Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird Lecture (March 2020) at the National Museum of the USAF

SR-71 Panel of Experts: Ed Yeilding-Pilot(World Record Holder), Doug Soifer-RSO(Reconnaissance Systems Officer), Mike Hull-Maintenance, Harvey Smith-Maintenance, Floyd Jones-Maintenance, Steve Justice-Lockheed "Skunk Works" Historian.

The SR-71, unofficially known as the "Blackbird," is a long-range, advanced, strategic reconnaissance aircraft developed from the Lockheed A-12 and YF-12A aircraft. The first flight of an SR-71 took place on Dec. 22, 1964, and the first SR-71 to enter service was delivered to the 4200th (later 9th) Strategic Reconnaissance Wing at Beale Air Force Base, Calif., in January 1966. The U.S. Air Force retired its fleet of SR-71s on Jan. 26, 1990, because of a decreasing defense budget and high costs of operation.

Throughout its nearly 24-year career, the SR-71 remained the world's fastest and highest-flying operational aircraft. From 80,000 feet, it could survey 100,000 square miles of Earth's surface per hour. On July 28, 1976, an SR-71 set two world records for its class -- an absolute speed record of 2,193.167 mph and an absolute altitude record of 85,068.997 feet.