Pilot Recounts Tales of SR-71 Blackbird 

I saw the SR-71 land in the nighttime, one time in Hawaii. It was impressive. Put it straight into a hanger. Couldn’t believe it. . I ask my sergeant Did you see that. He said no and nether did you!

One of my favourite Blackbird anecdotes: "There were a lot of things we couldn't do in an SR-71, but we were the fastest guys on the block and loved reminding our fellow aviators of this fact. People often asked us if, because of this fact, it was fun to fly the jet. Fun would not be the first word I would use to describe flying this plane. Intense, maybe. Even cerebral. But there was one day in our Sled experience when we would have to say that it was pure fun to be the fastest guys out there, at least for a moment. It occurred when Walt and I were flying our final training sortie. We needed 100 hours in the jet to complete our training and attain Mission Ready status. Somewhere over Colorado we had passed the century mark. We had made the turn in Arizona and the jet was performing flawlessly. My gauges were wired in the front seat and we were starting to feel pretty good about ourselves, not only because we would soon be flying real missions but because we had gained a great deal of confidence in the plane in the past ten months. Ripping across the barren deserts 80,000 feet below us, I could already see the coast of California from the Arizona border. I was, finally, after many humbling months of simulators and study, ahead of the jet. I was beginning to feel a bit sorry for Walter in the back seat. There he was, with no really good view of the incredible sights before us, tasked with monitoring four different radios. This was good practice for him for when we began flying real missions, when a priority transmission from headquarters could be vital. It had been difficult, too, for me to relinquish control of the radios, as during my entire flying career I had controlled my own transmissions. But it was part of the division of duties in this plane and I had adjusted to it. I still insisted on talking on the radio while we were on the ground, however. Walt was so good at many things, but he couldn't match my expertise at sounding smooth on the radios, a skill that had been honed sharply with years in fighter squadrons where the slightest radio miscue was grounds for beheading. He understood that and allowed me that luxury. Just to get a sense of what Walt had to contend with, I pulled the radio toggle switches and monitored the frequencies along with him. The predominant radio chatter was from Los Angeles Center, far below us, controlling daily traffic in their sector. While they had us on their scope (albeit briefly), we were in uncontrolled airspace and normally would not talk to them unless we needed to descend into their airspace. We listened as the shaky voice of a lone Cessna pilot asked Center for a readout of his ground speed. Center replied: "November Charlie 175, I'm showing you at ninety knots on the ground." Now the thing to understand about Center controllers, was that whether they were talking to a rookie pilot in a Cessna, or to Air Force One, they always spoke in the exact same, calm, deep, professional, tone that made one feel important. I referred to it as the " Houston Center voice." I have always felt that after years of seeing documentaries on this country's space program and listening to the calm and distinct voice of the Houston controllers, that all other controllers since then wanted to sound like that, and that they basically did. And it didn't matter what sector of the country we would be flying in, it always seemed like the same guy was talking. Over the years that tone of voice had become somewhat of a comforting sound to pilots everywhere. Conversely, over the years, pilots always wanted to ensure that, when transmitting, they sounded like Chuck Yeager, or at least like John Wayne. Better to die than sound bad on the radios. Just moments after the Cessna's inquiry, a Twin Beech piped up on frequency, in a rather superior tone, asking for his ground speed. "I have you at one hundred and twenty-five knots of ground speed." Boy, I thought, the Beechcraft really must think he is dazzling his Cessna brethren. Then out of the blue, a navy F-18 pilot out of NAS Lemoore came up on frequency. You knew right away it was a Navy jock because he sounded very cool on the radios. "Center, Dusty 52 ground speed check". Before Center could reply, I'm thinking to myself, hey, Dusty 52 has a ground speed indicator in that million-dollar cockpit, so why is he asking Center for a readout? Then I got it, ol' Dusty here is making sure that every bug smasher from Mount Whitney to the Mojave knows what true speed is. He's the fastest dude in the valley today, and he just wants everyone to know how much fun he is having in his new Hornet. And the reply, always with that same, calm, voice, with more distinct alliteration than emotion: "Dusty 52, Center, we have you at 620 on the ground." And I thought to myself, is this a ripe situation, or what? As my hand instinctively reached for the mic button, I had to remind myself that Walt was in control of the radios. Still, I thought, it must be done - in mere seconds we'll be out of the sector and the opportunity will be lost. That Hornet must die, and die now. I thought about all of our Sim training and how important it was that we developed well as a crew and knew that to jump in on the radios now would destroy the integrity of all that we had worked toward becoming. I was torn. Somewhere, 13 miles above Arizona, there was a pilot screaming inside his space helmet. Then, I heard it. The click of the mic button from the back seat. That was the very moment that I knew Walter and I had become a crew. Very professionally, and with no emotion, Walter spoke: "Los Angeles Center, Aspen 20, can you give us a ground speed check?" There was no hesitation, and the replay came as if was an everyday request. "Aspen 20, I show you at one thousand eight hundred and forty-two knots, across the ground." I think it was the forty-two knots that I liked the best, so accurate and proud was Center to deliver that information without hesitation, and you just knew he was smiling. But the precise point at which I knew that Walt and I were going to be really good friends for a long time was when he keyed the mic once again to say, in his most fighter-pilot-like voice: "Ah, Center, much thanks, we're showing closer to nineteen hundred on the money." For a moment Walter was a god. And we finally heard a little crack in the armor of the Houston Center voice, when L.A.came back with, "Roger that Aspen, Your equipment is probably more accurate than ours. You boys have a good one." It all had lasted for just moments, but in that short, memorable sprint across the southwest, the Navy had been flamed, all mortal airplanes on freq were forced to bow before the King of Speed, and more importantly, Walter and I had crossed the threshold of being a crew. A fine day's work. We never heard another transmission on that frequency all the way to the coast. For just one day, it truly was fun being the fastest guys out there." Brian Shul.

Every time I see an SR-71 I think "that is one badass plane."

Legendary Airplane, probably one man's greatest invention. The best part about it is that this aircraft did its job and it did so without having to kill anyone.

Cooler than any science fiction aircraft or spaceship.

In the late 1980's I was a typist at a Lockheed facility in Las Vegas, doing work for the EPA, nothing secret at all. Scientists all over the place. One day we got the word, the people from headquarters were coming in - they were concerned about possible toxic debris at the Lockheed Burbank facility, and we had the machines to check it. Now I was just a lowly typist, but I love airplanes, and I had prints of Lockheed airplanes all over the wall. Our boss said, "when these people come here, answer their questions, but otherwise leave them alone!!" He was very nervous. So there I was, typing, when a guy in a suit tapped me on the shoulder. He was extremely well dressed, and he had two guys with him. They stood by the door and said nothing. He pulled up a chair, and said to me, "do you like airplanes?" That began an hour long conversation. That man had forgotten more about aircraft than I'll ever learn. He was truly awesome! And he knew his WWII aircraft! When he stood up to leave I stood as well, and then I said, "It's a shame about the blackbird." ( It had just retired.) He turned around, put his face next to mine, and said, "Don't worry about it." Then he left. A few minutes later our boss showed up. "Are you mad!" he asked me. "Why did you talk to him!?" I said to the boss, "HE wanted to talk to me about airplanes! Who was that?" The boss replied, "You don't want to know." I never saw him again, but many, many years later, I was at a local book store, and there was a new book out, describing the F-117 stealth fighter. And there was my guy, still in a nice suit, leaning against it. He was Ben Rich, the successor to Kelly Johnson!

Kelly Johnson was a genius, to think this plane was designed without CAD, was done on the board is just unreal to believe, these guys at Skunk Works had it together. I was on the rock (Okinawa), in the 70's and seen this bird more than once, pretty cool sight, was hard to stand in formation when this bird flew over.

This is the greatest plane that ever, ever flew, very exciting to watch take off. I was 21 and living in Okinawa off base with my then husband. We would go to the outer fences of Kadena Airbase and sit in our vehicle and watch B-52s take off for entertainment. They were painted black and as they taxied for take off all you could see were black fins above the fence line. One could only imagine huge black sharks swimming. Then the most fantastic thing happened. We saw an SR-71 take off. We didn't see the taxiing, we didn't have a clue what it was … but I recall it going straight up into the air, and the noise was unbelievable. We later learned about this plane and hung around again and again to get a view.

The SR-71, A-12, has always been my favorite! P-38, favorite WWll plane. Skunkworks Kelly Johnson is a legend!!!

I had no idea that the SR-71 actually uses LESS fuel while flying its fastest. WOW!

Buzz, I was the PI who was the first person to look at and analyze the film you shot while on your missions behind the green door in the photo exploitation unit in Hanger 3 at Hickam from Jan 77 through May 79 while assigned to the 548th RTG....I was 18 years old.

Back in the day, I had the honour to work with the SR-71 at RAF Lakenheath, UK. The runway was being resurfaced at RAF Mildenhall, and they brought them over to the "The Heath" for 6 months. They were housed in Protective Aircraft Shelters (PAS), or TAB-VEE's as we called them. We had to perform fire standby's during TEB refuellings. The Lockheed contractor would brief us before the refuelling operation on what to expect. Of course, he took great pleasure in pranking us. He knew how the TEB would flash in a green flame covering him while we stood by. We freaked out, but the fire flash was out almost as soon as it happened. He took off his PPE and had a big smile as he walked towards our fire vehicles telling us he hopes he didn't scare us too much. A couple of weeks later he was kind enough to let me take several of my fellow firefighters around the aircraft. He even allowed us to climb onto the wings (with protective booties on) to show them where the TEB port is on the engine nacelles. It seemed like we had this special unwritten access to the aircraft for familiarisation training, and the aircrew was always glad to interact with us. I'm sure they knew we were in awe of them. They also told us to never put AFFF (Aqueous Film-Forming Foam) on the aircraft unless it was actually on fire, as the AFFF would start to damage the aircraft skin immediately. I remember seeing the school bell shape in the sky (when the SR-71 was turning) in the Norfolk and Suffolk countryside. Ah, Good Times.

I enjoyed the privilege of working on these for nine years. Absolutely amazing to be part of the process of making the missions happen.

That was one of the best 5.23 minutes I've ever spent on You Tube. Well said, great points I've not heard before. My red white & blue heart is swollen with pride. Thanks, Lockheed Martin!!!!

"We called the shockwave that came across the ground 'The Sound of Freedom.'" Badass.

SR-71.. Poetry in motion!

I have been a fan of this plane for well over 30 yrs, never gets old or goes out of fashion for me.

The SR71 is still the coolest, most amazing aircraft ever built. And to think that this achievement in engineering was designed by engineers with slide rules and drafting tables. No CAD. Amazing!

Probably the most beautiful machine ever built by mankind.

If you LIKED this video, you’ll LOVE Brian Shul’s videos, especially the LA Speed story

I used to park at the end of the runway at Plant 42 in Palmdale CA and watch them launch the Black Bird. Words cannot describe the experience!

Laying "the boom" on adversaries must've been very satisfying! Thank you for your service, sir.

I did a tour around USA (from the UK) and came across one these in a museum, truly amazing and looks so good even sat on the ground.

I am so privileged and humbled to be a part of this incredible company....I will never take for granted this honor I was blessed with . ·

Every aspect of the SR71 was designed using a slide ruler..

This and Concorde probably the best aviation inventions of all time .

THEE ultimate. Flying machine. What a lucky guy. He’s incredibly skilled and yet still lucky to be alive.

What a magnificent achievement SIR to fly such aircraft around the World. You are a Credit to your Country and a Leader, be proud of your career. Thank you for your Service. Neville. (Aussie Viet. Vet. Dec. 67/68)

When I was in the Air Force I was an imagery interpreter for the SR 71. A great point in my life.

Dang, god bless the SR-71. It was my inspiration to become a pilot when I get older. I've seen so many, that I've lost count. Even the YF-12 is beautiful

"The sound of freedom" best words ever said

I had the wonderful experience of working with the crew members while stationed at Beale AFB in 1973. I was in charge of ensuring they were current in all of their required training. We will never see another plane like this. What a shame they are all in museums now!

Wow! Never knew the SR-71 sonic BOOM was a tool of international diplomacy!

The SR 71 is the McLaren F1 of airplanes.

Buz Carpenter was my tour guide yesterday.

SR-71 is something that will always be remembered

Serious props to Col. Carpenter, a salute to Kelly Johnson and Lockheed Aircraft ... and a tip of the hat to the most amazing set of wings ever to see the face of this planet! There's the SR-71 Blackbird ... and then there's everything else.

The Monday, after the Expo 86 airshow, I watched the Lockheed SR-71 "Blackbird" cruise low, just over the trees of Central Park in Burnaby, head West to circle English Bay, and then climb up into the clouds over Grouse Mountain, where the pilots opened up those huge Pratt & Whitney J58 engines to what sounded like full power. You could still hear it for a few more minutes.

I’m still in all of the SR 71. It was so far ahead of its time and it had to be an honor and a privilege to fly one.

I had the pleasure of meeting Buz at a show and tell for the SR-71 and the stories he shared were marvelous. Couldn't imagine experiencing even half of the things he did. Much respect, you inspired me a lot that day

I still remember vividly seeing this plane fly over my city to promote that year's Abbotsford International Airshow. It made two huge circles then hit the afterburners and peeled the heck out of there. I can still see the orange flames coming out the back of the two engines.

The SR-71 blackbird truly an amazing and astonishing aircraft

I am so privileged and humbled to be a part of this incredible company....I will never take for granted this honor I was blessed with :)

The Blackbird took flight in 1966, and has remained virtually unopposed in holding it's air-speed/altitude record since. It was and still is a marvel of aviation and engineering, and more importantly? The fact that it's American just brings a smile to my face... And makes me think of *much* better times for Lockheed Martin...

To my eye, there is no man made machine more beautiful and awe inspiring to behold than the "blackbird". The importance of the fact that it flew the highest and the fastest seems to only add icing on the cake. When I first saw one, close up, less than ten feet away, I was struck by it's sight. Without explanation or understanding of it's stats, just by witnessing it's size, lines, shape and gargantuan engines, intuition alone communicated the greatness of this awesome flying beast. The thing impresses itself not so much as a magnificent artifact from the past but rather one seemingly granted to us from the future. It's seamless matte black titanium skin, known to perspire while in full flight, wore evidence of it's experience in extreme and unreachable environments, The blazing torch it flew against had left it with a multicolored patina on it's glass "wind shield". . To all servicemen and scientist with first hand knowledge of this great machine, please do not divulge technical aspects which the current tyranny we face may use

Thank you,for this video on the Best Airplane ever made--- Lockheed SR 71 Blackbird.

What an amazing machine. I loved hearing his stories.

My Father was so proud to be a part of this "project" It truly was a high point in his life. It was amazing to grow up with this being the family bird....

No drone can replace this badass jet.

What a beautiful machine.

Kudos to Lockheed Martin, Skunkworks, and all the engineers, pilots and support crew that made the SR-71 a success.

Very cool. I just watched an interview with a Blackbird pilot on the BBC website. He said if you actually add up the number of men who flew the Blackbird on missions, you have just 86 pilots. He said it flew above 99 percent of the Earth's atmosphere, so it was close to being a spacecraft. After all these years, the statistics on the SR-71 are still amazing. Yeah. That's pretty elite.

One of the most awesome machines ever made. I believe that it would still be used today.

from kittyhawk to skunkworks Nevada...innovations greatest era passes in a flash with the greatest promise of tomorrow left to a generation sorely wanting...

What an amazing, beautiful aircraft. It will forever be legendary

Can you imagine being at the controls of this magnificent air ship?American ingenuity at its finest.

The Air and Space Museum in Chantilly did an outstanding job of this placing beautiful bird in a place of prominence.

After working for over 40 years in aviation this is one aircraft that still fascinates me. I sometimes tell people about the day when I waked around U2 & SR71 at RAF Greenham Common sometime in very early 80's, whilst in the Royal Observer Corps on a visit, needless to say l didn't ask any questions or take any photos as they were cordoned off and heavily armed guards were present! One thing about Lockheed aircraft is that I don't think they ever made a bad aircraft even after considering the F104.

I joined the USAF in 89', I worked flightline on the F-16 as a crew chief. I never got to see this plane fly, I did work with guys that crewed it though and they loved their time on it.

"We call it the sound of freedom" im dead

My dream, to fly the SR-71 at Mach 3. My realistic dream: to fly the SR-71 at Mach 3 in Steam VR with the HTC Vive. Lockheed Martin please make this happen what a tribute to world it would be.

Not only burned less gas when flying faster, but became stronger as the body aged and Ti going thru heat cycles. Skunk works Genius!

Absolutely Amazing!!!!! I am in Awwwww of that Bird!!!! It flew over me landing on Nevada at an air base around 84 time frame!!!!! I will never forget that moment!!!!!!

sr-71 and lockheed are a testament to american excellence in engineering and science

It was a sad day when the SR-71 Blackbird was decommisioned.

SR71 is such an amazing and breathtaking masterpiece of engineering,It will always be one of the most awe inspiring machines ever imagined ..let alone built.

I'll never forget in 6th grade sometime around 1987 I saw one land right behind my school on the way to McClellan AFB. They where normally stationed at Beale so it was kind of strange that one was landing there. At any rate I count myself as very lucky to be able to say that I have actually seen and SR-71 flying in person. It is truly the greatest aircraft that has ever been designed and will never be surpassed in the sense of how ahead of its time it was.

Im using that now when I hear anything.........“hear that shit?, that’s the sound of freedom”🇺🇸

I was born in the 80's. I LOVE the era I live in, I LOVE what I have and can do. But if I could go back in 70's and 80's and be an SR71 pilot, I wouldn't mind loosing my present. For those who joined the SR71 experience: I salute you.

SR71 is a beautiful bird! Blessings to the pilots, crews, and all the support staff who made this legendary aircraft fly! 🇺🇲

Saw my first live SR71 at March AFB in Ca. What a sight to behold....

“Hey NKs getting outta line again, let’s go flex on em”

The 4 top aircraft to my mind are: Harrier Tomcat Warthog And #1 the Blackbird

I am 41 and when I was a young kid, I had a SR 71 model on my desk a big poster on my wall. the other boys asked me why not a sports car. I saidt this is the ultimate one. Why have less 😂😂😂😂😂 when I look a the plain it makes me feel the same way as I was 8 years old ! its beautiful elegant and tons of power !

Wow thanks so much for getting this guy to have a chat. It is one incredible aircraft and has captured the imagination of some any people. Thanks Lockheed & the Skunk Works Team.

Every time a NROL satellite launched, i always imagine SR-71 flying, taking pictures, and doing reconnaissance back then :')

FULL BLOWN 'MURICA

I have loved this great plane since learning about it in 1966. Have been privileged to see it fly 3 times at the Dayton/International Airshow.

We did a construction project at Beale AFB around 1987 building new Aircraft Shelters for the SR-71 and installing new SR-71 services in existing shelters. If the stored SR-71's had any Camera Compartments open the young men with the guns would say "do not look at the aircraft sir". Saw a lot of SR-71 take offs and many went vertical as soon as the landing gear went up. It was loud and amazing

My Father, who flew the SR-71 out of Kadena AFB Okinawa Japan told me it did well over Mach 4 in a pinch and the Max altitude could reach 100,000 feet. He also said the Skunk Works industry was destroyed by Cunts and Computers (pretty old school).

I’m happy at least to know it was flying during my lifetime 🇺🇸

The SR-71 is my all time favorite plane. The look of it is just absolutely beautiful. There is one on display outside of the US Space & Rocket museum and I will regularly stop, just to see it again and again. I can not even begin to imagine what flying it must have felt like. To have all of that power at your fingertips.

As a Marine who was in Okinawa in the 70's I was lucky enought to see some of the Blackbirds in flight. And then to get to see some at airshow on static displays also. A great and sleek airplane.

I have my dads still. He was one of the Engineers

I had the pleasure to sit in a cockpit of a sr71 when I was in seattle museum,man its some piece of kit ,a wonderful piece of art almost erotic ,displaying mans intellect at the highest level

The Eternal Blackbird...As long as aircraft are flown, she will remain the stuff of legends.

Awesome. What makes the BlackBirds my favorite planes is the Engineering that had developed them and how it still is some of the best engineering today.

Salute from Russia, a majestic, magnificent bird you have there! o7

The Wright brothers would faint today.

Самый красивый самолет из когда либо созданых. Прошло столько лет, а он все еще завоевывает внимание.

Thankful for your service, Sir.

"It was kind of like a nice Beemer or Cadillac." :)

over flying important meetings and ceremonies just to give an epic sonic boom when the two people shake hands. it blows my mind thinking about that. incredible. also this is the first time i have ever heard of officials doing such things in all of my followings of blackbird and a12 history. learn something new every day. i wonder if Mikhail Gorbachev heard the epic sound of sr71 thunder as he shook Ronald Regans hand?? could it be that the sonic boom of a blackbird might have actually ended the cold war through intimidation alone???????!!??LOL

I work with Calvin Augustin from time to time, and get to remind him how to control the DC-8 simulator that I maintain. One of the most down to Earth guys you will ever meet, and so cool. I hadn't realized who he was until the day he checked out the 3d printed SR-71 I have on my desk, and told me he used to fly one. I've never been so star struck in my life, lol.

The comment about the sonic booms over heads of state meeting.... It speaks volumes about how powerful the SR-71 really was.

I normally prefer the British Cold War jets but the Sr 71 is the outright best

Hope im that cool when Im retired. That plane should be on the american flag!🇺🇸

Skunk Works, Kelly Johnson, Ben Rich, all of the team, these guys were on a whole different level.

I just met buzz carpenter and Jerry glasser at a sr71 fundraising event, and sat in the cockpit of the sr71. Very cool meeting those guys.

Highway to the danger zoneeeeeeeeee....