Thread by @USAS_WW1

#USAF #avgeek #aviation #avgeeks - The SR-71 is the world's fastest jet airplane and air-breathing airplane. I only recently realized THIS SPECIFIC SR-71 at Warner Robins Museum of Aviation @MOAatRAFB IS THE WORLD'S FASTEST JET AIRPLANE* EVER!!! 1/

@MOAatRAFB 2/ In 1965, SR-71 Blackbird, S/N 61-7958, was the #USAF's 1st production model SR-71. On July 27, 1976, for the Bicentennial, Capt. Pat Blesdoe and Maj. John Fuller rocketed her at 2,092 mph in a 1,000-km closed-course loop... @Sylvia70485099 @kadonkey

3/ ... breaking the #USSR's MiG-25 Foxbat interceptor's astonishing 1,852 mph world-speed record set by Mikhail M. Komarov on October 5, 1967. Note: this was 10 years and 1 day after Sputnik 1 first flew into space on October 4, 1957!!! #ColdWar

4/ The next day, July 28, 1976, Capt. Robert Helt and Maj. Larry Elliot took another SR-71 Blackbird 61-7963 to a #worldrecord and class record 85,069 feet sustained altitude in horizontal flight. I don't have its photos, so is the SR-71 at @MOAatRAFB.

5/ Then on July 28, 1976, Capt. Eldon Joersz and Maj. George Morgan set a NEW 2,193 mph #worldrecord and class record in SR-71 Blackbird, S/N 61-7958 (see 2/ in this thread). The three records were at Edwards Air Force Base, Lancaster, California.

6/ #FactCheck? This SR-71 flew at a 1990 #airshow at #WarnerRobins, had a mechanical problem making it unflyable. Warner Robins AFB never fixed it. In 1990, it was taxied by highway to the museum, stored outdoors, then inside, and in 2013, put on pylons.

7/ This Blackbird had pans underneath since she still leaked 20+ years after her last flight! :) In 2016, Joersz and Morgan came to a 40th anniversary event and sat in their record-breaking plane. For perspective, their 2,193-mph speed was 18.4% faster...

8/ ... than MiG-25's 1967 record. SR-71's fastest air-breathing aircraft record has stood 45.5 years, the longest holder ever. 2,193 mph is .61 miles/sec. The Wright Brothers Flier flew 120' in 12 seconds (6.8 mph). The SR-71 flew 7.31 miles in that time.

9/ The X-15 ROCKET aircraft was faster than the SR-71. However, it never took-off on its own, but always from a B-52. #Rocketry
Credits:
1. habu.org/sr-71/17958.ht…
2. theaviationgeekclub.com/heres-how-sr-7…
3. museumofaviation.org/blog/faster-th….

https://twitter.com/USAS_WW1/status/1543329269711048706/photo/1

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