The SR-71 is perhaps the most iconic Cold War spy aircraft, famous for many record-setting flights. Seemingly impervious to loss by enemy defenses, a dozen Blackbirds were lost to accidents. On July ...

On July 26, 1968, an SR-71 Blackbird was cruising over Northern Vietnam when the aircraft's Reconnaissance Systems Officer (RSO) noticed the “R” light illuminate on his panel. This warning indicated ...

The SR-71 is one of the U.S. Air Force's most prolific aircraft. Other than looking like a futuristic aircraft military model lovers have built for decades, it was designed and built in secret by the ...

As the Cold War heated up in the 1950s, U.S. engineers sought a sophisticated reconnaissance airframe that could provide intelligence better than the existing U-2. The Lockheed Martin-designed “Dragon ...

The SR-71 Blackbird, the most impressive plane ever created at the time, remained a mystery even 20 years after its first flight. But in the July 1982 issue, Popular Mechanics published a tell-all ...

Watch the impressive engineering in this in-depth tour of the SR-71 Blackbird's jet engine and you'll see an extraordinary reconnaissance aircraft that still impresses despite taking its first flight ...

SR-71 Blackbird Outran Thousands of Missiles – The Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird is remembered for being a fast plane – able to fly more than 2,200 mph (Mach 3+ or more than three times the speed of sound) ...

The Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird is a visitor favorite at the National Air and Space Museum's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center. Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum Lieutenant Colonel Ed Yeilding shot ...

Helicopters don't all use the same fuel, nor do airplanes. Some types are rather standard, though, such as Aviation Gasoline for older propeller aircraft and models with piston engines. In addition, ...