The Blackbird trainer aircraft
The Lockheed ‘Blackbird’ aircraft family is arguably the most famous worldwide.
There were four major types:
-
- A-12 single-seat reconnaissance aircraft operated by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).
-
- YF-12A interceptor capable of launching air-to-air missiles. It had a pilot and a Fire Control Officer (FCO).
-
- M-21 mothership for the D-21 reconnaissance drone. It had a pilot and a Launch Control Officer (LCO). The mated combination was called the MD-21.
-
- SR-71 dual-seat reconnaissance aircraft operated by the US Air Force (USAF). It had a pilot and a Reconnaissance Systems Operator (RSO).
Additionally, trainer versions of the SR-71 and A-12 were available. These were referred to as the SR-71B, SR-71C, and TA-12. For an instructor pilot, they had a second cockpit. It stood behind and above the student cockpit.
The ‘Titanium Goose’
As told by Scott Lowther in the book Origins and Evolution Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird, one of the A-12s was substantially different from the others. It was the fourth A-12 airframe, Article 124/serial number 60-6927, that stood out as uniquely different from its counterparts. What made this aircraft special was that it was the only two-seat trainer, known alternately as the A-12T, the TA-12, or more commonly as the ‘Titanium Goose‘.
What distinguished this aircraft was the addition of a second, raised cockpit for the instructor pilot, which was installed in the space previously occupied by the Q-bay. The aircraft was delivered in November 1962, and it made its inaugural flight in May 1963. One notable feature was its J75 engines, which were never replaced with the more powerful J58s. Due to the combination of less powerful engines and increased drag from the raised second cockpit, the Titanium Goose was unable to achieve Mach 3 speeds. Instead, it was restricted to a maximum speed of Mach 1.6 and a ceiling of 40,000ft. This limitation proved insignificant, however, since the primary focus for trainees was mastering takeoff, landing, and basic aircraft control rather than high-speed Mach flight.
It was with the original wedges in the chines that the Titanium Goose was constructed, featuring triangular titanium sheet coverings. While this configuration wasn’t stealthy, it proved inconsequential for its training mission. Since 2003, it has been the aircraft’s permanent home at the California Science Center in Los Angeles, where it remains on display outdoors. What makes this A-12 unique is that it’s the only one featuring a bare-metal finish. Although this exposure has led to weather-induced staining and oxidation of the skin, what has resulted is a visually striking display. What’s particularly noteworthy about the Titanium Goose is that it stands as the only A-12 in which Kelly Johnson himself ever flew.
SR-71B
In January 1966, the seventh SR-71 completed and delivered was the first SR-71B trainer, with a gross weight of 139,200lb carrying 59,0001b of fuel.
Configured like the A-12T with a raised second cockpit for the instructor, this aircraft was conveniently the first SR-71 to enter operational US Air Force inventory. Two SR-71B trainers, tail numbers 64-17956 and 64-17957, were delivered. Along with the raised second cockpit, they featured the outboard ventral fins of the YF-12A to offset the yaw moment produced by the added area of the raised cockpit. The raised cockpit, while the same idea as that of the A-12T, was configured quite differently, being substantially longer and sleeker.
The instructor’s cockpit was, unlike the station of the reconnaissance systems operator in a standard SR-71, fitted out to allow for control of the aircraft in the event the trainee pilot proved incapable. However, it did not have a full set of controls; the electrical system, for instance, was solely controlled from the forward cockpit. Flying the aircraft from the rear cockpit was something of a chore. Fortunately, trainee pilots were all experienced experts long before they took to the air in the SR-71B. Not only were they among the best pilots the Air Force had to offer in the first place, they underwent a substantial training process on the ground using advanced (for the time) simulators.
‘The Bastard:’ the only SR-71C Blackbird trainer aircraft ever built
In January 1968, SR-71B 64-17957 experienced a double-generator failure over Montana. Due to winter weather, all potential landing sites between there and Edwards Air Force Base were ruled out. Regretfully, the aircraft crashed seven miles short of the runway. Thankfully, both pilots were able to safely eject.
To replace the SR-71 B that crashed, a trainer was built from the front half of a static test SR-71 fuselage, the aft section of the first YF-12A, and a new instructor’s cockpit. Designated SR-71C, SR-71 S/N 61-7981 was the only C model Blackbird ever built and the last SR-71 to be manufactured. Given that the aircraft was a hybrid comprised of a functional engineering mockup of an SR-71A forward fuselage built for static testing and of the rear fuselage of the first YF-12A (S/N 60-6934), it was nicknamed “The Bastard.”
Today it is on display at Hill Aerospace Museum, located on the northwest corner of Hill Air Force Base, Utah. The other SR-71B went on to fly for NASA and is now on display in Kalamazoo, Michigan.
Origins and Evolution Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird is published by Mortons Books and is available to order here.
Photo by U.S. Air Force, Mys 721tx Own work and Jason Zhang Own work, via Wikipedia
