Homepage Blackbird pilot recalls when an SR-71 slid on JP-7 fuel residue while taxing into Kadena Hangar

Linda Sheffield Miller

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Here’s why the SR-71 Blackbird airframe was designed to leak fuel

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

Blackbird pilot recalls when an SR-71 slid on JP-7 fuel residue while taxing into Kadena Hangar

Aug 5 2023

Linda Sheffield Miller

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

SR-71 Blackbird crew members tell the story of the Inlet Unstart that prevented them to go Faster than Mach 3.2 during the Absolute Speed Record run in 1976

Jul 27 2023

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

Aviation History / Cold War Era / SR-71 Blackbird

CIA engineer recalls when specks of insects hoisted from atomic tests in Russia and China were found on an A-12 windshield after an Oxcart mission

Jul 16 2023

Linda Sheffield Miller

SR-71 Pilot tells the story of when his Blackbird flew So Fast that He and his RSO arrived at Beale AFB almost a Day Before They Left Kadena AB

Cold War Era / Military Aviation / SR-71 Blackbird

The story of the SR-71 Double-Engine Flameout over North Vietnam that led to the Blackbird’s nickname the “Lead Sled”

Jul 9 2023

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 / Aviation Humor / Cold War Era / Military Aviation

The story of How the U-2 got its name: Test Pilot Tony LeVier flipped off Kelly Johnson, Johnson flipped off in return LeVier and yelled, “U-2” [You Too]!

Jul 1 2023

Linda Sheffield Miller

JP-7, the fuel that powered the SR-71 Blackbird caused a nationwide shortage of bug spray. Here’s why.

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

Not only JP-7: the SR-71 could use JP-4 and JP-5 as emergency fuels but they both limited the Blackbird top speed to Mach 1.5

Jun 27 2023

Linda Sheffield Miller

Cold War Era / Military Aviation / SR-71 Blackbird

In the early 1960s Soviet Union sold titanium to the US believing they needed it for Pizza Ovens but instead they used it to build the iconic SR-71 Blackbird Mach 3+ spy plane

Jun 18 2023

Linda Sheffield Miller

The story of the SR-71 Blackbird crew that ‘gave the birdie’ to a French Air Force Mirage III pilot, lit the afterburners and outran him

Cold War Era / Military Aviation / SR-71 Blackbird

Blackbird Pilot recalls when his RSO ‘gave the birdie’ to a French Air Force Mirage III pilot (Then They lit their SR-71’s Afterburners and Outran him)

Jun 11 2023

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

SR-71 Pilot explains why even though the Blackbird could attain Mach 3.5, at that speed serious damage to the aircraft might occur

Jun 3 2023

Linda Sheffield Miller

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

Here’s why the SR-71 inlets had to be labeled “L” and “R” and why the Blackbird had engine and afterburner fuel control cable pulleys

May 28 2023

Linda Sheffield Miller

Ball Unveils Sled Driver Watch Honoring Legendary SR-71 Blackbird pilot Brian Shul

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

SR-71 pilot Brian Shul, famous for his ground speed check story, passed away while giving a speech about the Blackbird

May 22 2023

Linda Sheffield Miller

Cold War Era / Military Aviation / SR-71 Blackbird

SR-71 Pilot explains why the only SAM that had a chance to hit the Blackbird was a Nuclear S-300 fired ahead of the Habu

May 20 2023

Linda Sheffield Miller

SR-71 pilot tells the story of when he accelerated his Habu at Mach 3.2 and denied an F-15 pilot an “easy," simulated kill against its Blackbird during a training sortie

Cold War Era / Military Aviation / SR-71 Blackbird

SR-71 pilot explains why the F-15 radar couldn’t see the Blackbird during Eagle Bait sorties

May 14 2023

Linda Sheffield Miller

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

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

May 7 2023

Linda Sheffield Miller

Cold War Era / Military Aviation / SR-71 Blackbird

SR-71 Blackbird Pilot recalls When He Buzzed the Tower of Sacramento Airport with the Afterburners Lit

Apr 30 2023

Linda Sheffield Miller

The story of the SR-71 Blackbird that pitched up and collided with a KC-135Q tanker during an air refueling over El Paso

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

When the SR-71 was getting low on gas, its crew members pressure suits started to warm up. So aboard the Blackbird the fuel was used as a heat sink. Here’s how.

Apr 23 2023

Linda Sheffield Miller

The story of SR-71A #61-7959, the only “Big Tail” Blackbird in existence

Cold War Era / Military Aviation / SR-71 Blackbird

Here’s why SR-71A #61-7959 was the only Blackbird to feature a special “Big Tail”

Apr 16 2023

Linda Sheffield Miller

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Linda Sheffield Miller

Thanks to our partners

Blackbird pilot recalls when an SR-71 slid on JP-7 fuel residue while taxing into Kadena Hangar

SR-71 Blackbird crew members tell the story of the Inlet Unstart that prevented them to go Faster than Mach 3.2 during the Absolute Speed Record run in 1976

CIA engineer recalls when specks of insects hoisted from atomic tests in Russia and China were found on an A-12 windshield after an Oxcart mission

The story of the SR-71 Double-Engine Flameout over North Vietnam that led to the Blackbird’s nickname the “Lead Sled”

The story of How the U-2 got its name: Test Pilot Tony LeVier flipped off Kelly Johnson, Johnson flipped off in return LeVier and yelled, “U-2” [You Too]!

Not only JP-7: the SR-71 could use JP-4 and JP-5 as emergency fuels but they both limited the Blackbird top speed to Mach 1.5

In the early 1960s Soviet Union sold titanium to the US believing they needed it for Pizza Ovens but instead they used it to build the iconic SR-71 Blackbird Mach 3+ spy plane

Blackbird Pilot recalls when his RSO ‘gave the birdie’ to a French Air Force Mirage III pilot (Then They lit their SR-71’s Afterburners and Outran him)

SR-71 Pilot explains why even though the Blackbird could attain Mach 3.5, at that speed serious damage to the aircraft might occur

Here’s why the SR-71 inlets had to be labeled “L” and “R” and why the Blackbird had engine and afterburner fuel control cable pulleys

SR-71 pilot Brian Shul, famous for his ground speed check story, passed away while giving a speech about the Blackbird

SR-71 Pilot explains why the only SAM that had a chance to hit the Blackbird was a Nuclear S-300 fired ahead of the Habu

SR-71 pilot explains why the F-15 radar couldn’t see the Blackbird during Eagle Bait sorties

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

SR-71 Blackbird Pilot recalls When He Buzzed the Tower of Sacramento Airport with the Afterburners Lit

When the SR-71 was getting low on gas, its crew members pressure suits started to warm up. So aboard the Blackbird the fuel was used as a heat sink. Here’s how.

Here’s why SR-71A #61-7959 was the only Blackbird to feature a special “Big Tail”

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