The SR-71 "Buzzing the tower" story you probably never heard before 

An off-topic video that I set to NOT notify subscribers. Figured I would just hear a lot of whining. Not sure how people are finding it.

~50 year old tech, and it still looks like it's right out of science fiction. Amazing machine!

This wasn't a plane. It was a violent work of art in every way imaginable. A sheer thing of beauty.

That's AWESOME!! My dad's friend was an SR71 pilot in Okinawa. I was a little kid back then, but I remember meeting him with my dad for lunch at the officers club. We got there a little early, and all these fighter pilot jocks were talking about dogfighting and whatnot. When he walked into the club, they went quiet. I noticed he was dressed different. He was wearing a black flightsuit and on it were these orange badges with a blackbird with 3+ on them. He and my dad were talking over some things, I finished my hamburger and fries. Lunch was over and he left to report back. I asked my dad, "What does he fly?" My dad said, "He flies the Habu. You see the patches with the 3+? That means he flies Mach 3 and faster." To this day, the Blackbird is my favorite aircraft. Nothing in the world looks like it. Watching them take off at night was especially memorable. You could faintly see the silhouette of the plane as it taxied on the tarmac, but as soon as the plane turned around at the end of the runway, and pilot lit the afterburner, you knew it was an SR71. Such a beautiful bird.

There is an old saying in R/C modelling that scale flies like full scale (and I heard this story on a show a few years ago). There was guy who had made a beautiful SR-71 scale model, but he had problem with it, it would shred the middle tire (three tires on a blackbird) on the main landing gear. This would require disassembling the entire main landing gear truck to remove/replace the wheel. This had happened for about the third time and he was getting pretty frustrated because the aircraft flew fine other than that, The R/C guy hears someone chuckling and looks over to see an older gentleman in a Lockheed ball cap! He was a little mad so he he stalks over the to guy laughing the asks him what is so funny! The guy responded with "I test flew the first SR-71, and we had the same problem full scale, turns out it quits flying at about 225 knots and it comes down with a pretty good bang. When we looked at the test footage (still trying figure out why it was eating the center tire) that the two outer tires side-walls would flex out to absorb the shock and eat the middle tire! So the center tire if SOLID!!!" The scale guy replaced the center tire with a solid one (and according to him) never had the problem again!!!!

I was stationed at Beale AFB and worked the Q's that passed gas to the Blackbirds. Years later I became an FE on C-141. On a trip back from overseas I was monitoring the radio when I heard an aircraft contact center and request FL 500 (50,000 Ft). The controller replied "If you can make it, you got it". The aircraft responded "Roger, descending to FL500". I knew exactly what plane it was.

Years ago at Ellsworth AFB in South Dakota the B-1 was stationed there and an SR-71 had to land , the B-1 crew rushed to see the SR-71, and the 2 men from the SR-71 rushed over to see the then new B-1, both sides going “oh wow!”

This plane holds a special place in my heart. Both of my parents were in the Navy, and then worked for NASA after leaving the military. I still remember the time my dad lost 50lbs just because he had a chance to go to some airfield for his work. He lost the weight specifically because someone he knew told him he might get a chance to sit in the cockpit of an SR-71. He was never a pilot, but he worked hard to lose that weight just because he knew he was too fat to fit into that cockpit. And damned if he didn't get to sit in it. Probably one of the happiest moments of his life.

I was on a TAC site in Germany 1988, we tracked an SR71 going roughly North to South over the east west border. According to our radar, it was flying higher and faster than published numbers. We were amazed.

I was at Sac Metro that day and watched in awe as the SR-71 flew by, it was GREAT.

Back when it wasn't illegal to have a little fun.

The most amazing thing about the SR-71 is Kelly Johnson and the skunk works designed it from first mark on paper to test flight in 18 months before computers and CADD. Simply amazing.

>”story you’ve probably never heard” >me clicking on the video for the 20th time when it shows up in my recommended just to hear the awesome story again

"I want one on my desk at 7 am tomorrow..." LOL... So great to hear all kind of stories like that...

"Are there any regulations that prohibit "buzzing the tower"? "No sir." "Have one on my desk by..."

Hubby was stationed at Beale AFB in mid-70s, and we lived in the on-base trailer park which had a perfect view of many dusk take offs of the SR-71 and its little white chase plane. Hubby was able to arrange a personal SR-71 hanger tour for my Dad, an Army Air Corp veteran of WWII... awesome!!!

Sometimes the power of storytelling is just as captivating as anything. Great story ! 😆

I wonder if the other 767 pilot was butthurt about cutting into his game like that lol. I mean, nothing steals another guy's thunder like coming in with a _"so, didja hear I flew the friggin SR-71?".._

To go from flying the SR-71 to the 767 must have been awful. That's like going from an F1 racer to a potato.

I only saw the Blackbird once, but it was pretty unforgettable. I'm sure that there are many SR71 stories that would fall into the category of " you can't make this stuff up". I'd love to hear some of them.

One of these buzzed Mt. Washington in Pittsburgh near the 911th Airlift Wing. I was on a moving crew and we all thought the world was coming to an end as the apocalyptic noise grew louder and louder until we could no longer hear eachother. We ran out to the lookout and this thing flew right by the mountain almost level to the lookout. Spectacular sight and was earth shaking feeling in your body it was absoloutly amazing. Being a fan of this jet since a kid I am really happy to have witnessed one of these beasts in the air.

I just can’t stop looking at this plane and thinking it’s one of the most beautiful planes to ever take to the skies.

I love these stories. I was stationed in Guam in 89' when we had the blackbird land. I was a security specialist, and my sergeant had his brand new video camera and just had to film it taking off. So, we drove down about 3/4 the way down the ramp, parallel to the runway and waited. We heard the tower give the clearance for take off over the radio. So my sergeant started filming and here comes the plane winding up speed really fast. This was the first time we had seen the plane in person and neither of us knew what to expect. Frankly, we thought it would be like pretty much every other plane taking off. Wrong! My sergeant was standing outside our police vehicle, a Ford Bronco, a few feet from the drivers door. As he's filming, the plane is coming really quick. You could see the jet wash was curling around and out with full afterburners lit up. And just as the plane streaked past us, the jet wash violently threw him against the drivers door and he dropped the video camera he had just spent $1200 for as a Christmas present for his wife. Yeah, the camera was done for. But, the blackbird didn't disappoint either of us.

What a great story! These are the types of stories your grandfathers and maybe fathers could tell ya. You won't find stories like these anymore. If that happened today, the pilot would be court-marshaled. This is a great example of "The good ol' days".

That is one of the greatest SR stories of all time. I lived in Sacramento at that time and that event was very well known among us aviation enthusiasts.

Always love hearing stories about the SR71.

Blackbird: Tower may we have permission for flyby Tower: Cleared for flyby *Blackbird flys by at Mach 3* Tower: Were waiting Blackbird: We just flew by Tower: 😮

I just found this video. However, I recall this incident on a personal level too. I was about 10 yrs old. I lived in Elverta, a little town a handful of miles south of Beale, and Just north of McClellan. At that time it was much more rural, and we'd fish on the north end of strip. I use to photo many darkened aircraft as they would slip back and forth from Bealle and McClellan, or Mather. Often I was able to make solid eye contact with pilots on final to McClellan as they flew nearly right over our house, exactly 2 miles from field. I saw the SR-71 and B-117, before the public was informed and thought that was awesome. Those experiences launched a career for me. Thank you for the memory. It was load, the ground shook, I was excited with a smile. I can still hear the scream of the C-130's, and C-5A's, or B-52s flying in. The house would rattle, and shake. Never broke our windows, but I am aware of a couple over the yrs.

I've seen this beautiful ship at Andrews AFB in 1976 at the Bi-Centennial Air Show, I got to look at it up close, as my Uncle had a clearance, it was just amazing, then I got to watch the fueler, then the SR 71, take off the next morning, it was a spine tingler I'll never forget

I heard this story from the man himself in person last year right in front of the jet in question. What a legendary person.

Almost as good as the "speed check" story.

I was a crew chief at Norton AFB and because of my clearance at the time I was allowed in the hanger where they were keeping the SR71 the day before the air show I walked around it in awe it is truly a fantastic piece of technology, and to think in the making of it was done with slide rulers.

One of the classic SR71 Stories his delivery is so awesome

They'll never made a cooler looking plane

The SR71 is still one sick looking airplane. Still looks futureristic!

Wonderful! Rosenburg was one of the pilots I used to hook up into the SR-71 when I was at Beale (I was part of the PSD unit)! Small world!

When I was stationed in Korea 1970 there was a SR71 that came to our base temporary duty. I worked in the missle shop near the runway. One day we heard it fire up to leave so we along with I think the rest of the base went outside to watch it leave. Well it started to my left, went down the runway with a big roar. It disappeared behind some buildings, at the far down the runway it took off. I thought that was quick, well just then after he had gained some altitude he spun around and headed back down at a steep angle and disappeared behind some trees. I thought he was going to crash. Next thing I see is the sr71 full afterburners streaking down the runway about 25 feet above the runway. About at the end of the runway he pulls the SR71 up to a almost vertical climb an soon disappears out of sight. I was amazed at the agility of that craft.

1:12 "you can do anything once" - never a truer word said.

- "Tower, this is Ghost Rider requesting a fly-by." - "Negative, Ghost Rider. The pattern is full."

Back around that time I was a Captain on a B727 flying from San Diego to Ontario, Ca at 10000 feet. Flew right over March AFB as a SR-71 was taking off to the North. He pulled straight up in front of us ... I will never forget how beautiful that looked ... and being ex AF ... it looked safe to us! :) Thanks for the great story!

I was in Buckhorn, Ontario on Lower Buckhorn Lake that year when it was flown from Ottawa to Toronto. The SR 71 flew low enough to make the lake water rumble. It was only going subsonic since it was so close to the ground but in the few seconds it took to leave my view it made one of the most lasting memories of my life. Who ever was flying it that Saturday of the Labour Day Weekend thank you.

Good Old American 80’s fun! Nobody was hurt and nobody sued! The good days!

I could listen to stories like this for hours on end. Thank you.

Went to only 1 airshow as a kid, a performance by the Blue Angels in '83 or '84 at Pt. Mugu in SoCal. Near the end of the show, the announcer told us they had a treat for us: a high speed pass by an SR-71. I'd been in AWE of that aircraft since the 1st time I'd seen a picture of it... It was over in a INSTANT! A black blur, an immense feeling of pressure, then the biggest BOOM I felt until being near an Abrams firing her main gun during my time in the Army! Never forget it as long as I live!

My Korean war C/O was Capt. L R St John. His final assignment before retiring as Col. St John was an upper level world wide position with the SR-71 program. I only found this out shortly before he passed and don't know all the details. He was though the finest leader I ever met, in my whole life, and set a standard that I've always tried to achieve. Thank you Sir, S/Sgt. R. Horton

I did 110 in my Corolla once!

Pasta-time: "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."

They’ve got an SR-71 at March Field Air Museum in SoCal that just surprises and stuns you as you walk in. With its majestic length that is enhanced with purple lights underneath the entire body, you feel as though you’re in some science fiction filmset. Absolutely amazing creation.

That pilot would go on to become actor Fred Willard

What an awesome story! My only SR-71 story is second-hand. Old friend of the family was an F-111 wrench out of Mountain Home. Had a day they locked down the base, had an SR-71 land, go straight to a hangar, stay there for a number of hours, then come out of the hangar at damn-near WOT and went vertical directly after. He never knew what/why, but said it was one Hell of show.

Most complicated story to impress a girl I ever heard.

What a cool story ! I was at that very show in Toronto and went specifically there to see the SR71, as it departed over lake Ontario they just slowly rolled the throttle on and the ground shook like a friggin earth quake ! I will never forget that sight !

My grandfather worked in USAF and SAC and got to see these take off in the early morning long before they were made public. Would be wild seeing something like this for the first time.

The kid at 2:20 when he said he lit the after burners "whoa" - -

*Here's an even better story.* This is what I thought this video was going to be about, and to put it bluntly, it ended up being pretty anticlimactic. *Edit: FOR THOSE WITH THE READING COMPREHENSION OF A CHILD, **_THIS IS NOT A FIRST HAND EXPERIENCE_* I was flying the SR-71 out of RAF Mildenhall, England, with my back-seater, Walt Watson; we were returning from a mission over Europe and the Iron Curtain when we received a radio transmission from home base. As we scooted across Denmark in three minutes, we learned that a small RAF base in the English countryside had requested an SR-71 fly-past. The air cadet commander there was a former Blackbird pilot, and thought it would be a motivating moment for the young lads to see the mighty SR-71 perform a low approach. No problem, we were happy to do it. After a quick aerial refueling over the North Sea, we proceeded to find the small airfield. Walter had a myriad of sophisticated navigation equipment in the back seat, and began to vector me toward the field. Descending to subsonic speeds, we found ourselves over a densely wooded area in a slight haze. Like most former WWII British airfields, the one we were looking for had a small tower and little surrounding infrastructure. Walter told me we were close and that I should be able to see the field, but I saw nothing. Nothing but trees as far as I could see in the haze. We got a little lower, and I pulled the throttles back from 325 knots we were at. With the gear up, anything under 275 was just uncomfortable. Walt said we were practically over the field-yet; there was nothing in my windscreen. I banked the jet and started a gentle circling maneuver in hopes of picking up anything that looked like a field. Meanwhile, below, the cadet commander had taken the cadets up on the catwalk of the tower in order to get a prime view of the fly-past. It was a quiet, still day with no wind and partial gray overcast. Walter continued to give me indications that the field should be below us but in the overcast and haze, I couldn’t see it. The longer we continued to peer out the window and circle, the slower we got. With our power back, the awaiting cadets heard nothing. I must have had good instructors in my flying career, as something told me I better cross-check the gauges. As I noticed the airspeed indicator slide below 160 knots, my heart stopped and my adrenaline-filled left hand pushed two throttles full forward. At this point we weren’t really flying, but were falling in a slight bank. Just at the moment that both afterburners lit with a thunderous roar of flame (and what a joyous feeling that was) the aircraft fell into full view of the shocked observers on the tower. Shattering the still quiet of that morning, they now had 107 feet of fire-breathing titanium in their face as the plane leveled and accelerated, in full burner, on the tower side of the infield, closer than expected, maintaining what could only be described as some sort of ultimate knife-edge pass. Quickly reaching the field boundary, we proceeded back to Mildenhall without incident. We didn’t say a word for those next 14 minutes. After landing, our commander greeted us, and we were both certain he was reaching for our wings. Instead, he heartily shook our hands and said the commander had told him it was the greatest SR-71 fly-past he had ever seen, especially how we had surprised them with such a precise maneuver that could only be described as breathtaking. He said that some of the cadet’s hats were blown off and the sight of the plan form of the plane in full afterburner dropping right in front of them was unbelievable. Walt and I both understood the concept of ‘breathtaking’ very well that morning and sheepishly replied that they were just excited to see our low approach. As we retired to the equipment room to change from space suits to flight suits, we just sat there-we hadn’t spoken a word since ‘the pass.’ Finally, Walter looked at me and said, ‘One hundred fifty-six knots. What did you see?’ Trying to find my voice, I stammered, ‘One hundred fifty-two.’ We sat in silence for a moment. Then Walt said, ‘Don’t ever do that to me again!’ And I never did. A year later, Walter and I were having lunch in the Mildenhall Officer’s club, and overheard an officer talking to some cadets about an SR-71 fly-past that he had seen one day. Of course, by now the story included kids falling off the tower and screaming as the heat of the jet singed their eyebrows. Noticing our HABU patches, as we stood there with lunch trays in our hands, he asked us to verify to the cadets that such a thing had occurred. Walt just shook his head and said, ‘It was probably just a routine low approach; they’re pretty impressive in that plane.’

I was with the 9th OMS from 1973-76 and worked at SMF from 1979-88. I loved this story. I don't know why I don't remember this. Perhaps it was when I had been assigned to Sac Executive for a while. Thank you Maury Rosenberg. I remember seeing your name on the orange suit as you walked out from the PSD van.

To me, this is not only the most beautiful aircraft ever, it is simply one of the most beautiful things ever made by humans.

I can't imagine the cool stories SR-71 pilots would like to tell us, but can't.

I was Navy enlisted but worked in the Atlantic Command JCS office for Reconnaissance for 3 years and got to meet a number of SR-71 crew members and even seen the inside of the Cockpit of an SR-71 (instruments were covered ). Best tour of duty during my 20 years of service

I was at the Toronto airshow for that exhibition. I remember being the only person on the beach who recognized the Blackbird. No one thought it was real until the afterburn blew our ears out.

The most aesthetically pleasing aircraft ever built.

I use the watch the SR-71 on radar when I was station at the 26th Air Division/ NORAD region at Luke AFB Arizona in the late 1970's. It goes a lot faster and higher than the Air Force ever let out.

Wow, this brings back memories. I was stationed at Beale AFB from 1982 - 83 and was a jet engine mechanic on the SR-71.

I don't know why exactly but seeing that work of art and hearing about these adventures is just so calming.

When the SR-71 first flew over the Farnborough Airshow Early 80's they missed UK and had to turn around over France

you had me at "buzzing the tower" and sr-71

Just for raw "cool factor", I don't think that plane has ever been surpassed. That thing was a beast.

As a kid growing up in the eighties, during the height of the Cold War, I can remember camping in the Sierra Nevadas with my parents when we heard a sonic boom that seemed to shake the earth. We never saw the plane but I always imagined it was a blackbird.

I love a Great story! I have a brief little one of my own to add. My Grandfather worked for Mobil as a chemical engineer his whole career working mostly with fuels and lubricants. A few years back we went to the Air and Space museum's Udvar-Hazy Center. As we were walking around, my grandfather goes up to the blackbird and starts casually telling us all about the fuel it uses how it's basically a super refined kerosene with special additives to tweak it as necessary. Turns out he had been a part of developing the fuel for it! As we continued throughout the museum he pointed out some rockets that he had been a part of development too. It was all pretty cool, because previously none of us, even my grandmother, knew that he had been a part of these projects. He's gone now and will be missed, but it's neat to know some of the things that he did in his career. It makes you wonder what else he worked on that he could never talk about!

I love hearing stories about the SR-71

Relative of mine was working on that when it was a secret. The most awesome plane for it's time. Still love it.

Saw one fly out of Nellis AFB 1990. Also got to see the B3 bomber. The coolest thing I saw at Nellis was an engine fall off a warthog during take off and it turn around and landed in oncoming traffic. The depleted uranium rounds were fun to watch at night too. Great story.

GREAT STORY!!! Mr. Rosenberg must be one hell of a pilot! Really fun story! Thanks!

An SR-71 also made a fly-by at the Abbotsford International Airshow many years back (don't ask me when). I was working in my Vancouver shop on the warm August Saturday of the show, and I had the door to the parking lot open. Suddenly, the loudest jet roar I'd ever heard filled the building; I ran outside and of course the plane was probably 40 miles away at the show by then! A guy was standing on a loading dock across the lane with a bit of a "WTF?" look on his face: "Was that the Blackbird?" I called. He didn't know. "Was it huge, sorta triangular, and black?" Yes, it was. I went back inside, sorry to have missed it, but kept my ears open. It wasn't long before the roar built again and I sprinted for the door, only to see the distinctive rear profile of the plane quickly getting smaller as it headed west. Not until Star Wars came out years later, and everyone knew what the Millennium Falcon looked like jumping in hyperspace, would I have a comparison for happened next: there was a blue flash of afterburners on the massive engines and the plane simply disappeared out over the ocean. Quite impressive.

Heard this story over a dozen times and it still does not get old !

My two favorite aircraft are the SR-71 "Black Bird" and the F-177 "Night Hawk", amazing engineering and definitely ahead of their time....

This beats any fiction honestly. Real stories from real pilots. Sully is the tip of the Iceberg that everyone can see, but there are so many interesting stories below.

my late grand uncle Earnie Johnson was a jet engine mechanic and worked on these incredible aircraft while he was in the service and so did his brother Frederick Johnson who was also a helicopter pilot in 1957, I got to meet one of them when I was a kid freddy died a month before I was born from cancer that was caused by exposure to agent orange during the Vietnam war, he was also a gunsmith, a locksmith, and scuba diver, who had a patent for a diving regulator some real secret agent type of stuff for the time, they were both incredible men and lifelong tinkerers and held the Sr-71 close to their hearts, may they rest in peace their families proud of them

I saw (and felt) a similar thing at Perth international airport (Western Australia) in the early sixties. A Royal Air force Vulcan bomber was visiting and when he departed the pilot requested a "flyby" which was approved. The Vulcan dived straight at the tower then raised the nose but was squashing in. I was quite close to the (old) tower and saw the door open and people rushing for the outside stairs. The Vulcan then opened the throttles (afterburners?) and with an ear shattering roar, slid up over the top of the tower! The ground shook! An experience never to be forgotten!

Just watched this again after a year or so. Laughed just as hard as I did the first time! Well done sir!

I could listen to stories like that all day, especially with a SR-71 involved.

"And that's how I met my wife"

My Dad flew in WW II from P-40's through P-51e, became a flight instructor toward the end and was assigned to the first jet fighter squadron being formed. He never really got into computers towards the end, and it's a shame. I'd have loved for him to hear these stories.

This story is so wholesome and very beautifully delivered!

Just found this channel and I love his stories. SR-71 has always been my favorite.

So that's who it was. I was at the Toronto air show, and the SR-71 made some lovely passes. But everyone knows that for airshows there are restrictions, including a ban on overflying the crowd. Since this airshow was on a lakeshore, all the aircraft kept over the water. But for the final pass, he approached from the East, did a wide 360 turn to the left (probably took 3 miles), but instead of keeping over the water, he went low over the crowd, pulled his nose up high, and just climbed out of sight. I knew it was a hotshot pilot that day, but they, how can you stop someone like that from having some fun? You have to have brave and bold men like that at the tip of the spear, they are the ones who are first to step up and defend freedom.

Anyone who hits the "dislike" button on this has no soul. Great story. I love your stories and certainly appreciate your dedication to our nation.

I saw one of these do a supersonic flyby then land in Oshkosh as a kid in the late 80s. It was amazing. That memory will be with me my entire life. I saw a single engine prop plane crash that day, but the sr71 was the highlight for me. The pilot that crashed walked away from the crash. He attempted a roll at takeoff, but the wing hit the ground

THIS WAS GREAT! I can listen to old stories like this all day. Well done.

I’m almost certain I saw this SR71 go over my head while I was on the Toronto island. Way back in 1982 or ‘83. The aircraft would have been approaching east to west to the airshow, crossing over Toronto Island. Big black jet overhead then sonic boom! I thought at the time it was a cruise missile, but how could they be? Thanks for sharing yout story.

as utterly brilliant as these aircraft were, the pilots and their stories are what takes it to another level. They were simply the best of the best, but they were still human flying an aircraft that was often described as a UFO, but these days is still considered the best plane to ever take to the skies. Brilliant achievement from the guys that designed it to the guys that built it to the ground crews that looked after it to the pilots that flew it and to the technicians that more than once saved the world from war. The word TEAM sometimes just isn't enough..

I lived on Beale in 1982 and I loved it when the Blackbirds flew over the housing area or when we had an air show and they buzzed the flightline. Such an amazing aircraft!

I assume Danny wasn't around to see it, otherwise that thing would have landed at Beale 1oz heavier than normal : )

My favorite TFM video of the year. Thanks for recording him Jeff!

Really glad I clicked! Thought this was the “falling out of the clouds in a knife edge at 100 and some mile an hour in front of the British school boys story.” Love this one too!

I have been enamored of the SR71 for as long as I can remember. I really love hearing this fun bit of history. The Legend grows with each little tidbit like this.

Was stationed at Barksdale many years ago and was able to observe an SR do touch and go's at dusk! It was quite AWSOME!

I saw one of these once in 1977/78 flying over my town in Norfolk in England. What an aircraft.

I absolutely love this plane, true blended wing design and it’s earlier stages.. it’s been 40 years after all

"You can do anything once." Classic.