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This promotional film for the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird dates to the 1970s. Its purpose is to describe these amazing aircraft and their related abilities, and it was likely created to promote Congressional authorization of funds in support of the plane and its trainer variant. The film opens in darkness with an airplane taxiing slowly in front of hangars. A jet plane takes off into the darkness. Lockheed California Company. Advanced Development Projects. The Blackbirds are Flying. A black jet soars through the air, 1:15. The SR-71A, strategic reconnaissance aircraft, 1:33. The SR-71A exits the hangar, 1:46. The SR-71A approaches the runway, 2:10. The Lockheed Blackbirds, 2:19. The SR-71A takes off, 2:36. The SR71-A soars through the clouds, 2:40. The Blackbird soars at 80,000 feet, 3:00. View from above on the SR71-A, 3:15. The YF12-A, an interceptor, 3:21. The SR-71, a reconnaissance aircraft, 3:25. The SR-71B, a dual control pilot trainer, 3:32. J58 Engine, 3:40. Mid-air fueling, 3:42. The SR-71A soars through the air, 4:12. The YF12-A Interceptor rolls across the tarmac, 4:24. The aircraft are maintained on the ground, 4:40. The press at Edwards Air Force Base, The YF-12A flies overhead, 5:02. The pilots exit the aircraft, 5:26. Radar dish on the end of the aircraft, 5:36. AIM-47 missile is loaded onto the aircraft, 5:48. Drone is destroyed by the YF-12A in mid-air, 6:03. The YF-12A soars above the clouds, 6:48. The SR-71A, Reconnaissance bird takes off from the runway, 6:57. The pilot approaches the SR-71A aircraft with assistance, 7:12. The SR-71A rolls down the runway, 7:30. The SR-71B rolls down the runway, 8:04. The SR-71B soars through the air. An SR lands on the runway. 9:07. Parachute ejects from the back of the landing SR, 9:13. Pilots suit up with the help of their fellow servicemen, 9:32. Pilots don aluminumized outer shells to their suits and put their helmets on, 10:06. Pilot’s suits are checked for leaks, 10:55. Pilots climb the stairs to enter the aircraft, 11:18. Starter carts assist with starting the engines on the SR inside the hangar, 11:43. The SR exits the hangar, 11:57. The SR-71A takes off, 12:30. The SR soars above the clouds, 12:54. KC-135 tankers initiates mid-air fueling, 13:15. The SR comes down the runway, 14:15. The Ninth SRW (Strategic Reconnaissance Wing) of the Air Force oversee the operation of the aircraft. The Blackbirds are Flying.

The Lockheed SR-71 "Blackbird" is a long-range, high-altitude, Mach 3+ strategic reconnaissance aircraft that was operated by the United States Air Force. It was developed as a black project from the Lockheed A-12 reconnaissance aircraft in the 1960s by Lockheed and its Skunk Works division. During aerial reconnaissance missions, the SR-71 operated at high speeds and altitudes to allow it to outrace threats. If a surface-to-air missile launch were detected, the standard evasive action was simply to accelerate and outfly the missile. The shape of the SR-71 featured a reduced radar cross-section.

The SR-71 served from 1964 to 1998. A total of 32 aircraft were built; 12 were lost in accidents with none lost to enemy action.The SR-71 has been given several nicknames, including "Blackbird" and "Habu". Since 1976, it has held the world record for the fastest air-breathing manned aircraft, a record previously held by the related Lockheed YF-12.

The SR-71A was the main production variant. The SR-71B was a trainer variant. There was also an SR-71C which was a hybrid aircraft composed of the rear fuselage of the first YF-12A (S/N 60-6934) and the forward fuselage from an SR-71 static test unit. The YF-12 had been wrecked in a 1966 landing accident. This Blackbird was seemingly not quite straight and had a yaw at supersonic speeds. It was nicknamed "The Bastard".

This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com