SR-71: The Complete Illustrated History of the Blackbird, The World's Highest, Fastest Plane

by Richard H. Graham

Overview

SR-71 covers every aspect of the spyplane’s development, manufacture, and active service, all from the insider’s perspective of one its pilots. Features over 200 incredible photos.

Flying to a coffee table near you comes the new paperback edition of this authoritative and illustrated history of the most mind-bending military aircraft ever flown! Developed by the renowned Lockheed Skunk Works, the SR-71 was an awesome aircraft in every respect, setting world records for altitude and speed: an absolute altitude record of 85,069 feet on July 28, 1974, and an absolute speed record of 2,193.2 miles per hour on the same day.

Written by a former Blackbird pilot, SR-71 covers every aspect of the aircraft's development, manufacture, and active service, all lavishly illustrated with more than 200 photos. The SR-71 remained in service with the U.S. Air Force from 1964 to 1998, when it was withdrawn from use, superseded by satellite technology. This authoritative history covers the spylane's entire phenomenal service.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780760354483
Publisher:	Harvard Common Press
Publication date:	11/01/2017
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	192
Product dimensions:	8.30(w) x 10.50(h) x 0.60(d)

About the Author

Colonel Richard H. Graham is a fifteen year veteran of assignments within the SR-71 community, and is uniquely qualified to tell the Blackbird's story. Crew member, instructor pilot, chief of the standardization/evaluation division, Colonel Graham was named SR-71 Squadron Commander, 1st Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron, in January 1981. A command pilot with more than 4,600 military flying hours, he has earned military decorations and awards including the Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross with three oak leaf clusters, Air Medal with eighteen oak leaf clusters, Air Force Commendation Medal, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with "V" device and one oak leaf cluster, Air Force Organizational Excellence Award, Combat Readiness Medal with one oak leaf cluster, National Defense Service Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Vietnam Service Medal with four service stars, Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with palm, and the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal. Colonel Graham's books on the SR-71 include SR-71 Revealed: The Inside Story and SR-71 Blackbird: Stories, Tales and Legends. He lives in Plano, Texas.

Table of Contents

Foreword Acknowledgments Introduction Chapter 1 Beginning of the A-12 Chapter 2 A-12 Construction and Testing Chapter 3 YF-12 Interceptor Chapter 4 D-21 Drone Project Chapter 5 Enter the SR-71 Chapter 6 Home for the SR-71 Blackbird: Beale AFB, California Chapter 7 Selection Process Chapter 8 Training Program Chapter 9 Physiological Support Division and the Pressure Suit Chapter 10 Command and Control Chapter 11 Preparing to Fly the Mission Chapter 12 Flying the Mission Chapter 13 Refueling Chapter 14 Acceleration and Climb to Mach 3+ and 71,000 Feet Chapter 15 Cruising at Mach 3+ Chapter 16 Inlet Unstarts and Restarts Chapter 17 Entering the Sensitive Area Chapter 18 Descent and “Hot” Tanker Air Rendezvous Chapter 19 The Recovery Chapter 20 Post-Flight Activity Chapter 21 The Final Years Chapter 22 Rising from the Ashes Appendices List of Acronyms, 1997 Letter from Senators Levin andByrd to Secretary of Defense, Kelly Johnson’s FourteenRules of Management, Bibliography Index

Editorial Reviews

"SR-71: The Complete Illustrated History of the Blackbird, The World's Highest, Fastest Plane by Col. Richard H. Graham is absolutely the best presented and most accurately detailed book ever published about the Blackbird family of planes. Rich Graham includes recently declassified information about the CIA and Air Force Blackbird programs to make his book the most informative source on the subject. Being a veteran of the CIA's A-12 Oxcart program, I can vouch to the accuracy of what Colonel Graham published in this great book about a world of aviation so selective and compartmentalized that even participants in the various Blackbird programs will learn from this book. Colonel Graham has published the "go to" book for our nation's reconnaissance programs involving the Blackbird family of planes." - Thornton D. "TD" Barnes (Former Area 51 Special Projects. Project OXCART)

"Although the book is only 192 pages — much of them taken up with images, drawings and illustrations — it is filled to the brim with information and revelation. The book is as enjoyable to read as it is to see since the illustrations and background textures of the pages make for a rich experience. Once read, the reader will have not only an acute awareness of flying an SR-71 but an overview of the organization as well as logistics which were required to keep the SR-71 flying." - Travel for Aircraft (Seattle Post Intelligencer Blog)

"The book is a credit to Graham's skills as a writer and his in-depth, hands-on knowledge of the subject matter. It would be a solid addition to one's library." - Air Power History

'An exciting and extensive guide to this most spectacular machine'

From the Publisher