SR-71: A Plane I’d Love To See Fly

I have always considered myself a good Air Force Brat as my dad served in the Air Force for over 20 years. While I only was at three bases, Castle Air Force Base in California; Ramstein Air Force Base, Germany; and Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, I got to see a lot of great planes.  I love the B-2 Stealth Bomber, A-10 Thunderbolt; T-38 that are stationed at Whiteman. I have enjoyed going to air shows to see everything from the old biplanes to the Mustangs to the F-4 Phantom to the F-16s.  However, I was a watching a movie Turbulent Skies and got to thinking that I never have seen an SR-71 fly in person.

Turbulent Skies was not a movie I recommend, but it was cool to see the sleak SR-71 in action. Some may remember it was called the "Blackbird" and it definitely deserved that name for how fast it could fly and the color of it. I've often heard it was the fastest plane around and was fantastic at obtaining recon. There is just something about seeing it on TV with how the engines light up and it quickly gets up to speed.

According to the National Museum of the Air Force, the SR-71 could fly over 2,000 miles an hour and be at 85,000 feet in the air. It is no wonder that the plane was never shot down.

Unfortunately the SR-71 was taken out of active status in the 1990s and there were two planes used by NASA, but there is not a record that I could find of recent flights. It is a plane I would love to see at an air show if ever given the chance.  The closest I've seen it was in two locations on static display, one at the old Strategic Air Command (SAC) Museum at Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska and the other at the National Museum of the Air Force at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio. There were two planes that were in condition to fly as the fleet was retired, but no word on if they have been flown recently other than when they got to their museum destinations.

If you've ever seen the SR-71 in action or maybe if there is another plane you would have loved to see fly, let me know. I know with the proud Air Force tradition around here, I'm sure there are a lot of stories or wishes.

This video I found, gives you an idea of the power and beauty of the Blackbird.