Lockheed Blackbird (61-7960)

One of my favorite planes on display at the D.C. air museum. Really enjoyed interacting with one of the volunteers who had been one of the pilots for years.

Amazing plane still!

960 was Maj. Brian Shul's favorite. It's now parked at Castle on display. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1016243475054163&set=pcb.10153476428291789&type=1&theater

There once was one at March Air Force Base Museum in So. Cal. but I haven't been past there in a while. I believe the museum is still open and it was small but nice and free.

Kurt, Marchs' SR-71 is inside the main hangar now. The Museum is open and there is a charge to enter.

What a ride !!!!!!!!

At Mach 3.2 the pitot tube is over 500 deg F, the 4' thick quartz wind shield is over 600 deg F and starting about 1/3 of the way into the engine nacelle to the exhaust the temp gets to about 1300 deg F. Max speed is CIT limited to 800 deg F and that takes "The Sled" to about Mach 3.35 or about 2550 mph or a mile every 1.4 seconds.

FlytMike, you meant 4" thick shield undoubtedly...

There is one in the static display outside the entrance to the
San Diego Air Museum in Baĺboa Park.

THE AIRCRAFT WAS THE THE FIRST THAT I'D EVER WORKED ON AT BEAL.CALIF. WITH A GREAT PEOPLE E BASE AND ITS PEOPLE. WE FLEW SO THAT WE COULD REFUEL IT IN THE AIR. BEEN TO A MANY PLACES IN THE WORLD SUPPORTING THE SR 71 BLACKBIRD. TO LOCKHEED, A GREAT SHIP I'D WORKED ON THANK YOU, TO THE USAF THANK-YOU FOR SENDING ME TO BEAL AFB, MARYSVILLE, YUBA CITY AREA CALIF.

When getting my private license in the early 70s I was told early on to forget about Bernoulli and his theory why airplanes fly and that they really fly because of a lot of money. So, it's easy to think that of the SR-71. But, my acquaintance with the designers, builders and air/ground crew convinces me that they flew because of the almost magical, spiritual energy those people generated. My point: it took more than a lot of money to do that.
The aircraft outside the SD air museum is an A-12.