Mach 3 masterpiece...
The opening this week of Steven Spielberg's new movie, Bridge of Spies, which centers on the exchange of the Russian spy Rudolf Able and Francis Gary Powers, whose U-2 was shot down over the Soviet Union, recalls the SR-71 Blackbird...an incredible airplane.
The Blackbird was the successor to the U-2 and became the world's fastest and highest flying operational manned aircraft.
It still holds some amazing world records, including:
--1976, an "absolute altitude record" of 85,069 feet.
SR-71 soaring toward the edge of space.
The opening this week of Steven Spielberg's new movie, Bridge of Spies, which centers on the exchange of the Russian spy Rudolf Able and Francis Gary Powers, whose U-2 was shot down over the Soviet Union, recalls the SR-71 Blackbird...an incredible airplane.
The Blackbird was the successor to the U-2 and became the world's fastest and highest flying operational manned aircraft.
It could fly at 2,200 miles an hour...and more.
It still holds some amazing world records, including:
--1976, an "absolute altitude record" of 85,069 feet.
--That same year it flew the 3,462 miles from New York to London in 1 hour and 54 minutes. The Concorde took 2 hours and 52 minutes for the same trip, and the 747 takes an average time of 6 hours and 15 minutes.
--1990, a Blackbird covered the 2,299 miles between Los Angeles and Washington, DC for another new record of 64 minutes and 20 seconds.
At 80,000 feet on the edge of space, Blackbird pilots could see 350 miles in any direction.
The plane's nose camera took a picture 72 miles wide. In 64 minutes, the SR-71 filmed 100,000 miles. The film for the camera was 10,500 feet long and five inches wide.
Veteran SR-71 pilots and others recall more about the plane, its amazing capabilities and some of its remarkable missions in the following short videos.
--1990, a Blackbird covered the 2,299 miles between Los Angeles and Washington, DC for another new record of 64 minutes and 20 seconds.
At 80,000 feet on the edge of space, Blackbird pilots could see 350 miles in any direction.
The plane's nose camera took a picture 72 miles wide. In 64 minutes, the SR-71 filmed 100,000 miles. The film for the camera was 10,500 feet long and five inches wide.
Veteran SR-71 pilots and others recall more about the plane, its amazing capabilities and some of its remarkable missions in the following short videos.
Col. Buzz Carpenter, an SR-71 pilot, with his insights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpVT5Lr0BbI
The SR-71,one of the US Air Force's most famous planes, was designed and developed by Lockheed's famous Skunk Works: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1250fZuhUg
Col. Rich Graham, an SR-71 pilot, and his recollections:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=isVOn69ULs8
The SR-71,one of the US Air Force's most famous planes, was designed and developed by Lockheed's famous Skunk Works: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1250fZuhUg
Col. Rich Graham, an SR-71 pilot, and his recollections:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=isVOn69ULs8
Ground crew assisting a pilot debark from an SR-71.
The SR-71's dark color led to its Blackbird call sign.
For more about the U-2: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_U-2
For more about Bridge of Spies: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/06/05/bridge-of-spies-trailer_n_7519530.html
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