SR-71 Blackbird recon aircraft

The SR-71 was developed as a long-range strategic reconnaissance aircraft capable of flying at speeds over Mach 3.2 and at 85,000 feet. It was one of the world's fastest airplanes, holding several speed and altitude records (see Operational Notes, below). The SR-71 was popularly known as the "Blackbird" because of its black heat-emissive surface, but this nickname was unofficial. The SR-71 and its predecessor, the U-2 (see separate record), are products of the famed Lockheed...