Leaving the airspace above New York City at 2,455 miles per hour, SR-71 tail number 64-17972 would set a transatlantic speed record on Sept. 1, 1974.

The SR-71 is one of the U.S. Air Force's most prolific aircraft. Other than looking like a futuristic aircraft military model lovers have built for decades, it was designed and built in secret by the ...

Lockheed's SR-71 Blackbird jet remans the fastest manned plane ever, capable of speeds current commercial airliners don't come close to matching.

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 ...

-Officially retired due to high costs and improving satellite tech, a former SR-71 RSO, Richard “Butch” Sheffield, reveals in his unpublished book that the decision was politically driven. -The Air ...