The Blackbird was developed in the 1960s during the Cold War as a high-flying reconnaissance jet. It is still considered by many as the most advanced aircraft of its type, flying at three times the speed of sound, faster than any weapon that could be fired at it.
On our Vocational Visit to Moorabbin Airport Museum last week, one of the volunteers was delighted to show us some remains of a crashed Blackbird, and to tell us about the history of the airplane.
He reminded us about U2 pilot Gary Powers who was shot down in 1960 over Soviet territory, and how U2 reconnaissance flights had to be suspended. U.S. President Eisenhower had not wanted American U-2 pilots to fly over the Soviet Union because he felt that if one of these pilots were to be shot down or captured, it could be seen as an act of aggression. Using British pilots initially allowed Eisenhower to be able to use the U-2 aircraft to spy for American interests in the Soviet Union, while still being able to plausibly deny any affiliation if a mission became compromised.
Eisenhower finally allowed the flying of two missions to be flown by American pilots, and a single-seat U2 aircraft, flown by American pilot Francis Gary Powers, was hit by an S-75 Dvina surface-to-air missile. Powers parachuted to the ground safely and was captured. He was convicted of espionage and sentenced to three years of imprisonment plus seven years of hard labour.
Read about the 1960 U-2 incident HERE
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1960_U-2_incident
The USAF then came up with the bright idea of a supersonic high-flying plane to replace it: hence the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird. Too fast and high to be shot down, it was made largely of titanium, a metal light and strong enough to withstand the heat generated on its surface at high speeds. Apparently the skin temperature reached 100 degrees C, one of the reasons for it being painted black.
However there was a problem: a shortage of Titanium, and the main supplier was Russia. There was no way Russia would sell the USA anything military during the “Cold War”. Our guide told us that some dodgy kitchen companies were set up to import titanium for kitchen utensils, which was then used to build Blackbirds.
The plane performed brilliantly, but the heat generated by the high speeds caused distortion of the surface and airframe, with oil and fuel leaks. Each plane then took weeks to re-vamp after each flight: the cost of maintenance and the advent of drones and satellites (less human risk) soon brought its use to an end.
But what a plane - its 47 year-old record still stands! More about this space-age icon HERE