Not that I'd pay $14 for something Ill never see let alone fly, but damn it would be fun to pretend you're Wolverine flying that thing, maybe Ill just put a 'my other car is a SR-71' on my bumper and leave the manual in the back lol...

Thanks a lot for posting this, very informative.

I was a fan of the SR-71 for a long time.

The YF-12A manual is also available on the same web site. A disk with flight manuals for the A-12, YF-12A, and SR-71 (as well as other cool stuff) is included with a book called "From Archangel to Senior Crown: Design and Development of the Blackbird" that is sold by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA). It's expensive ($39.95) but considering that it is like getting four books in one plus videos and other stuff, I guess that justifies the price. I think the A-12 manual might be available on the CIA FOIA site, as well.

Where is table 1-2? You know, the Capabilities and Limitations. All Air Force Technical Orders have one.

The performance capabilities of the Blackbird are no longer classified.

The maximum design cruise speed was Mach 3.2. Speeds of Mach 3.3 to Mach 3.5 have been recorded during test flights. Maximum speed was limited by structural temperature restrictions (compressor inlet temperature had to remain below 427 degrees Centigrade).

Fastest known flights:
YF-12A (60-6936) – Mach 3.14 (2,070 mph), USAF, official record, 1 May 1965
SR-71B (61-7956) – Mach 3.27 (2,158 mph), NASA, unofficial, 14 December 1995
A-12 (60-6928) – Mach 3.29 (2,171 mph), CIA, unofficial, 8 May 1965
SR-71A (61-7958) – Mach 3.32 (2,193 mph), USAF, official, 28 July 1976


The Blackbirds were designed to fly as high as 90,000 feet, but typically operated between 70,000 and 85,000 feet. During Category II (Performance) testing a USAF SR-71A reached an altitude of 86,700 feet, according to a declassified technical report. According to one of the test pilots, he once took the SR-71 to 89,650 feet. As a single-place aircraft, the A-12 was considerably lighter than the SR-71. On 14 August 1965, a CIA A-12 attained an altitude of 90,000 feet.

Highest known flights:
YF-12A (60-6936) – 80,257 feet, USAF, official record, 1 May 1965
SR-71B (61-7956) – 84,700 feet, NASA, unofficial, 18 October 1994
SR-71A (61-7962) – 85,068 feet, USAF, official, 28 July 1976
SR-71A (61-7953) – 89,650 feet, USAF, unofficial, 1968
A-12 (60-6932) – 90,000 feet, CIA, unofficial, 14 August 1965

There is an SR-71 at the Cosmosphere in Hutchinson, Kansas. Its sticking out of one of the walls in the museum and is usually touched by one and all that go to the museum since you can walk directly under it.

SR-71s used to land at McConnell Air Force Base back in the 1980's and 1990's at night time. The pilots would announce their approach at night time when they were over Oklahoma City, Oklahoma and state that they would be in Wichita, Kansas in 10 minutes. When they arrived all lights would be put out on the runway and hangar and they would land in total darkness and drive right into the hangar where the doors would be closed instantly behind the SR-71. The whole operation was top secret back then and there were many guards to make sure it was kept top secret with their machine guns.

Once the plane was hangared and shut down, the pilots would exit still wearing their space suits, just like what the astronauts wear.

There used to be an SR-71 onboard the USS intrepid in NY. I don't know if it's still there, but I saw it in the late 80's early 90's..