SR-71 The Complete Illustrated History of the Blackbird, The World's Highest, Fastest Plane

by Graham, Richard H.

• ISBN13: 9780760343272
• ISBN10: 0760343276
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2013-05-12
• Publisher: Zenith Press

Summary

At the height of the Cold War in 1964, President Johnson announced a new aircraft dedicated to strategic reconnaissance. The Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird spy plane flew more than three-and-a-half times the speed of sound, so fast that no other aircraft could catch it. Above 80,000 feet, its pilots had to wear full-pressure flight suits similar to what was used aboard the space shuttle. Developed by the renowned Lockheed Skunk Works, the SR-71 was an awesome aircraft in every respect, and it took the world by storm. The SR-71 was in service with the U.S. Air Force from 1964 to 1998, when it was withdrawn from use, superseded by satellite technology. Twelve of the thirty-two aircraft were destroyed in accidents, but none were ever lost to enemy action. Throughout its thirty-four-year career, the SR-71 was the world's fastest and highest-flying operational manned aircraft. It set world records for altitude and speed: an absolute altitude record of 85,069 feet on July 28, 1974, and an absolute speed record of 2,193.2 miles per hour on the same day. On September 1, 1974, it set a speed and time record over a recognized course between New York and London (3,508 miles) of 1,435.587 miles per hour and an elapsed time of 1 hour, 54 minutes, 56.4 seconds. SR-71covers every aspect of the SR-71's development, manufacture, modification, and active service from the insider's perspective of one its pilots and is lavishly illustrated with more than 200 photos.

Author Biography

A veteran of fifteen years of assignments within the SR-71 community, Colonel Richard H. Graham is uniquely qualified to tell the Blackbird's story. Crew member, instructor pilot, chief of the standardization/evaluation division, Colonel Graham was named SR-71 Squadron Commander, 1st Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron, in January 1981. A command pilot with more than 4,600 military flying hours, he has earned military decorations and awards including the Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross with three oak leaf clusters, Air Medal with eighteen oak leaf clusters, Air Force Commendation Medal, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with "V" device and one oak leaf cluster, Air Force Organizational Excellence Award, Combat Readiness Medal with one oak leaf cluster, National Defense Service Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Vietnam Service Medal with four service stars, Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with palm, and the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal. Colonel Graham's books on the SR-71 include SR-71 Revealed: The Inside Story and SR-71 Blackbird: Stories, Tales and Legends. He lives in Plano, Texas.

Table of Contents

Foreword Acknowledgments Introduction Chapter 1 Beginning of the A-12 Chapter 2 A-12 Construction and Testing Chapter 3 YF-12 Interceptor Chapter 4 D-21 Drone Project Chapter 5 Enter the SR-71 Chapter 6 Home for the SR-71 Blackbird: Beale AFB, California Chapter 7 Selection Process Chapter 8 Training Program Chapter 9 Physiological Support Division and the Pressure Suit Chapter 10 Command and Control Chapter 11 Preparing to Fly the Mission Chapter 12 Flying the Mission Chapter 13 Refueling Chapter 14 Acceleration and Climb to Mach 3+ and 71,000 Feet Chapter 15 Cruising at Mach 3+ Chapter 16 Inlet Unstarts and Restarts Chapter 17 Entering the Sensitive Area Chapter 18 Descent and “Hot” Tanker Air Rendezvous Chapter 19 The Recovery Chapter 20 Post-Flight Activity Chapter 21 The Final Years Chapter 22 Rising from the Ashes Appendices List of Acronyms, 1997 Letter from Senators Levin andByrd to Secretary of Defense, Kelly Johnson’s FourteenRules of Management, Bibliography Index