SR-71 Blackbird: The Cold War Spy Plane That’s Still The World’s Fastest Airplane Doesn’t Need Armor

The SR-71 was developed as a black project from the Lockheed A-12 reconnaissance aircraft during the 1960s by Lockheed’s Skunk Works division. American aerospace engineer Clarence “Kelly” Johnson was responsible for many of the aircraft’s innovative concepts. The shape of the SR-71 was based on that of the A-12, which was one of the first aircraft to be designed with a reduced radar cross-section.

At one point, a bomber variant of the aircraft was under consideration, before the program was focused solely on reconnaissance. SR-71 Blackbird: America’s Old Super Spyplane Is Still the World’s Fastest Jet.

Why was the SR-71 made?

The US already had a high-altitude spy plane with the Lockheed U-2.

While the U-2 is a great spy plane (it’s still in use today!), it was far from flawless.

At first, no surface to air missiles (SAMs) or interceptor aircraft could reach it because it flew so high.

But Soviet SAMs soon got so hi-tech they could shoot the U-2 out of the sky even when it was at its highest heights.

This actually happened too – pilot Gary Powers was shot down in 1960 over Sverdlosk (now known as Yekaterinburg) in Russia.

Now the US knew that Soviet missiles could kill the U-2, it had to think of a spy plane that could fly even higher.

It also had to be much, much faster.

 

The challenge of building the SR-71 Blackbird

The SR-71 Blackbird was designed to be able to hit speeds faster than Mach 3 and altitudes of up to 24,000 metres (80,000 feet).

To achieve this, Lockheed Martin needed to overcome some serious challenges.

The aircraft’s body was made out of titanium.

Titanium was pretty much the only material available that could withstand the extreme heat generated by flying at more than three times the speed of sound.

The cockpit glass was made of quartz, regular glass would have melted.

A new type of fuel also had to be developed for the Blackbird.

A bunch of experimental fuels were floated as being able to power it.

Even coal slurry(!) and liquid hydrogen were options.

In the end, it used a jet fuel known as JP-7.

SR-71 Blackbird: America’s Old Super Spyplane Is Still the World’s Fastest Jet

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Source: fancy4go.com