SR-71 Blackbird walkaround

61-7976 was flight-delivered to the (then) Air Force Museum in March 1990, several months after the SR-71's initial retirement. This aircraft had carried out the first operational Blackbird sortie by the USAF in March 1968 (after of course, the CIA's A-12s); -7976 ultimately flew more operational missions than any other Blackbird.

SR-71 Blackbird frontal view at Air Force Museum

P&W J58 engine - after section view at Air Force Museum

SR-71 tail detail photo at Air Force Museum

SR-71 nose gear detail at Air Force Museum


YF-12A walkaround

Aviation Art

SR-71 reading:

Bob Archer  "Giant Reach: The Lockheed SR-71 in East Anglia, 1974-90"  American Cold War Stories

Robert Hopkins III  Strategic Air Command in the UK: SAC Operations 1946-1992  Detailed coverage of SR-71 operations from England.

"SR-71 Shows Striking Similarities to YF-12A"   Aviation Week & Space Technology  December 14, 1964  p.20-21  5 photos

Richard G. O'Lone   "First Operational SR-71 Delivered to SAC"   Aviation Week & Space Technology  January 17, 1966  p.33-34  3 photos

Photo:  "Modified Boeing 747 in refueling tests with USAF/Lockheed SR-71"   Aviation Week & Space Technology  October 2, 1972  front cover

Photos (3):  "Second SR-71 Deployed to England"   AW&ST  January 31, 1983  p.59

"SR-71 Sets Four Records During Retirement Flight"   Aviation Week & Space Technology  March 12, 1990  p.25

Michael O'Leary  "Bad Day At Blackbird Central"   Air Combat  May 1990  p.42-53  15 photos

Brian Shul   "Lasting Legacy"   Journal of American Military Aviation  V2 N1  p.16-17  4 photos

Christopher Michaels  "Beyond The Horizon"   Airpower  September 1993  p.10-55  74 photos

"SR-71 permanently retired"   World Air Power Journal  Vol.35  Winter 1998  p.15

"Bye Bye Blackbird Again"   USAF Yearbook  1998  p.50-52  11 photos

Aviation Reviews, Photos and References
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