I was fortunate to be assigned to the 9th SRW, 9th Organizational Maintenance Squadron during my time in the Air Force. Being a part of every day operations as a Crew Chief with this incredible machine was priceless. I miss it to this day. 30 years later
As an Air Force pilot, I was number one for take off at a California Air Base, when I was informed by tower, that I was cleared for immediate takeoff, or hold short for landing SR-71. I chose to hold short,and the big black bird landed right before me.
Just consider for a minute that this work of aeronautical perfection was designed using slide rules, not CAD. Simply amazing that its first flight was April 20, 1962, and to this date, no other plane has matched its performance.
There's something out there. I was watching a documentary one time. They showed a jet contrail that started from around Nevada and it went across the US and out over the Atlantic ocean. It was a continuous contrail. What ever it was that flew did it very fast. Contrails aren't going to last that long to along a continuous strip of such length. The photo was caught with private satellite. No way a US spy satellite would have given up that photo.
Yes, that is absolutely amazing. This airplane is incredible beyond words. We do have the capability of building a faster jet, but there is no need presently.
Went to an air show at March Field in Riverside in the late 80’s, unaware that an SR-71 was not only going to do a couple fly by’s, but land and go on static display, dripping fuel as they do. I feel so fortunate to have happened to go that day or I would go to my grave not having witnessed the greatest piece of aviation technology ever created fly. But even today, having visited the museum at March solely to see their Blackbird on display, the thing gives me chills just standing there staring at it. It’s truly a legendary piece of aviation history. Sad that it is now only a museum piece, and will never have the wind under its wings again. Long live the King of Speed.
I seen the blackbird at March many times. Little factoid about that bird is it's made from two birds. The vertical stabilizers come from a different bird than the body.
I was in the Air Force and working at the Air Force Institute of Technology. We went to the roof of the building with General Boyd to watch the plane land that day. I saw it at a different angle and it was amazing to watch it fly into the museum. That is a very short runway and the engineers had to calculate the headwind in order for it to land safely at the museum.
I grew up 5 miles from RAF Mildenhall, we could hear them take off in the morning. Will never forget seeing one punch a hole through a cloud on climb out.
It was such an emotional moment. The pilot simply didn't want to land. He knew it will be the last flight for this beautiful and magnificent airplane. What a brilliantly designed and built airplane. I wish I was there. I wish I had long lens and DSLR with me in 1990.
@@tibchy144 true... although the YF-12A would be technically the fastest plane since it about 5k lbs lighter than the SR variant , flies 5k feet higher and was able to fly .05 mach faster 😊 and got 3 missiles. There's also an M variant, M for Mothership, that carries a drone which is on display at the Museum of Flight, Seattle, Washington.
Designed USING a slide rule.....no slide rule can design anything! And yeah, get the facts straight. Other airplanes have flown faster, but the SR-71 holds some speed records. For that matter, I hold the speed record for the fastest walk by anyone in a complete circle around my house at 2 AM.
There used to be a little diner we would go get breakfast once in a while. There wasn't much to wheatland back in 89. I imagine it would be unrecognizable now! I heard Lincoln has more than one stop light now!
There's an SR-71A in our AirZoo museum a mile from me. No matter how many times I look at that absolute marvel of technology I still get chills up and down my spine, and I thank God that Kelly Johnson worked for our side. Hard to comprehend that plane was capable of going over 1 mile in just 2 seconds.
I used to work next to the “Habu” hangar on Kadena AB Okinawa Japan. They named the SR71 after the local snake, the Habu. We watched them fly everyday. It was one of the greatest displays of engineering when you see them preflight and the aircraft leaked fuel into large pans spread on the hanger floor. The pilot and Nav wore space suits since it flew on the edge of space. Awesome seeing this video bringing back all those great memories.
I was with the 9th Avionics Maintenance Squadron at Beale AFB in 1990. Worked around these every day. It was a sad day when we sent them to Palmdale and museums for retirement.
Between October '74 and April '76 I was stationed at Kadena Air Base, Okinawa. Kadena is a huge installation where all branches of the military conduct flight operations. The roar of aircraft landing and taking off 24/7 was just part of the background soundtrack of living on a busy air base. However, there was no mistaking whenever a Blackbird was taking off: it shook the earth like rolling thunder. If you were outside, the intense low-frequency rumbling literally vibrated your body. Then, when the aircraft cleared the runway, the pilot stood it on its tail and, spewing plumes of fire and black smoke, it shot straight up like a rocket, like a bat out of hell. In less than a minute, it vanished in the hazy sky and all was quiet. Still gives me shivers just recalling it. Just before I rotated stateside, the Air Base hosted an air show with flight demonstrations and static displays including the SR-71. The general public was allowed to get up-close-and-personal with this amazing flying machine. Pity it's no longer in service. On Okinawa, the Blackbirds acquired a nickname: Habu, venomous snakes found on this subtropical island. When SR-71s were first flown to their new remote base at Kadena, the local population thought this strange and wicked-looking plane was shaped like the habu snake. They started calling it the habu airplane, and later, just habu. Crews who flew the airplane were also called Habu, and the name came to be associated with the blackbird program and was even incorporated into the insignia worn by crews on their uniforms. Over time, Habu has come to be associated with all Blackbird pilots and crews, but in the truest sense of the word, it represents only those who flew operational sorties. Only those crews were awarded the Habu patch.
I can still vividly recall experiencing shock diamonds when our Phantoms used to roll down the runway fully loaded. Everything vibrated. The experience of twin J79 opening up at close quarters is physically ingrained in me.
I was born and raised in Okinawa, and in 1974, I was on a summer church camp bus heading out to Nago which is in the northern part of the island. The highway went around the backside of Kadena Air Base. The timing was perfect, I was lucky enough to see a "Habu" taking off. It was the most incredible thing I've ever seen in my life. I'll never forget that for the rest of my life. Thank you sir for reminding me of that great memory of my youth.
The SR-71 also provided many strike photos for our B-52D crews that enabled us to hit the NVN supply convoys coming down the Ho Chi Minh trail inside Laos and Cambodia. We were doing this from early 1966 on, all during the LBJ years, but our liberal, Democratic congress covered it up until after Nixon took office when they suddenly "discovered" that we were "secretly bombing Cambodia," and blamed it on the Republicans. Some things never change.
This truly is my favorite aircraft everything from the unique design to the record setting speed. Thank you Kelly Johnson for a true marvel way ahead of its time.
I saw it take off and land many times in the 90's at Air Force Plant 42, Palmdale, California. Never got old, extremely loud, flames shooting out of the engines 40 feet or more.
I know the pilot. It was a last hoorah. He lowered the gear because of such low altitude. With a plane like that you MUST be prepared for anything. There were no mistakes with that flight. To hear him tell, the plane and flight planners made the flight. He was just honored to be the one in the cockpit.
I grew up in a small village on the Muskingum River in SE Ohio which happened to be under a flight path from the west coast to Washington DC, so it was normal to see planes flying East or West with their blinking lights at night. One clear night I was walking near the river bridge when I noticed a pair of bright blue unblinking lights silently but swiftly moving across the starry night sky from West to East. For years, I believed that I must have seen a UFO. Many years later, I learned about the SR-71 and it's speed run across the US and finally realized that it was the twin afterburner exhausts of an SR-71 that I had actually seen that night. That was the only time I ever really saw one in supersonic flight. Unforgettable!
This is my spirit aircraft \ Not only was I born at BEAL Air Force Base but I also attended this show as a young adult This air plane was amazing for its time and beyond!
I had the good fortune to go to the Edwards Air Force base air show to celebrate Yeagar's 40th anniversary breaking the sound barrier. In one hanger they had a U2 next to the SR 71 next to an x29. They took the SR71 up and it was one of the most incredible things I have ever seen. As incredible as it looked on the ground it was just awe inspiring in flight. That was a GOOD day!
I was there, that day. I was fortunate to be stationed at Wright-Patterson, have a couple birds that I used to maintain in the museum. USAF Museum blows the Smithsonian away.
I was too young to ever see one of these beauties fly, but it was this year 30 years ago, so I'm glad that people had cameras to document these masterpieces
I was an SR-71 pilot for two years before I had to retire. I ejected over classified airspace and spent 47 days behind enemy lines. The rescue operation for me involved over 100 soldiers from 3 different military branches. When I finally made it back to the United States I was quarantined for over a year being debriefed on the incident. I sure miss those days and it was a privilege to fly the Blackbird. But those days are gone now, I mostly consult the Air Force for classified missions and train new pilots for other secret aircraft in development, but I can't really talk much about that here. I've got lots of stories and memories from this plane, sure was a blast.
My father and I were at the museum that day. We had jumpseated (FDX) in to Dayton that morning. We had no idea the SR-71 was coming that day. What a stroke of luck for us. It was a great father/son day trip that I think of often since my dad’s passing 5 years ago. What treat for me to come across this video tonight!
I remember watching a movie called D.A.R.Y.L when I was younger, and the young Android/human boy stole this plane at the end of the movie to escape and get back to his adopted family. Ever since I watched that movie, I became obsessed with this plane 😎👍
Thanks for posting this. I had a base pass my work with TASC back then, and we were down there on the base side of the flight line for the landing as well. So great that the pilot wowed the crowd with two passes before landing. The coolest looking plane the US ever built.
@@tirepunk7367 Absolutely!. Those screaming turds annoyed the hell outa me too.... :/ One of my all time favourite aircraft does not deserve a soundtrack like that....
Mickey Bitsko Amazing what they designed with a room full of slide rules. Even more amazing when you get into the details of how the engines function. Nearly rewrite some of the laws of physics. Just an incredible bird.
She is hands down drop-dead gorgeous. The plane actually leaks on the tarmac. As she flies she expands up to 6 inches because of the speed. She is refueled in flight before she has to go supersonic. What a plane!
Thanks for the video. Magnificent aircraft, magnificent technological achievement at the time (and still going), amazing visionaries Kelly Johnson and Ben Rich, honorable Americans who built, maintained, and flew.
About the same time and same year I witnessed another SR71 flying a low overpass on the Kelly AFB runway in San Antonio, Texas for its retirement to the Lackland AFB outdoor aircraft museum. The weather that day was horrible for its memorable end, but it was spectacular nevertheless. Its shell remains still reside on the Lackland airbase parade grounds.
I heard the sonic boom when this flight went supersonic over the Los Angeles basin. As I remember it, this flight left from Edwards Air Force Base, looped over the pacific, said goodbye to the west coast with a stunning boom over the LA basin, and then tried to get to the Atlantic in under and hour, and I think that it missed by just a couple of minutes.
I've enjoyed the bi-annual Westover ARB show several times throughout my life. The nighthawk was there when I was a child, f22 later, and the last time I went I was suprised to see a B 1a. Great stuff.
I was sitting in the bed of my pickup just down the hill on Colonel Glenn highway , right near the person that shot this video . It was awesome . I was a dependent at Edwards AFB and got to see many experimental aircraft fly , the neatest being the XB70 . This was by far more memorable . Thanks for sharing .
When I was 5 I thought that was the coolest looking plane ever... in nearly 50, and I still think its one of the coolest looking planes ever. Yep, its cool.
When i was stationed at Ft Campbell from 88-91 (had to be 1990) i lived in the barracks on the Campbell Army Airfield and one saturday i was out washing my car and i heard the roar of a plane i had not heard before, so i raced to where i could see the main runway. I looked to my right where the sound was and saw nothing, but then a black bird caught my eye to my left as it rose off the left end of the runway. It was an SR71 doing touch and goes on the huge Campbell runway. It went straight up into the sky about 5000 feet and did a slow right turn and just disappeared into the sunny sky. It was Awesome!
The most impressive thing that I've seen lift off from the face of the Earth was a military rocket launched from Cape Canaveral just before sunrise. The second the most impressive thing was watching an SR-71 takeoff just before sunset.
After an airshow near Vancouver, it flew just above the tree line over Central park near my house, went down to English Bay, did a wide 180 then climbed up over Grouse Mountain and up into the clouds you could still hear those engines thunder fade away for a few minutes later as it headed back to the States.
David: Thank you for posting this! I saw one at Abbotsford, BC, Canada and it truly was impressive! It was also when a US F-4 and Su pilot gave each other a ride and let them fly each others' planes. Sure different thinking now. Have a great 2019
I been to several airshows in Abbotsford I'm trying to think if I had seen a SR-71 there now. 86 was a phenomenal show Russia Brazil and cause of Russia even more than usual US. Canadian Forces pilot got a ride in a Mi 29 or other but the yanks wouldn't allow a Ruskie to ride a CF-18 in return .
@@allanradcliffe6204 must be an earlier instance I looked it up but it was 1986 when Bob Wade from CAFs got to fly a F-29 Fulcrum. The Russians were to fly a CF-18 but the Americans kiboshed it as it was their technologies. 1986 was thee best air show as it was coupled with Expo 86 which was travel themed . The SR-71 was on Static display for the first and only known time in Canada. The Russians brought out an An-225 ,what a monstrous beast which dig flybys .I was awestruck. The Brazilian Italian and French display teams performed and it was the Blue Angels from the US. Boeing brought out their NASA experimental blown wing transport plane to show some completion to the AN-74 production plane that performed. I would say the Russian planes were more impressive. Truly an awesome show and the attendance record still eclipse s any after.
@@MaxwellPSmart Those were good times! I ran a HAM radio live from EXPO and did Abbotsford too! ALso multiple attendances. I was in Kamloops once when I swear I was going to see a CF188 come in seemingly so far behind the power curve I thought we were going to see a busted nosegear, but..he knew the plane could take it. Then went vertical immediately after takeoff, having first gotten clearance from NORAD for unrestricted climb. Went super in the climb and shut off the afterburner and pulled back to a idle-glide to CFB Comox, where it came from. I like the Inertial positioning system, very cool, totally accurate. As a joke, (I hope) we now most likely could not afford the fuel for that nonsense haha. Take care from Allan, VE7EBA
Another technical marvel from the past. This will always be my favorite plane! This summer I got to see the Union Pacific Big Boy Locomotive in action, so hopefully I will be able to realize another dream of mine which is seeing this plane fly!
truckermike99 - Dude. When I was stationed over on Okinawa we used to see the Habu (SR-71 nickname over there) take off quite often. Really is a sight to behold. Landing we only saw a couple times and it was like this touch down. Only it came down near its hangar, the chute deployed and it was quickly wheeled into the hangar all with in moments of touching down. Verticals take offs were something to hear, feel, and watch until the dot was gone.
I saw two SR-71 flying many years ago they were so high I could barely even see the contrail and they covered the sky in Montana from Horizon to Horizon in under a minute they were moving
I saw an SR-71 up close on Armed Forces Day at Offutt AFB in Omaha NE. It was in a hanger but we could walk right up to it and take pictures from a few feet away. This was in 1970 or 1971. I was 11 or 12 years old. I still have some of the photos.
Remember when me and my son were at Pope AFB airshow, the F117 was roped off with armed airmen around it. That was a something my son talks about to this day.
Thank you for this video.My 1st look.Great retired aircraft.The fastest recon aircraft ever.Frigging amazing aircraft.Also all the great pilots.Skill levels at the time to fly such a complex aircraft.Dont get me started on the logistics ,maintenance ,parts etc.Great video much appreciated
In 1970 I escorted a computer to Okinawa from Korea to install, maybe a 2 day job but I had chose not to fly home for Xmas so my Commanding officer gave me a week or so R&R. I was on the flight line during the unload and an MP tapped me on the shoulder and said "Come with me!" I always carried my camera, he told me to hand him my camera, wrapped it in a black cloth. I'm like WTF! He pointed to the extended runway they had built for B52s. They were towing an SR-71 out to the end, turned it around , in a few minutes it fired up, begun to move and it seemed almost instantly raised the nose and disappeared. As an old Warbird buff one the most impressive and excited things I have ever seen. Thank you Major White, Commanding Officer, U S Army Field Team, Korea!
I got chills when I realized that first pass was a fly by. I even pumped my fist in the air as if I was watching it in real time. I almost saluted. Thanks for the post.
Glorious, and sad, I wish I had the chance to watch at least one of these beasts fly. But, I did at least get to touch one in real life as a kid, so.....that at least makes me happy to think back on :)
Was based at Nellis air base in Las Vegas late 60s early 70s one had emergency landing. MPs surrounded it walked it up to our hanger, kicked us out, flew in repair crew. Surrounded it, walked it back to runway and it was gone. We were a f111 group and I thought it was hot but sr71 right there with it. We all like to think we had the best
my grandpa probably was in that repair crew. he worked at Lockheed for his entire career and retired from there. he also worked on a lot of classified projects and that plane was one of them. hell my grandma was the personal assistant to Kelly Johnson and knew when all the flights of the SR-71 were. it sucks that they are both dead though.
It doesn't work that way. There are no real secrets. There is not one single advance in technology in this plane, that wasn't common knowledge at the time. The trick is in bringing them all together and spending enough money to make it happen. We know what is possible. It's just a matter of whether people have spent enough money to make it happen. The idea that there are secret technologies out there that break what we currently understand as the laws of physics, is utter bunk, and the last refuge of defeated UFO nuts or desperate patriots. 20 years before this plane was built, it COULD have been built. The knowledge was there. And not hidden in secret military files. It was just a matter of spending enough to make it happen. The greatest minds in the world don't want to work for the military. Knowledge filters down to the military from the civilian sector. You don't have to imagine what we have know; You can actually calculate it if you stay current on technological advances. And making a plane like this is just not worthwhile anymore. We have satellites that travel way faster and way higher, and are far more cost effective. The idea of trying to defeat air defenses by crudely trying to outrun them, is outdated
@@ashscott6068 Nobody ever said it broke the law's of physics, and theoretically it could have been a lot more advanced. But in reality, and in practice you can't deny the fact the SR-71 was the most technologically advanced aircraft ever built up to that point in time. To suggest it "COULD" have been built 20 years earlier, at a time we were just figuring out it was even humanly possible to safely fly supersonic is laughable.
My brother-in-law was stationed on Okinawa with SeaBee battalion back in the mid 80s He said he was kicking back on the beach right at sunset, when an SR71 flew low over head, then hit the afterburners and disappeared.
A lot of jerks making rude comments about the children's sounds in the background. I hope you realize some of those same children may now be serving this nation because of what they saw on that day.
I was stationed at N.O.T.S. China Lake and saw this thing fly over in about 1964-65. It was pretty low and slow so I think it was heading down to Edwards. What a thrill!
It was an honor and a privilege to be part of the SR-71 process from 1970 to 1977.
Thank you for your service to our country.
Thank you!!!!
Да, самолёт красивый и уникальный. Интересно было читать историю его создания. Привет из России! Миру мир! Нет войне!
Ditto for me 1968-1971. What an airplane.
I was fortunate to be assigned to the 9th SRW, 9th Organizational Maintenance Squadron during my time in the Air Force. Being a part of every day operations as a Crew Chief with this incredible machine was priceless. I miss it to this day. 30 years later
Once in a blue moon everything just seems to come together perfectly. That's exactly what happened with the creation of this aircraft. Beautiful.
I flew f4s he was chugging fuel.
As an Air Force pilot, I was number one for take off at a California Air Base, when I was informed by tower, that I was cleared for immediate takeoff, or hold short for landing SR-71. I chose to hold short,and the big black bird landed right before me.
AWESOME!
Just consider for a minute that this work of aeronautical perfection was designed using slide rules, not CAD. Simply amazing that its first flight was April 20, 1962, and to this date, no other plane has matched its performance.
Alien tech !(fallen angel tech)
There's something out there. I was watching a documentary one time. They showed a jet contrail that started from around Nevada and it went across the US and out over the Atlantic ocean. It was a continuous contrail. What ever it was that flew did it very fast. Contrails aren't going to last that long to along a continuous strip of such length. The photo was caught with private satellite. No way a US spy satellite would have given up that photo.
None that you know of.
Well said...
Yes, that is absolutely amazing. This airplane is incredible beyond words. We do have the capability of building a faster jet, but there is no need presently.
Went to an air show at March Field in Riverside in the late 80’s, unaware that an SR-71 was not only going to do a couple fly by’s, but land and go on static display, dripping fuel as they do. I feel so fortunate to have happened to go that day or I would go to my grave not having witnessed the greatest piece of aviation technology ever created fly. But even today, having visited the museum at March solely to see their Blackbird on display, the thing gives me chills just standing there staring at it. It’s truly a legendary piece of aviation history. Sad that it is now only a museum piece, and will never have the wind under its wings again. Long live the King of Speed.
I seen the blackbird at March many times. Little factoid about that bird is it's made from two birds. The vertical stabilizers come from a different bird than the body.
I was in the Air Force and working at the Air Force Institute of Technology. We went to the roof of the building with General Boyd to watch the plane land that day. I saw it at a different angle and it was amazing to watch it fly into the museum. That is a very short runway and the engineers had to calculate the headwind in order for it to land safely at the museum.
I still get goose bumps when ever I see that wonderful plane. An engineering marvel.
,...From the US Navy
When I think of 30 years ago, I’m not thinking “1990” :(
To think those kids are pushing 40 years old now. Damn
I thought same, 1990 does not seem 30 years ago! Lol
Right?!?
Those little boys are great, no wonder we joined the military.... Growing up in this era. All the WW2 granddads were still around to flame the fire.
Yeah man damn I get that feeling too damn it I was just born I 995
Still to this day the most beautiful aircraft ever made!
SR71 is pretty, but it don't BRRRRT
AfterConcorde
Yep it really is the most beautiful!
I saw it in Tucson - most beautiful I've ever seen and touched :-)
@@mesteme who the hell knows what your saying
I grew up 5 miles from RAF Mildenhall, we could hear them take off in the morning. Will never forget seeing one punch a hole through a cloud on climb out.
It was such an emotional moment. The pilot simply didn't want to land. He knew it will be the last flight for this beautiful and magnificent airplane. What a brilliantly designed and built airplane. I wish I was there. I wish I had long lens and DSLR with me in 1990.
Last plane designed by a slide rule and no computer. Still today in 2019 it's the fastest plane that we know of.
Don't forget the x-15
@@ilovebohol i think he meant air breathing aircraft
@@tibchy144 true... although the YF-12A would be technically the fastest plane since it about 5k lbs lighter than the SR variant , flies 5k feet higher and was able to fly .05 mach faster 😊 and got 3 missiles. There's also an M variant, M for Mothership, that carries a drone which is on display at the Museum of Flight, Seattle, Washington.
Winged Rocket! 😮🙃
Designed USING a slide rule.....no slide rule can design anything!
And yeah, get the facts straight. Other airplanes have flown faster, but the SR-71 holds some speed records. For that matter, I hold the speed record for the fastest walk by anyone in a complete circle around my house at 2 AM.
Nearly 30 years ago. Technology has soared and society has tanked
David Murphy you can say that again
Yes sir that is true.
Man the good ol days!
I lived on Beale for five years and had the pleasure of watching it fly many times. Beautiful aircraft.
Boba Fett I grew up in Wheatland and had the pleasure of watching the SR-71 and the U2 for many years.
@@vincelule2633 Nice small world, I went to Bear River Middle school. And then Wheatland High School before moving to Alaska.
There used to be a little diner we would go get breakfast once in a while. There wasn't much to wheatland back in 89. I imagine it would be unrecognizable now! I heard Lincoln has more than one stop light now!
There's an SR-71A in our AirZoo museum a mile from me. No matter how many times I look at that absolute marvel of technology I still get chills up and down my spine, and I thank God that Kelly Johnson worked for our side. Hard to comprehend that plane was capable of going over 1 mile in just 2 seconds.
I saw the one at the air and space museum in DC. Amazing!
It would be worth it to fly there just to see this plane.
Watched the “Habu” take of and land at Okinawa in the 80s, the sheer power of the engines was amazing. Never tired of watching the plane!!!
I was there, too! 1985-88
The SR 71 is the coolest airplane I’ve ever seen. Clarence Kelly Johnson .... a genius!
I used to work next to the “Habu” hangar on Kadena AB Okinawa Japan. They named the SR71 after the local snake, the Habu. We watched them fly everyday. It was one of the greatest displays of engineering when you see them preflight and the aircraft leaked fuel into large pans spread on the hanger floor. The pilot and Nav wore space suits since it flew on the edge of space. Awesome seeing this video bringing back all those great memories.
I was with the 9th Avionics Maintenance Squadron at Beale AFB in 1990. Worked around these every day. It was a sad day when we sent them to Palmdale and museums for retirement.
Between October '74 and April '76 I was stationed at Kadena Air Base, Okinawa. Kadena is a huge installation where all branches of the military conduct flight operations. The roar of aircraft landing and taking off 24/7 was just part of the background soundtrack of living on a busy air base. However, there was no mistaking whenever a Blackbird was taking off: it shook the earth like rolling thunder. If you were outside, the intense low-frequency rumbling literally vibrated your body. Then, when the aircraft cleared the runway, the pilot stood it on its tail and, spewing plumes of fire and black smoke, it shot straight up like a rocket, like a bat out of hell. In less than a minute, it vanished in the hazy sky and all was quiet. Still gives me shivers just recalling it. Just before I rotated stateside, the Air Base hosted an air show with flight demonstrations and static displays including the SR-71. The general public was allowed to get up-close-and-personal with this amazing flying machine. Pity it's no longer in service.
On Okinawa, the Blackbirds acquired a nickname: Habu, venomous snakes found on this subtropical island. When SR-71s were first flown to their new remote base at Kadena, the local population thought this strange and wicked-looking plane was shaped like the habu snake. They started calling it the habu airplane, and later, just habu. Crews who flew the airplane were also called Habu, and the name came to be associated with the blackbird program and was even incorporated into the insignia worn by crews on their uniforms. Over time, Habu has come to be associated with all Blackbird pilots and crews, but in the truest sense of the word, it represents only those who flew operational sorties. Only those crews were awarded the Habu patch.
I can still vividly recall experiencing shock diamonds when our Phantoms used to roll down the runway fully loaded. Everything vibrated. The experience of twin J79 opening up at close quarters is physically ingrained in me.
I was born and raised in Okinawa, and in 1974, I was on a summer church camp bus heading out to Nago which is in the northern part of the island. The highway went around the backside of Kadena Air Base. The timing was perfect, I was lucky enough to see a "Habu" taking off. It was the most incredible thing I've ever seen in my life. I'll never forget that for the rest of my life. Thank you sir for reminding me of that great memory of my youth.
David Morrison that was interesting!
That is a great telling of an interesting part of widely unknown history, and very well written! Thanks man!
The SR-71 also provided many strike photos for our B-52D crews that enabled us to hit the NVN supply convoys coming down the Ho Chi Minh trail inside Laos and Cambodia. We were doing this from early 1966 on, all during the LBJ years, but our liberal, Democratic congress covered it up until after Nixon took office when they suddenly "discovered" that we were "secretly bombing Cambodia," and blamed it on the Republicans. Some things never change.
This truly is my favorite aircraft everything from the unique design to the record setting speed. Thank you Kelly Johnson for a true marvel way ahead of its time.
I saw it take off and land many times in the 90's at Air Force Plant 42, Palmdale, California. Never got old, extremely loud, flames shooting out of the engines 40 feet or more.
I remember seeing...no, feeling the SR do a flyby at Dryden back in 93. Shook my teeth, it was AWESOME!
My Father was on the team that designed that bird. They worked on the A-12. Such an amazing machine.
Look at those huge engines, attached to the fuselage by the thin, titanium, Delta wing! The head-on view is such an awesome view of this aircraft!
Today's jets may be cool...but they'll never be SR-71 cool!
It's the Batman of jets
Dude you got 71 like Yeet
Until the SR-72 comes out.
A10 cool.
@@TJGRecking SR 72 won't be manned
Great how the pilot looked like he was landing, then did those unexpected flypasts, respect is due. 👍
either burning off fuel or making sure he planted it in the right spot. or giving her her last hoorah!
Wonkabar007 parou de fazer vídeos? 😑
I am 110% in that he was giving it its last hoorah. Buck 10 sure.
I know the pilot. It was a last hoorah. He lowered the gear because of such low altitude. With a plane like that you MUST be prepared for anything. There were no mistakes with that flight. To hear him tell, the plane and flight planners made the flight. He was just honored to be the one in the cockpit.
@@williamsparks6811 he lowered the gear because you are required to on every approach even if it is a low pass or touch & go
How Awesome is That?! I love to see the crowds and hear the huge enthusiasm of the kids. Very Cool!!
I grew up in a small village on the Muskingum River in SE Ohio which happened to be under a flight path from the west coast to Washington DC, so it was normal to see planes flying East or West with their blinking lights at night. One clear night I was walking near the river bridge when I noticed a pair of bright blue unblinking lights silently but swiftly moving across the starry night sky from West to East. For years, I believed that I must have seen a UFO. Many years later, I learned about the SR-71 and it's speed run across the US and finally realized that it was the twin afterburner exhausts of an SR-71 that I had actually seen that night. That was the only time I ever really saw one in supersonic flight. Unforgettable!
This is my spirit aircraft \
Not only was I born at BEAL Air Force Base but I also attended this show as a young adult
This air plane was amazing for its time and beyond!
I had the good fortune to go to the Edwards Air Force base air show to celebrate Yeagar's 40th anniversary breaking the sound barrier. In one hanger they had a U2 next to the SR 71 next to an x29. They took the SR71 up and it was one of the most incredible things I have ever seen. As incredible as it looked on the ground it was just awe inspiring in flight.
That was a GOOD day!
I was at that event as well and I am still in awe of that aircraft.
Had 2 of them stationed with us at Kadena AB and would always see them it was awesome. The night launches were the best.
I was there, that day. I was fortunate to be stationed at Wright-Patterson, have a couple birds that I used to maintain in the museum.
USAF Museum blows the Smithsonian away.
I was too young to ever see one of these beauties fly, but it was this year 30 years ago, so I'm glad that people had cameras to document these masterpieces
This happened in 1990 and only now TH-cam notifies me ! 😑
Magnificent, thanks for posting, happy 1K
Still the most amazing and beautiful plane ever created..
Except for Concorde. :)
No, that would be the P-51 Mustang, but this is an amazing second....
Absolutely the truth.
I was an SR-71 pilot for two years before I had to retire. I ejected over classified airspace and spent 47 days behind enemy lines. The rescue operation for me involved over 100 soldiers from 3 different military branches. When I finally made it back to the United States I was quarantined for over a year being debriefed on the incident. I sure miss those days and it was a privilege to fly the Blackbird. But those days are gone now, I mostly consult the Air Force for classified missions and train new pilots for other secret aircraft in development, but I can't really talk much about that here. I've got lots of stories and memories from this plane, sure was a blast.
The Engineering behind this plane is incalculable!!!
Yoda?
My father and I were at the museum that day. We had jumpseated (FDX) in to Dayton that morning. We had no idea the SR-71 was coming that day. What a stroke of luck for us. It was a great father/son day trip that I think of often since my dad’s passing 5 years ago. What treat for me to come across this video tonight!
I remember watching a movie called D.A.R.Y.L when I was younger, and the young Android/human boy stole this plane at the end of the movie to escape and get back to his adopted family. Ever since I watched that movie, I became obsessed with this plane 😎👍
Thanks for posting this. I had a base pass my work with TASC back then, and we were down there on the base side of the flight line for the landing as well. So great that the pilot wowed the crowd with two passes before landing. The coolest looking plane the US ever built.
That Air Force museum is absolutely amazing and it is free.
I was there, and saw it in there. When you stand by it, it really makes you say WOW!
Mr Johnson's genius will be sadly missed.
Brilliant man who's guidance produced so many fine specimens like this work of art.
Awesome. Even those gobby little kids screaming all the way through couldn’t ruin it. Great video. Thank you.
YOU GOT THAT RIGHT....
AT LEAST THEY WERE NOT SMOKING DOPE OR ROLLING BUMS...GIVETHE KIDS BREAK ALREADY !!!
@@ammo8713 little shits ruined it.....bad parenting
@@tirepunk7367 Absolutely!. Those screaming turds annoyed the hell outa me too.... :/ One of my all time favourite aircraft does not deserve a soundtrack like that....
Mostly designed in the 1950s. Still the craziest thing ever to fly.
Mickey Bitsko
Amazing what they designed with a room full of slide rules. Even more amazing when you get into the details of how the engines function. Nearly rewrite some of the laws of physics.
Just an incredible bird.
Mm in
That’s when engineers had computers in their brain!
I was there! I saw it land as a kid in Dayton Ohio. What a great time. So glad I was able to see this video again. Many thanks.
Hix Nada I was there too. Stationed at Wright-Patt from 1989 to 1996. Will never forget the sound of those engines. It was a good day.
I hope you weren't one of the annoying as fuck kids in the background noise of this video...
She is hands down drop-dead gorgeous. The plane actually leaks on the tarmac. As she flies she expands up to 6 inches because of the speed. She is refueled in flight before she has to go supersonic. What a plane!
Thanks for the video. Magnificent aircraft, magnificent technological achievement at the time (and still going), amazing visionaries Kelly Johnson and Ben Rich, honorable Americans who built, maintained, and flew.
Wow! Those low passes are awesome, thanks for sharing.
About the same time and same year I witnessed another SR71 flying a low overpass on the Kelly AFB runway in San Antonio, Texas for its retirement to the Lackland AFB outdoor aircraft museum. The weather that day was horrible for its memorable end, but it was spectacular nevertheless. Its shell remains still reside on the Lackland airbase parade grounds.
I heard the sonic boom when this flight went supersonic over the Los Angeles basin. As I remember it, this flight left from Edwards Air Force Base, looped over the pacific, said goodbye to the west coast with a stunning boom over the LA basin, and then tried to get to the Atlantic in under and hour, and I think that it missed by just a couple of minutes.
Ahhh, the good ol days when we had air shows.
Miramar, Edwards, Oshkosh, Fun n Sun, there are many.
I've enjoyed the bi-annual Westover ARB show several times throughout my life. The nighthawk was there when I was a child, f22 later, and the last time I went I was suprised to see a B 1a. Great stuff.
I was sitting in the bed of my pickup just down the hill on Colonel Glenn highway , right near the person that shot this video . It was awesome . I was a dependent at Edwards AFB and got to see many experimental aircraft fly , the neatest being the XB70 . This was by far more memorable . Thanks for sharing .
When I was 5 I thought that was the coolest looking plane ever... in nearly 50, and I still think its one of the coolest looking planes ever. Yep, its cool.
When i was stationed at Ft Campbell from 88-91 (had to be 1990) i lived in the barracks on the Campbell Army Airfield and one saturday i was out washing my car and i heard the roar of a plane i had not heard before, so i raced to where i could see the main runway. I looked to my right where the sound was and saw nothing, but then a black bird caught my eye to my left as it rose off the left end of the runway. It was an SR71 doing touch and goes on the huge Campbell runway. It went straight up into the sky about 5000 feet and did a slow right turn and just disappeared into the sunny sky. It was Awesome!
I cross trained and left Beale and the 9th OMS in 82. Sure miss my time on HABU in the docks...the U2 and TR-1 also.
I was there that day. I will NEVER forget it.
The most impressive thing that I've seen lift off from the face of the Earth was a military rocket launched from Cape Canaveral just before sunrise. The second the most impressive thing was watching an SR-71 takeoff just before sunset.
Those flybys were an incredible gesture of the pilot.
This footage is pure gold!
After an airshow near Vancouver, it flew just above the tree line over Central park near my house, went down to English Bay, did a wide 180 then climbed up over Grouse Mountain and up into the clouds you could still hear those engines thunder fade away for a few minutes later as it headed back to the States.
Nothing like landing at 180 knots on a closed runway.
this aircraft will forever be the highlight of any air show around the world.
David: Thank you for posting this! I saw one at Abbotsford, BC, Canada and it truly was impressive! It was also when a US F-4 and Su pilot gave each other a ride and let them fly each others' planes. Sure different thinking now. Have a great 2019
I been to several airshows in Abbotsford I'm trying to think if I had seen a SR-71 there now. 86 was a phenomenal show Russia Brazil and cause of Russia even more than usual US. Canadian Forces pilot got a ride in a Mi 29 or other but the yanks wouldn't allow a Ruskie to ride a CF-18 in return .
@@MaxwellPSmart So is that why he got the F4 ride?
@@allanradcliffe6204 must be an earlier instance I looked it up but it was 1986 when Bob Wade from CAFs got to fly a F-29 Fulcrum. The Russians were to fly a CF-18 but the Americans kiboshed it as it was their technologies. 1986 was thee best air show as it was coupled with Expo 86 which was travel themed . The SR-71 was on Static display for the first and only known time in Canada. The Russians brought out an An-225 ,what a monstrous beast which dig flybys .I was awestruck. The Brazilian Italian and French display teams performed and it was the Blue Angels from the US. Boeing brought out their NASA experimental blown wing transport plane to show some completion to the AN-74 production plane that performed. I would say the Russian planes were more impressive. Truly an awesome show and the attendance record still eclipse s any after.
@@MaxwellPSmart Those were good times! I ran a HAM radio live from EXPO and did Abbotsford too! ALso multiple attendances. I was in Kamloops once when I swear I was going to see a CF188 come in seemingly so far behind the power curve I thought we were going to see a busted nosegear, but..he knew the plane could take it. Then went vertical immediately after takeoff, having first gotten clearance from NORAD for unrestricted climb. Went super in the climb and shut off the afterburner and pulled back to a idle-glide to CFB Comox, where it came from. I like the Inertial positioning system, very cool, totally accurate.
As a joke, (I hope) we now most likely could not afford the fuel for that nonsense haha. Take care from Allan, VE7EBA
Another technical marvel from the past. This will always be my favorite plane! This summer I got to see the Union Pacific Big Boy Locomotive in action, so hopefully I will be able to realize another dream of mine which is seeing this plane fly!
I was there, up on the embankment about 30 feet to the right of the videographer.
I was at Bragg, 2yrs in.
Jeffery, was the kid that loud? Too much soda pop in the heat methinks :-)
The look and sound of freedom. Now, nearly 32 years later since she flew to her final nest , nothing compares.
If you flew the world's fastest airplane and were on your last flight in it, would you want to land?
Exactly......
truckermike99 NEVER!!!!
Hell NO!
Kick in them afterburners, let’s meet a tanker and cruise around the earth again!
I mean really, does it get any better than this?
truckermike99 - Dude. When I was stationed over on Okinawa we used to see the Habu (SR-71 nickname over there) take off quite often. Really is a sight to behold. Landing we only saw a couple times and it was like this touch down. Only it came down near its hangar, the chute deployed and it was quickly wheeled into the hangar all with in moments of touching down. Verticals take offs were something to hear, feel, and watch until the dot was gone.
@truckermike99- Honestly, I'd make sure she is fully fuelled, aim her into space at Mach 3+ and fly into history and oblivion.
One of the most spectacular aircraft of all time! We all miss it's sound and look.
I saw two SR-71 flying many years ago they were so high I could barely even see the contrail and they covered the sky in Montana from Horizon to Horizon in under a minute they were moving
March 6, 1990. This beauty broke the sound barrier over Santa Barbara on it's way to the Aerospace Museum. It rattled our windows. So cool.
I saw an SR-71 up close on Armed Forces Day at Offutt AFB in Omaha NE.
It was in a hanger but we could walk right up to it and take pictures from a few feet away.
This was in 1970 or 1971.
I was 11 or 12 years old.
I still have some of the photos.
fuck putin
Remember when me and my son were at Pope AFB airshow, the F117 was roped off with armed airmen around it. That was a something my son talks about to this day.
Thanks for this video, I live in Dayton and see this plane when I go to the air force museum every time I go, I wish I had saw that live in person.
I watched in San Antonio when one came in to retire. Was there with dad and sis. We grew up with them in kadena. Watching it retire sucked.
There was a gutted SR71 on display at Lackland AFB when I was there. I had to get a selfie with it before I left.
Thank you for this video.My 1st look.Great retired aircraft.The fastest recon aircraft ever.Frigging amazing aircraft.Also all the great pilots.Skill levels at the time to fly such a complex aircraft.Dont get me started on the logistics ,maintenance ,parts etc.Great video much appreciated
So sad for those pilots knowing their SR71 was never to fly again.
In 1970 I escorted a computer to Okinawa from Korea to install, maybe a 2 day job but I had chose not to fly home for Xmas so my Commanding officer gave me a week or so R&R. I was on the flight line during the unload and an MP tapped me on the shoulder and said "Come with me!" I always carried my camera, he told me to hand him my camera, wrapped it in a black cloth. I'm like WTF! He pointed to the extended runway they had built for B52s. They were towing an SR-71 out to the end, turned it around , in a few minutes it fired up, begun to move and it seemed almost instantly raised the nose and disappeared.
As an old Warbird buff one the most impressive and excited things I have ever seen.
Thank you Major White, Commanding Officer, U S Army Field Team, Korea!
I got chills when I realized that first pass was a fly by.
I even pumped my fist in the air as if I was watching it in real time.
I almost saluted.
Thanks for the post.
Yeah, we weren't expecting that. And twice!
Saw quite a few launches in 83 at Beale, with afterburners, it still makes my armhears stand up.
Thanks for the video. Always wanted to see one in flight, amazing.
Glorious, and sad, I wish I had the chance to watch at least one of these beasts fly. But, I did at least get to touch one in real life as a kid, so.....that at least makes me happy to think back on :)
Those wonderful "kids" are sorting out their own "kids" now! I hope their kids have something to be so enthusiastic about now. Signed: NMUSAF docent.
I was there with my boy scout group just hours after it landed. Now I take my kids to visit it.
Former NMUSAF Gallery guide
This and the Draken are the most Outlandish looking vintage jets
close call with birds at 2:43, they pass from right to left. Glad this baby didn't end it's career that way.
Was based at Nellis air base in Las Vegas late 60s early 70s one had emergency landing. MPs surrounded it walked it up to our hanger, kicked us out, flew in repair crew. Surrounded it, walked it back to runway and it was gone. We were a f111 group and I thought it was hot but sr71 right there with it. We all like to think we had the best
my grandpa probably was in that repair crew. he worked at Lockheed for his entire career and retired from there. he also worked on a lot of classified projects and that plane was one of them. hell my grandma was the personal assistant to Kelly Johnson and knew when all the flights of the SR-71 were. it sucks that they are both dead though.
this plane was constructed in the late 50s or 60s imagine what we have now.
Nothing that would touch mach 3+ ,80000ft ceiling and outran a NK missile.
exactly . . .
Read about the SR-72 then.
It doesn't work that way. There are no real secrets. There is not one single advance in technology in this plane, that wasn't common knowledge at the time. The trick is in bringing them all together and spending enough money to make it happen. We know what is possible. It's just a matter of whether people have spent enough money to make it happen. The idea that there are secret technologies out there that break what we currently understand as the laws of physics, is utter bunk, and the last refuge of defeated UFO nuts or desperate patriots. 20 years before this plane was built, it COULD have been built. The knowledge was there. And not hidden in secret military files. It was just a matter of spending enough to make it happen. The greatest minds in the world don't want to work for the military. Knowledge filters down to the military from the civilian sector. You don't have to imagine what we have know; You can actually calculate it if you stay current on technological advances. And making a plane like this is just not worthwhile anymore. We have satellites that travel way faster and way higher, and are far more cost effective. The idea of trying to defeat air defenses by crudely trying to outrun them, is outdated
@@ashscott6068 Nobody ever said it broke the law's of physics, and theoretically it could have been a lot more advanced. But in reality, and in practice you can't deny the fact the SR-71 was the most technologically advanced aircraft ever built up to that point in time. To suggest it "COULD" have been built 20 years earlier, at a time we were just figuring out it was even humanly possible to safely fly supersonic is laughable.
My brother-in-law was stationed on
Okinawa with SeaBee battalion
back in the mid 80s
He said he was kicking back on
the beach right at sunset, when
an SR71 flew low over head, then
hit the afterburners and disappeared.
A lot of jerks making rude comments about the children's sounds in the background. I hope you realize some of those same children may now be serving this nation because of what they saw on that day.
Can't tell you how much I appreciate this. I actually cried when I heard they retired the Blackbird. I've never seen one fly in real life
Make America great again please America never stopped being great truly awesome🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
I was stationed at N.O.T.S. China Lake and saw this thing fly over in about 1964-65. It was pretty low and slow so I think it was heading down to Edwards. What a thrill!
Seems like he really planted it on the landing
Seems like a pretty short runway for that plane. Not too much of a margin if there's a hickup.
The second flyby might have been an aborted landing.
Well yeah the thing ain't gonna be flying anymore might as well get that point across with a stern example" here you go were done with it"
Thank you Kelly Johnson!
Kelly Johnson’s Skunkworks finest!!! A total badass.
That plane is some serious piece of engineering that was designed by a special team of people.
I was on the roof of the museum hangar watching it.
So glad I was able to see Blackbird flying at Mildenhall in its day. Pure magic.
The most amazing aerospace result of the slide-rule era.
I was stationed at Raf mildenhall from 89 to 92 we had two of these two flew out of their awesome aircraft