Key Points and Summary – The SR-71 Blackbird delivered unmatched Mach-3 recon, but its costs proved fatal. -Each flight hour ran $200,000–$300,000, driven by extreme maintenance, heat-damaged coatings ...

The SR-71 is perhaps the most iconic Cold War spy aircraft, famous for many record-setting flights. Seemingly impervious to loss by enemy defenses, a dozen Blackbirds were lost to accidents. On July ...

The SR-71 Blackbird is famous for many things: its unmatched speed, its stealth, and its distinctive black paint. But look closely at its landing gear, and you'll notice something surprising: ...

When thinking of spy planes, many people might immediately jump to UAVs, the famous U-2 incident in 1960, or even modern satellite packages. One iconic aerial surveillance tool that many in the United ...

Every last component of the Blackbird was specialized and distinct; the jet needed to do things no other jet could do. As a result, the SR-71 shared roughly zero commonality with any other airframe.