$200,000 per hour.

Phil.x

Just having a read of this website, what an incredible amount of money per hour. Fabulous plane nonetheless.

https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/introducing-sr-71-blackbird-still-fastest-plane-earth-even-retirement-39792

Also my childhood favourite the f14-tomcat.

Negative_G

Phil.x wrote: »

Just having a read of this website, what an incredible amount of money per hour. Fabulous plane nonetheless.

https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/introducing-sr-71-blackbird-still-fastest-plane-earth-even-retirement-39792

Also my childhood favourite the f14-tomcat.

If you are interested in reading some more great stories about the blackbird have a look at "Sled Driver" by Brian Schul. Hard copies command a large price but there are PDF copies freely available online.

Fascinating but an easy read with some excellent stories.

Turbulent Bill

I love the fact that the Blackbird set speed records even on its retirement flight to the Smithsonian. Pretty much the equivalent of getting the marathon record on the way to collecting your pension...

Incredible aircraft, probably my all-time favourite.

newcavanman

Saw one flying at IAT 83 in RAF Greenham Common. It amazing what you fail to appreciate when you are young, thats for sure

MuffinsDa

There's a good bit about it in "The Imagineers of War" (history of DARPA) as well as a lot of interesting info on Lockheed's "Have Blue" and Nighthawk. Amazing stuff, highly recommend that book if you're interested in this sort of thing!

Tenger

Skunk Works is another decent book on the subject. Read that a few years back.

markpb

This YouTube video is worth a watch :-)

markpb

markpb wrote: »

This YouTube video is worth a watch :-)

That was hilarious.

Davidth88

Remember watching the sr71 departing mildenhall. It used to light up the sky. You knew when it was due out because all the kc135q used to leave first... They were the special tankers .

It was some view .

Inquitus

Davidth88 wrote: »

Remember watching the sr71 departing mildenhall. It used to light up the sky. You knew when it was due out because all the kc135q used to leave first... They were the special tankers .

It was some view .

Aye I used to be up near Mildenhall and you'd see it quite often, but at the Airshow in the 80's watching it take off and do a few passes was special.

tricky D

markpb wrote: »

This YouTube video is worth a watch :-)

There's another altitude version where they ask for clearance to a high altitude. Iirc ATC asks if they are capable to do such altitude to get the reply that they want clearance downwards from something like 80 to 60.

smurfjed

This is funny.... and an urban legend.