SR-71 Blackbird: Why the Fastest Plane Ever Was Grounded
By
Peter Suciu
A direct front view of an SR-71 Blackbird aircraft after landing from its 1,000th sortie.
No other U.S. Air Force aircraft could fly faster or higher than the Lockheed SR-71 “Blackbird,†and on its final flight, it set a truly impressive record.
The reconnaissance aircraft flew from the west coast of the United States to the east coast – some 2,404 miles – in just 68:17 minutes. During that flight, it traveled from St. Louis, Missouri, and Cincinnati, Ohio, a distance of 311 miles in about eight and a half minutes.
While no Blackbirds were ever flown over Soviet airspace (well, that we know of), the SR-71 played a crucial role in the Cold War and took part in missions over the Middle East, Vietnam, and even North Korea.
https://www.19fortyfive.com/2021/01/sr-71-blackbird-why-the-fastest-plane-ever-was-grounded/
