SR-71 Video & Story!

[arizonaguide]

There was also that very interesting DRONE on the back of the SR-71...

Yup! To my understanding Kelly Johnson cancelled the Blackbird launched part of the program after Blackbird M-21 tail number 06941 was destroyed 30 Jul 1966 when the D-21 drone it was launching bounced off the inside of the mothership's shockwave and struck 941 near the wing root. Lockheed test pilot Bill Park and Launch Control Officer Ray Torick ejected safely over the Pacific, but Torick drowned when his flight suit took on water.

941 was one of two M-21s used as a launch platform for the D-21 drone, and 941 was the only Blackbird ever to launch a D-21, having done so three times prior to the crash. All future D-21 launches were from underwing pylons on B-52s.

When mated with the drone, the combination was known as an "M/D-21." Contrary to some reports, both 941 and her sister ship 941 were built from the ground up to be M-21s, and were not "converted" from existing A-12s.

Credit: information from www.Habu.org

 

[arizonaguide]

The key to guessing about the SR-71's capabilities is that these were operating "norms".

When fired upon, the norms went out the window; SOP for evading an incoming rocket / missile was to put the pedal to the metal, max throttle, max altitude. From what I read, it routinely went over 90,000 feet+ when fired upon, and broke mach 3.5 with relative ease, for short stints.

Yup! good stuff JBS! :) One of the coolest Aircraft ever...next to the C-130, of course. ;) (another Lockheed creation!)