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 was so fast that when fired upon with a surface-to-air missile, the SR-71 could simply accelerate and outrun it. Perhaps no aspect of human flight captivates the public’s imagination like ...

Key Points and Summary: The SR-71 Blackbird’s high-speed missions were fraught with challenges, including catastrophic engine failures at Mach 3. -Crews like Colonel Richard Sheffield and his pilot ...

The Lockheed-built SR-71 Blackbird, the fastest plane in history, was designed to replace the U-2 spy plane. This revolutionary aircraft pushed the boundaries of aviation, achieving sustained speeds ...