SR-71A 17951, on display at Pima Air Museum in Tucson, AZ, is the matriarch of the SR fleet. She is the oldest surviving SR-71 with only one produced before her, 17950, which was lost to a fire on the runway.

SR-71A 17960 made her final flight on February 27, 1990, into Castle Air Force Base, California. She roared over the runway at low level for one last high speed pass before touching down for the last time.

SR-71A S/N 61-7959, also known as "Big Tall", came off the assembly line like any other SR-71 when it was rolled out on 16 Aug 1965. But it was chosen as.....

LASRE was NASA's Linear Aerospike SR-71 Experiment which took place at the Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards Air Force Base, California, until November 1998. The experiment sought to provide flight data to help Lockheed Martin validate and tune the computational predictive tools used to determine the aerodynamic performance of the Lockheed Martin X-33 lifting body and linear aerospike engine combination and to lay groundwork for a future reusable launch vehicle.

10 May 1966 First SR-71A #958 delivered to Beale AFB, CA USAF Pilots:Doug Nelson/ Pennington (LSB)(LSW says 4 Apr 1966)

Was in storage at Palmdale, CA; Now being refurbished by Lockheed for USAF, Made first flight after refurbishing on 28 August 1995. 

On March 21, 1968, in the 61-7976, Maj. (later Gen.) Jerome F. O'Malley and Maj. Edward D. Payne made the first operational SR-71 sortie.

979 was used during operation 'Giant Reach' during the Egypt-Israeli war.

On 26 April 1971, 61-7968, flown by majors Thomas B. Estes and Dewain C. Vick, flew over 15,000 miles (24,000 km) in 10 hours and 30 minutes. 

The SR-71 was the world's fastest and highest-flying operational manned aircraft throughout its career. On 28 July 1976, SR-71 serial number 61-7962, piloted by then Captain Robert Helt, broke the world record: an "absolute altitude record" of 85,069 feet (25,929 m). 

On 25 January 1966, SR-71A (61-7952) was scheduled for a mission to test reconnaissance systems sensor performance and evaluate use of the navigation system as a controller for integrated sensor and aircraft management. The flight crew included Lockheed test pilot William A. Weaver and flight test reconnaissance and navigation systems specialist James T. Zwayer. The mission callsign was DUTCH 54.

On 18 December 1969, SR-71A (61-7953) was scheduled for a functional check flight (FCF), piloted by SR-71/F-12 Test Force director Col. Joe Rogers and his Reconnaissance Systems Operator (RSO), Maj. Gary Heidelbaugh. The mission callsign was DUTCH 68. The aircraft configuration included, for the first time ever, the Optical Bar Camera (OBC) nose assembly.

61-7965 (SR-71A) This aircraft was lost on 25 October 1967 after an Inertial Navigation System (INS) platform failed, leading to erroneous attitude information being displayed in the cockpit.

After refueling the aircraft was in a climb back to altitude, when it entered a huge thunderstorm with clouds well above 45,000 ft. 

61-7966 (SR-71A) Lost on the evening of 13 April 1967 after the aircraft entered a subsonic, high-speed stall. Pilot Captain Earle M. Boone and RSO Captain Richard E. (Butch) Sheffield ejected safely.

While climbing out from Kadena AB, Okinawa, the right engine exploded severing the hydraulic lines for the flight controls.

After refueling, the SR and the KC-135Q collided, when the SR suddenly pitched up and hit the tanker

 Attempting to land with a severe crosswind, USAF PIlot: Capt. Dennis Bush had to abort the landing after deploying the braking chute.

After returning from maintenance at Lockheed ADP, on take-off one of the wheel hubs exploded causing a fire, which engulfed the aircraft.