprints to SR-71 when Lyndon Johnson accidentally turned the letters around during his 1964 announcement acknowledging the existence of the airplane. Called the Blackbird, the SR-71 was so far ahead of its time that to this day very few (such as the X-15 and the Space Shuttle) airplanes can outperform it. Everything about this airplane's creation was gigantic: the technical problems that had to be overcome, the political complexities surrounding its funding, even the ability of the Air Force's most skilled pilots to master this "incredible wild horse of the stratosphere." It was a gigantic leap over the U-2 in every way.

In the words of Kelly Johnson, "It makes no sense to just take this one or two steps ahead, because we'd be buying only a couple of years before the Russians would be able to nail us again. No, I want us to come up with an airplane that can rule the skies for a decade or more." He wanted to design an airplane that used conventional engines and fuel, but still be able to outrace any missile.

The Blackbird, code-named Oxcart during its development, flies on a tremendous 65,000 lbs. of thrust at an altitude of 100,000+ feet at Mach 3.5, and has a range of four thousand miles. That is not only four times faster than the U-2 but seven miles higher - and the U-2 was then the current high-altitude champion. For a long time the Air Force claimed a maximum speed of Mach 3.2 and an operational ceiling of 85,000 feet, but we now know that the SR-71 can soar above 100,000 feet. Some military pilots claim altitudes in excess of 125,000 feet but this is probably stretching it a bit. Compared to the fastest jet fighter America had at the time, the SR-71 flew at least 60 percent faster than its maximum speed on afterburner. Experimental rocket engines had flown this fast for only two or three minutes at a time before running out of fuel. But the Blackbird can cruise at more than three times the speed of sound, and fly coast to coast in less than an hour on one tank of gas. The aircraft can also survey more than 100,000 square miles of the Earth's surface in one hour. The Blackbird actually stretches a few inches during flight, due to the massive temperatures on its titanium hull. To many, the Blackbird is the epitome of grace and power, not to mention blinding speed.

 Courtesy Of  Lockheed YF-12A & SR-71A Blackbird

 

 

Pratt and Whitney J58 Turbojet Engine

 

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 The J58 engine was developed in the late 1950s by Pratt and Whitney Aircraft Division of United Aircraft Corporation to meet a U.S. Navy requirement. It was designed to operate for extended speeds of Mach 3.0+ and at altitudes of more than 80,000 ft. The J58 was the first engine designed to operate for extended periods using its afterburner, and it was the first engine to be flight-qualified at Mach 3 for the Air Force.

Two J58s power the highly-sophisticated Lockheed SR-71 high-altitude strategic reconnaissance aircraft as well as its forerunner, the Lockheed YF-12A prototype interceptor. In July 1976, J58 engines powered an SR-71 to a world altitude record of 85,069 ft. and another SR-71 to a world speed record of 2,193 mph.

Because of the high-temperature environment in which the engine operates, it uses low-volatility JP-7 fuel which requires a chemical ignition system. The engine on display is a prototype version of the J58 and was used as a ground trainer before being transferred to the Museum.

SPECIFICATIONS
Model: Pratt and Whitney J58
Compressor: 9-stage, axial flow, single spool
Turbine: two-stage axial flow
Thrust: 32,500 lbs. with afterburner
Weight: approx. 6,000 lbs.
Max. operating altitude: above 80,000 ft.

Pictures & Text Courtesy Of The Air Force Museum

 

More Engine Information

 

 

SR-71s Tail number/ build number

 

AF Serial Numbers assigned for the SR-71: 61-17950 through 61-17985

 

Sources:

  • "Lockheed Skunk Works, The First 50 Years" by Jay Miller
    "Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird" by Paul Crickmore
    "Lockheed SR-71, The Secret Missions Exposed" by Paul Crickmore

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    The Blackbird Page

     

    The SR-71 Photo Gallery

     

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    The SR-71-B Photo Gallery

    A dual cockpit trainer.

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    Last Updated

    06/02/2009

     

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