“Working almost daily on the SR-71 was quite the inspiration, and in 1986, I decided to finally draw a poster of this amazing aircraft,” Master Sgt. Russ Maheras, US Air Force (Retired)
Russ Maheras has been a lifelong reader of comic books and comic strips. What made him an artist was his self-taught approach, and his work appeared in fan publications like “The Buyer’s Guide for Comic Fandom.” It was in 1978 that he enlisted in the Air Force to study electronics. His work involved ECM/electronic warfare equipment on A-10, SR-71, U-2, RC-135, and C-5 aircraft. Throughout his 20-year Air Force career, he maintained his passion for drawing and created an extensive collection of artwork. He retired in 1998, and drawing remains something he pursues whenever the opportunity arises. What follows is his explanation of how the SR-71 Habu logo came to be conceived:
“I started drawing comics in the late 1960s and made my first professional sale in 1974. Originally, I planned on making comics a career, and throughout most of the 1970s, I had a variety of blue-collar “day jobs” while I learned my craft and honed my drawing skills.”
“However, as 1978 came to a close, and I learned how difficult life was for the typical freelance artist, it became clear to me that I needed to find a different career path to support myself and grow as a person. So in 1978, I joined the U.S. Air Force to learn electronics and become an aircraft electronic warfare systems (EWS) technician.”
“After my initial training was completed, I was assigned to RAF Bentwaters in England to work on the then brand-new A-10 Warthog. From there, I was reassigned to Beale Air Force Base, Calif., where I worked on EWS equipment for both the U-2 Dragon Lady and the SR-71 Blackbird.”
“In 1985, I was reassigned to Detachment 1, 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, the highly decorated SR-71 unit strategically located at Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, Japan. My artistic skills were regularly utilized at every assigned unit, and Det. 1 was no exception.”
“During my tour there, I drew a variety of official and unofficial Blackbird-related illustrations for leadership, peers, and myself. Working almost daily on the SR-71 was quite the inspiration, and in 1986, I decided to finally draw a poster of this amazing aircraft, which Okinawans had long ago nicknamed “Habu” because its color and distinctive chines reminded them of a poisonous cobra on the island of the same name.”
“I hope you enjoy the image as much as my peers did back in 1986, when the mighty Mach 3+ Blackbird still ruled the Pacific skies. As for drawing, I’ve never stopped, and I still regularly create new material to this very day.”
Photo by Master Sgt. Russ Maheras, US Air Force (Retired) and Tech. Sgt. Michael Haggerty / U. S. Air Force
