SR71's removed from museums

I bet some aviation buffs would of paid a heavy price for some 71 memorabilia I know I would.

reply to post by Anonymous ATS


In a book writen by Ben Rich, the guy who designed the spike system and air condition on the Blackbird, said they wanted to fly it in the Gulf War and he even tried to lobby the idea of using it as a psychological weapon kicking some shockwaves up during prayer hour in the region but one air force offical was quoted "If we let the damnt thing back into the fleet we will never get it back out again"

The Air Force only wants money for satalights. the $1 million spent for 30 minutes of flight would put a dent in their budget for more, inferior, satalights. God Bless the 71 and the crews. it is something that should of never been retired.

Also, the Blackbird at Wright Patterson AFB was flown into the museum and never had the wings cut. It is still on display and has been since it was flown in. I am a volunteer there and I see it twice a month.

The A-12 on display has also been there this whole time. I am unsure if it was flown into the base or not but it is still there.

reply to post by FredT


Rumor has it that Lockheed Skunk Works put up 12 SR-71s and 6 A-12s were put into flyable storage in the late 1980s. Being 20 years ago it is hard to say because the Air Force will never allow the plane to fly again.

NASA can not even afford to keep their 3 flying. Two SR-71As and one SR-71B the two seat Goose model.