An F-104A Starfighter paces an SR-71 Blackbird during supersonic testing operations. (1969) 

We’ve always known the Blackbird was fast, but it was never really possible to get a SENSE of how fast that is. Just numbers on a page. Until now… seeing that Starfighter, itself being one of the fastest aircraft ever made… get left in the dust like that? Sobering. The Blackbird is one of mankind’s crowning engineering achievements. Right up there with the Saturn V. Man… 60’s tech was bold AF. The freakin Tomcat was being designed during this time too.

DCS is a modern work of art. It's unbelievable what is possible with this sim

That moment when the Blackbird decides it's bored with you now.

I'm not even kidding when I say that, for a moment, I thought this was real footage. DCS is just incredible at its best.

I flew with SR-71 AC commander Pat Bledsoe numerous times as his FO on a 737 and FE on the 727. Second best aviation story I ever heard was from Pat. He taught me some advanced thermal dynamics. What an honor! Absolute gentleman. #1 best story ever was Don Birdsall WW2 Distinguished Flying Cross recipient and the Bag O Bolts. He lived next door to Chuck Yeager during the right stuff days and flew with all of them boys. He left a silver bullet with his ashes in it for me when he passed. Godspeed Don🇺🇸

That is actually a NF-104A, it has an additional Rocketdyne 27kN rocket engine (visible exiting from the vertical tail above the jet engine exhaust). That particular aircraft (tail number 60756) following the SR-71 set an unofficial world altitude record of 120,800 feet on 6 December 1963, piloted by USAF Major Robert Smith. As for the SR-71 pulling away like it did, USAF Major Brian Shul mentions in a lecture that the SR-71 could accelerate from just above its stall speed of around 140 kts to over 600 kts in a matter of 5 seconds when in full afterburner.

That 104A never lit its candle… that a drag race I’d like to see

A 30/06 bullet leaves the barrel at 3000 feet per second. According to SR Pilot Brian Shul they would fly at 3300 Feet per second in Clime. RIP.

Anybody who was lucky enough to see the SR71 and a Airshow drop the hammer knows what a total badass plane it is

Fantastic video. I grew up in the Antelope Valley in the late 50s and 60s, and my grandparents lived about a mile north of Plant 42, where both planes were built. My dad was one of the flight surgeons for Plant 42, and my godfather, Bill Chambers, worked on both the A12 and SR-71. Videos like this fill me with pride.

NF 104A rocket assisted Starfighter for training Astronauts. Plus an altitude and time to climb record.

When I was a kid in the 80's I watched an SR-71 fly over Tucson AZ. Laying in the back of the el Camino down by Ruffroth and I-10. I recognized it from my GI-Joe toy I had. I told my dad I seen the Blackbird plane when he came out of the store, and he looked at me like I was the biggest fibber in the world. A few months later it was on exhibit in the Davis Monthon air Museum and they talked about how they flew it in for its final flight. I'll never forget the look on my dad's face as I glared at him. Lol

I wish we had quality video like this back then. Even in 1990, the quality of video's were blurry.

Awesome aircraft. The acceleration was spectacular

As an aircraft mechanic for over 35yrs years I can tell you that that's one cool ass video!

What a beautiful realism!! I’ve seen the blackbird first hand and close up. She’s likely historically the best we’ll ever see in our lifetime!!👍

“I’ve got a button you don’t have!!”…. Just love this sequence of vid’s with the SR71 kickin in the AB and then it’s “up, up and away!” 🎉

The A-12 and Blackbird are in a league of their own. Nothing else looks or performs like they do. Unique aircraft in the world of flight.

Anyone who loves the blackbird will adore what you do!!! You revive it...

F-104 Starfighter. "Missile with a man." 🌌🔭

I honestly had to go to comments to find out if this was real! So well done, it REALLY shakes up faith of ANY reality in video! VERY well done!🥂👍🏿

this was fun as hell to watch and impressive rendering

Love how the blackbird just leisurely accelerates and goes bye bye.

This is one of the best DCS vids Ive seen in awhile. I watched it over and over. The beginning shot of both planes reminds me of the post card size pictures of fighter aircraft they would sell in the 70's. Also how far computer sims have come from MS's first one. I have flown the Huey and M2000 on this, that in its self takes some dedication with the manuals not withstanding the equipment. I also loved the ground view and 104 pilot glancing through the front window touch. Keep it up. ; )

The 104 was literally a rocket with stub wings…but when the SR71 kicked on those massive J58’s it was like the 1 04 was still on the runway taxiing for takeoff!!!🛫

Kicking that Blackbird into afterburner and ramjet mode just blasted it ahead.

Can you imagine how awesome it be sitting side by side a blackbird sr-71 and just seeing it cruise along til it gives it the beans and goes "later tater"

I remember a photo from one of the aviation magazines I used to buy in the 80s, ( I think either Airpower or Wings) of a f104 and a sr71 side by side with the caption saying the Starfighter being in full afterburner. The sr71, it said, had just taking off and was still accelerating.

Holy crap, this is too Bada**. Man, I can watch this 1000 times and never get old.

Just imagine what top secret black op spy plane we have now since the Blackbird has been retired. Love the Starfighter too!

Two of the most beautiful birds we’ve ever put in the skies together! What an awesome sight! ❤️😎

This is the most beautiful plane ever... It's a shame, it's no longer in service.

The most beutiful airplaine EVER built

As an 11 yr old I watched an SR71 test it’s engines from a hillside about 500m away. Myself and some classmates were screaming with excitement.

The F-104 Starfighter was bass ass for it's day too. That General Electric J79-19 turbojet was one big big engine.

I have always loved the SR-71 incredibly beautiful Blackbird and More so when I got a short view of it while stationed at NAS Miramar back in the day. Yea; it was a in and out, landed went straight to hangar three, under vehicle escort, there about a hour or so then taxied out and then immediate take off, a truly spectacular moment in my life, just absolutely amazing even to this day! ❤

Seeing the Blackbird and the Starfighter side by side is a magnificent view...

Best drag race ever

Brutal speed and power. When it downs gear and leaves the Starfighter behind was cool to see. Great upload.

Incredible! The 104 (N !) looks like a turtle!!

I watch this more than 20 times

That’s one of three NF-104s. They never flew chase…used for training pilots to emulate X-15 flight profiles, as much as possible, anyway. Yeager crashed one, another survives as a plane on a stick at the Test Pilot’s School at Edwards AFB.

I just love the Blackbird, eery time I see an image or video of her, flying or on the ground, I smile wide and happy. I am really happy to find your channel, so much Blackbird footage! And it is my birthday [June 30] when I find you!

This actually took me a while to realize its DCS. at first i wanted to congratulate on the extremely good restoration and upscale of actual old film footage. beautiful.

What an incredible, perfect image, made in 1969! The acceleration of the SR 71 is absurd. Regards from Brazil.

Iceman Preciate you posting this clean clear Video of One of the world most secretive planes ripping across the sky in its environment where its at ease with no issue breaking the sonic boom. Love it. One of the best vids ive seen yet. Thanks for posting 2 years before l was born.

My two favorite Aircraft of all time. Thanks for posting!!

You know simulations are good when the image quality is way too good to be from an actual video from the relevant era.

Wow I’m speechless that is insanely fast I’m lost for words omg now I understand why it still holds all of these words records still to this day, 1960s technology wow.

Plain & simple, the SR-71 = American Bad Ass!!

The original 'Gone in 60 seconds'.

The EE Lightning from the same period could break the sound barrier in a near vertical climb. It could and did intercept the U2. And unlike the F104 didn’t require bribes to achieve sales to foreign governments.

There was a similar situation when the RAF first encountered a blackbird, two Lightnings were dispatched to intercept an unknown bogie in UK airspace. Lightnings were fast, really fast. So the raf jockeys didn't expect to be left for dust when they levelled up to the blackbird and ID it as American, just before it upped sticks and disappeared!

Imagined in the 40s. I can only imagine what we have now .

i thank you so so much for this video. i used this video as a source for my content researching job ( i hope you don't mind) and i must say, every single scene was just perfect. like every single scene was too valuable to waste. it made my job so much easier. Thank you ! loved it!

I know its virtual but the quality is so amazing Thanks for sharing.

Mr Starfighter, I bid you good day sir... -- The Blackbird.

One of mans greatest accomplishments ...! RIP Kelly Johnson

Those camera's in 1969 look good. Better than some of the high depth cameras we have today. Todays camera's can't even film a UFO clearly. Love it when that thing decides to take off, that boom.

Blackbird lights the afterburners and says "We're going upstairs and going bye-bye now..."

White shirts, pens in pockets and slide rulers. Now they were smart engineers. Respect

Wow, this is the best blackbird footage I've ever seen! 👍🏻👍🏻

this is the best video to ever be posted on the thing we call the internet!

"Alright, alright, enough with the idling.. Time to stretch my legs!" - Blackbird

I’m not into video/computer games but this one is absolutely remarkable

That footage is awesome. I could watch an hour of that. Very cool.

That 104 pilot had the best vew. Lucky s.o. b.

Two cool aircraft and no mistake!!

Blackbird is one of my top five favorite airplanes of all time, I grew up in an aviation family. It's sad though, most of the best aviation improvements were because of war

Ah, the F 104 Starfighter, my very first model airplane.

I absolutely love this footage, thank you for sharing it

I have always loved the Blackbird and I know this is a game but it it really makes me think about how incredible it must have felt to be in that thing and light the afterburners and accelerate up and forward like that!

1969 and still the fastest plane on Earth...beautiful video!

0:44 hold my beer.

Ahhh the sonic boom! That bird just F's off

the airplane you are showing is actually an NF104A Aerospace trainer that is equipped with a 6,000 pound thrust rocket motor mounted in the tail. There were 3 F-104As converted to NF104s for zoom climbs to as much as 121,000 feet to train astronauts on using hydrogen peroxide thrusters, which were mounted on the wings and nose, in zero gravity and near space conditions for those who would be flying the Gemini and Apollo spacecraft. All F-104s were limited to Mach 2.20 due to the temperature ram rise in the engine intakes. The NF-104A could probably gone Mach 3 had the engine inlets been redesigned. Chuck Yeager screwed the pooch on one of the zoom climbs when he blew the profile and got into a flat spin at 106,000 feet. Yes, Yeager was responsible for the crash of one of the three NF104A Aerospace Trainers because he was too arrogant to take the simulator training for the very precise flight profile.

Like the time I was "pacing" a Porsche 911 in the freeway in a Toyota. When I maxed out he looked at me and shifted 2 more gears... 🤣

Absolutely amazing! I just love this stuff

Absolutely gorgeous video! Thanks for sharing it.

The star fighter is flat out whilst the blackbird is half throttle Then boom thunderbirds are go How impressive is that plane and those lucky b##@ that got to fly them 😍😍👍👍

Blackbird beautiful

Very nice flight simulator

respect to the cameraman who flew in the air at mach 3 to keep up with these guys

Magnificent oxcart as it was known in the 60's the domes in front of the engines actually move in & out depending on the altitude

Would have been fascinating how the SR-71A had fared against the XB-70 Valkerie.

The CG of games is unbelievable real

your clips hella realistic man wow

When I look back and think of the generation that fought in WW2, brought the Blackbird to life, and powered the U.S. to world dominance in the 50s and 60s, I can't help but think how impressive that generation was to make the sacrifices it did. Then I think about each generation after that and how utterly pathetic we all are.

Man Alive .... Dunno how I've never seen this .... that is the DragRace of the Century!!!!! Jeeeezusss .... Way 2 Cool 🤘😝🤘

Its amazing the sr71 is still the fastest or one of the fastest planes. When i was in ROTC IN 1979 the sr71 had already been around for awhile

“Yeah....will see you back at the base” ⚡️

F14 tomcat will always be my favorite, dependability trumps all this fancy shit that they can't seem to keep up on the maintenance !

SR-71 is surreal

He was pacing him pretty good…..until the scramjet 😂😂

Awesome!!!!! Two of the coolest aircraft ever together on film.

Blackbird says "bye bye Starfighter" ...

Simply amazing...

Wow, that video is so clean, is this A.I. You just can't tell anymore

Dang the graphics!!

SR-71 is like gotta go to work thanks for the escort