The Blackbird
Clarence “Kelly” Johnson, then vice president of Lockheed’s Advanced Development Company Projects (commonly known as the “Skunk Works” and now part of Lockheed Martin), led a team of Lockheed personnel who designed the SR-71 spy plane, the most advanced member of the Blackbird family that included the A-12 and YF-12. The Blackbird’s first flight took place on Dec. 22, 1964.
The Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird Mach 3 strategic reconnaissance aircraft maintained its status as the world’s fastest and highest-flying operational aircraft throughout its nearly 24-year career.
The aircraft’s remarkable speed allowed it to collect intelligence in mere seconds while racing across hostile territory. From an altitude of 80,000 feet, the Blackbird could survey 100,000 square miles of Earth’s surface every hour.
Andrew Horton recently conducted a historic interview with SR-71 pilot Dave Peters. Dave proved to be a smart, kind, and considerate individual who explained aspects of the Blackbird and shared his personal stories.
Horton’s interview, which features the following story, can be viewed in the video in this article.
SR-71 Mach 3+ sortie over Cuba
In 1980, SR-71 pilot Dave Peters and Reconnaissance Systems Officer (RSO) Ed Bethart flew a Blackbird to communist Cuba with the purpose of making a political statement. Their mission involved flying directly over Havana and creating noise. After completing their mission and refueling, Dave reached an altitude of 72,000 feet when he spotted a large, dark cloud ahead.
He radioed to Ed in the back: ‘You’re not gonna believe this but I see some clouds ahead.’
Ed replied: ‘That’s impossible.’
Remember the RSO has no window to look ahead, only on either side. Ed did some quick calculations to see if they had enough gas to get above it, and they did. They wisely decided not to go through it. The cloud was huge, it covered the whole island of Cuba.
After landing at Beale Air Force Base, California, the wing commander called them into his office. After they got the take, they said, I’m so glad you didn’t go through that dark cloud; it was volcanic ash.
Volcanic ash
In 1980, three notable volcanoes erupted: Mount St. Helens in Washington State, Pavlof in Alaska, and Gareloi in Alaska. Somehow, the volcanoes’ ash merged and was on its third time around the world when the SR-71 encountered it. In 1982, a British Airways Boeing 747 passenger airline went through the volcanic ash of Mount Galunggung volcano, Indonesia, and all four of its engines shut down, but we’re thankfully able to restart later. If their Blackbird’s engines shut down and wouldn’t restart, the SR-71 could not glide.
The Commander continued his statement by saying: ‘You probably would’ve never come out of that cloud, who knows what volcanic ash would’ve done at Mach 3+?’
Check out Habubrats SR-71 X profile, SR71Habubrats Instagram profile, and Born into the Wilde Blue Yonder Habubrats Facebook page for further Blackbird photos and stories.
Photo by Jim Goodall and Linda Sheffield Miller
