SR-71 Blackbird: takeoff | Britannica

SR-71 BLACKBIRD PILOT TELLS THE STORY BEHIND HIS FAMED GROUND SPEED CHECK

Machine on wheels on Instagram: "Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird Designed during the Cold War, the SR-71 Blackbird remains one of the fastest aircraft ever built, cruising above 85,000 feet at over Mach 3. Instead of stealth or weapons, it relied purely on extreme speed and altitude—making interception nearly impossible. Decades after retirement, its performance is still unmatched, a reminder of how far aerospace engineering once perfomed. Retired, but still unbeaten in speed-based survival. Follow @ma