Homepage That time a KC-135Q crew flew through a thunderstorm with their Stratotanker’s throttles frozen to refuel an SR-71 Blackbird

Linda Sheffield Miller

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SR-71 pilot tells the story of when a KC-135Q crew flew through a thunderstorm with their tanker’s throttles frozen to refuel its Blackbird

Cold War Era / Military Aviation / SR-71 Blackbird

That time a KC-135Q crew flew through a thunderstorm with their Stratotanker’s throttles frozen to refuel an SR-71 Blackbird

Linda Sheffield Miller

Here’s why R2-D2, the SR-71 Astroinertial Navigation System, was essential for Blackbird mission

Cold War Era / Military Aviation / SR-71 Blackbird

Here’s why R2-D2, the SR-71 Astroinertial Navigation System, was essential for Blackbird mission

Linda Sheffield Miller

‘The XB-70 flies less Mach 3 time than the YF-12, but the Valkyrie loses pieces that are bigger than the Blackbird.’ The Mach 3 rivalry between the YF-12 and the XB-70.

Aviation History / Cold War Era / Military Aviation / SR-71 Blackbird

‘The XB-70 flies less Mach 3 time than the YF-12, but when it flies at Mach 3 the Valkyrie loses pieces that are bigger than the Blackbird.’ The Mach 3 rivalry between the YF-12 and the XB-70.

Linda Sheffield Miller

SR-71 RSO tells the story of when he and his pilot were able to land their crippled Blackbird after it experienced a catastrophic engine failure while flying at Mach 2.88 at 68,000 feet

Aviation Humor / Cold War Era / Military Aviation / SR-71 Blackbird

That time Habu crew chiefs loaded into an SR-71 ladies’ underwear to deploy along with the drag chute upon landing to adjust the attitude of a new Blackbird pilot

Linda Sheffield Miller

The Story of the SR-71 Blackbird that crashed while attempting to land at Kadena AB during extreme crosswinds caused by an oncoming typhoon

Cold War Era / Losses and Aviation Safety / Military Aviation / SR-71 Blackbird

The Story of the SR-71 Blackbird that crashed while attempting to land at Kadena AB during extreme crosswinds caused by an oncoming typhoon

Linda Sheffield Miller

The story of the sealed letter signed by a VIP that granted extra help to an SR-71 Blackbird crew after an emergency landing in a small air base in South Korea

Cold War Era / Military Aviation / SR-71 Blackbird

When an SR-71 Blackbird crew made an emergency landing in a small air base in South Korea, a letter signed by a VIP granted them extra help

Linda Sheffield Miller

EAA AirVenture Oshkosh announcer tells the story of when a NASA SR-71B Blackbird had an almost catastrophic fuel leak on a mission to perform a flyby at EAA Oshkosh

Losses and Aviation Safety / Military Aviation / SR-71 Blackbird

EAA AirVenture Oshkosh announcer tells the story of when a NASA SR-71B Blackbird had an almost catastrophic fuel leak on a mission to perform a flyby at EAA Oshkosh

Linda Sheffield Miller

In 1985 an administrative sergeant tried to sell SR-71 Blackbird top secret information to Soviets. He was caught after Soviets notified US intelligence because they figured he was deranged.

Cold War Era / Military Aviation / SR-71 Blackbird

In 1985 an administrative sergeant tried to sell SR-71 Blackbird top secret information to Soviets. He was caught after Soviets notified US intelligence because they figured he was deranged.

Linda Sheffield Miller

After an A-12 flight specks of insects hoisted from the atomic test explosions in Russia and China were found on the Oxcart windshield

Cold War Era / Military Aviation / SR-71 Blackbird

After an A-12 flight specks of insects hoisted from the atomic test explosions in Russia and China were found on the Oxcart windshield

Linda Sheffield Miller

Carmine Vito was the only U-2 pilot to fly over Moscow: five Soviet MiGs launched to intercept his flight got lost or collided

Aviation History / Cold War Era / Military Aviation

U-2 pilot describes how Carmine Vito, the only U-2 pilot to fly over Moscow, almost bit his poison cyanide pill in half while flying over Soviet Union

Linda Sheffield Miller

In 1971 an SR-71 crew flew 15,000 miles, in 10 hours 30 minutes non-stop, in full continuous AB to see how many times the Blackbird could refuel before the liquid nitrogen gave out

Cold War Era / Military Aviation / SR-71 Blackbird

The story of the Blackbird crew that flew 15,000 miles, in 10 hours 30 minutes non-stop to see how many times the SR-71 could refuel before the liquid nitrogen gave out

Linda Sheffield Miller

Blackbird Pilot explains why the SR-71 had to refuel right after takeoff (and it’s not because it leaked fuel)

Cold War Era / Military Aviation / SR-71 Blackbird

Here’s why producing thousand gallons of JP-7 fuel used in the SR-71 Blackbird Mach 3+ Spy Plane caused a nationwide shortage of Flit insecticide

Linda Sheffield Miller

“We could have gone faster.” SR-71 Blackbird crew members recall the Unstart that prevented them to go Faster than Mach 3.2 during the Absolute Speed Record run

Cold War Era / Military Aviation / SR-71 Blackbird / SR-71 Top Speed

“We could have gone faster.” SR-71 Blackbird crew members recall the Inlet Unstart that prevented them to go Faster than Mach 3.2 during the Absolute Speed Record run

Linda Sheffield Miller

How the iconic U-2 got its name: Test Pilot Tony LeVier gave Kelly Johnson the finger, Johnson returned giving LeVier the finger and yelled, “U-2”.

Aviation History / Cold War Era / Military Aviation

How the iconic U-2 got its name: Test Pilot Tony LeVier gave Kelly Johnson the finger, Johnson returned giving LeVier the finger and yelled, “U-2”!

Linda Sheffield Miller

Once an F-101 pilot tried to race against an SR-71. He gave up when the Blackbird’s RSO asked him how fast his Voodoo could climb above 80,000 feet.

Cold War Era / Military Aviation / SR-71 Blackbird

Once an F-101 pilot tried to race against an SR-71. He gave up when the Blackbird’s RSO asked him how fast his Voodoo could climb above 80,000 feet.

Linda Sheffield Miller

SR-71 RSO tells the story behind this video of a Blackbird creating ’13 Fireballs’ during Air Fete Air Show 1986 at RAF Mildenhall

Cold War Era / Losses and Aviation Safety / Military Aviation / SR-71 Blackbird

SR-71 pilot tells the story of when he and his RSO were able to save their Blackbird after it had an engine explosion above 60,000 feet and Mach 2.5

Linda Sheffield Miller

Lockheed Martin's Advanced Development Programs division was originally called "Skonk Works." Here’s why it changed the name to “Skunk Works”

Aviation History / Cold War Era / Military Aviation

Lockheed Martin’s Advanced Development Programs division was originally called “Skonk Works.” Here’s why it changed the name to “Skunk Works.”

Linda Sheffield Miller

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