The SR-71 Blackbird
Here's a listing of some notable Blackbird missions. Some that changed history.
Also, at times various museum and other organizations hold special events to discuss and educate the public on the Blackbird program.
The A-12’s first flight–unofficial and unannounced in keeping with a Lockheed tradition–took place on 25 (26?) April 1962 and almost caused the loss of the only OXCART aircraft built so far.
On Feb 3, 1964, an A-12 Blackbird flew March 3.2 at 83,000 feet for 10 minutes
The first flight of an SR-71 took place at the Air Force Plant 32, Palmdale, Calforinia
First Flight of SR-71 and M-21 carrying D-21 drone
Mel Vojvodich (CIA) flew A12 #937 out of Kadena on the First Operational Black Shield Mission.
On January 23, 1968 the USS Pueblo was seized by the North Korean government. Confirmation was made by an A-12 Blackbird.
On 21 March 1968, USAF SR-71 #974 flew the First Operational sortie over Vietnam, piloted by Jerry O'Malley and RSO Ed Paine.
In 1964 during the Vietnam War U.S. aviators were captured by the North Vietnamese. Paul F Crickmore shares the story of how two SR-71 Blackbirds generated tri-sonic booms to free captured US prisoners of war in his book Lockheed Blackbird: Beyond the Secret Missions (Revised Edition):
On Jun. 10, 1970, a feasibility study group was convened by the Special Assistant for Counterinsurgency and Special Activities (SALSA), code-named Polar Circle, to look into the possibility of springing the 61 POWs believed to be at the Son Tay camp, located about 23 miles West of Hanoi.
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