The Ageless SR-71 Blackbird

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The Lockheed SR-71 "Blackbird" is a retired long-range, high altitude, Mach 3+ strategic reconnaissance aircraft.

The SR-71 was developed and manufactured in the 1960s as a black project by Lockheed's Skunk Works division. American aerospace engineer Clarence "Kelly" Johnson was responsible for many of the SR-71's innovative concepts. Its shape was based on the Lockheed A-12, a pioneer in stealth technology with its reduced radar cross section, but the SR-71 was longer and heavier to carry more fuel and a crew of two in tandem cockpits. The SR-71 was revealed to the public in July 1964, and entered service in the United States Air Force (USAF) in January 1966.

During missions, the SR-71 operated at high speeds and altitudes (Mach 3.2 at 85,000 ft or 26,000 m), allowing it to evade or outrace threats.  A total of 32 aircraft were built; 12 were lost in accidents, none to enemy action.

In 1974, the SR-71 set the record for the quickest flight between London and New York at 1 hour, 54 minutes and 56 seconds.

In 1989, the USAF retired the SR-71, although several were briefly reactivated before their second retirement in 1998. NASA was the final operator of the Blackbird, using it as a research platform, until it retired again in 1999 (Wikipedia).

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About the speaker

Adelbert "Buz" Carpenter was raised in California in an aviation family dreaming of becoming a pilot.

Born in Oakland, California, Carpenter graduated from the 9^th U.S. Air Force Academy Class in 1967 and completed pilot training at Williams Air Force Base, Arizona. His early service included flying C-141 airlift missions worldwide and flying RF-4C reconnaissance missions during the Vietnam War, amassing over 150 combat hours.

Buz began flying the SR-71 Blackbird in 1975 after a rigorous selection process that included an astronaut physical and extensive training, ultimately becoming one of only 85 pilots ever to fly the legendary aircraft.

Over his career, he flew more than 65 operational SR-71 missions, accumulating 777 hours in the Blackbird and later serving as an instructor pilot. Carpenter’s missions took him across the globe, gathering critical intelligence during the Cold War at speeds and altitudes unmatched by any other aircraft.

Beyond the SR-71, Carpenter’s Air Force career included roles as a F-4E fighter squadron commander, Wing Commander in Europe during Desert Storm, and the Pentagon USAF “Black World” programmer from 1983-1984, overseeing projects including the F-117, B-2, and F-22, and staff officer flying the U-2. 

At the end of his Air Force career, he was Vice Commander of 2nd Air Force, which possessed the Air Force's Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance mission aircraft. He retired as a colonel in 1995 and began work as a defense contractor.

Since retirement, Carpenter has dedicated himself to aviation education and public outreach. He serves as a docent at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, sharing his experiences and inspiring new generations of aviators and enthusiasts.

In 2017 he was inducted into the Virginia Aviation Hall of Fame.