I worked with f-16’s in the 80’s through the 90’s great aircraft but my one time I saw a SR-71 take off put all other aircraft to shame. Absolutely incredible!

Amazing this was designed and built in the 50’s thanks to the brilliance of Kelly Johnson and his team! Even though it is retired it still holds world records today, faster than a rifle bullet and outruns ground launched missiles with ease at over 3 Km/s!

I was deployed to Kadena with VP-9 P-3 Orion's in 82'. The HABU's would taxi out right in front of our flight line. One day I was doing maintenance on one of our planes with the APU on (jet engine) which required us to monitor Ground Control Radio frequency. An SR-71 taxis' past and calls ground for clearance to the runway for a "rendezvous at 80,000 ft". Tower calls back "rendezvous with what?". The black jet answers "None of your business." I think they were doing a plane swap with a crew out of Beal AFB. Can you imagine a rendezvous with a 6,000 knots closure?

Visors open, why are they not pre-oxygenating?

That was beautiful

they used the old buick 401 nailheads back in the day to start the engines !

LOL... with the cockpits open, from the front, at first glance, I thought it was carrying the drone. Did you catch the preflight inlet cone adjustment out, and in? Got to watch a daytime take off at GFAFB in 68, where I was a jetmech. It had made an emergency landing. They flew in a special crew but I was trained on the engine design, and so they had me stand by in case an extra hand was needed. I was disappointed that they did not. Thanks for the trip down nostalgia.

In the are at max speed, metal body will expand and tanks will stop leaking. Therefor full tankservice in the air.

Here's a little information about the flight - where they were going, what they did in the flight, and how it turned out: Where they were going: none of your business. What they were doing: none of your business. How it turned out: you don't need to know.

Wathed these flights in 1980 at Kadena AFB. We had an aircraft with fodded engine on takeoff and had to go there and perform R&R on a USMC A-6 Intruder. Incredible experience.

Watching that bird take off is like watching something out of Star Wars.

This thing was a spaceship. I think the US peaked in the 60’s. All downhill since then

This is amazing

1:20 Oh and while you're down there... 😜😊

I turned 78 this year. Still have my beat up, torn, scotchtaped and pinholed SR-71 poster. Plan to have it cremated with me when I go. My universe exploring vehicle of choice.

Jan2024

The best of the best.🇺🇲

This takes my breath away and then I cry

🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

Poor them for they do not know what is happening next😢

11:11 is prophetic. Just incredible!

The SR-71 was king of king.

My Dad worked at Edwards AFB when I was a kid in late 60's - early 70's.. I feel so privileged to have seen these Beasts up close as well as the mighty F-15 Eagles on a regular basis. We had numerous planes breaking the sound barrier overhead every day.. was so Amazing as a kid and I still wish we could break that barrier over the U.S. like the good 'ol days!🚀🔈🔉🔊😊

Reminds me of heater coils on a stove. 😊

Just a fuel leak on acid.

What fun to watch a family from 75 years ago. I loved hearing Silent Night and watching the ice skating. ⛸️ Thank you and Merry Christmas.🎄

When I went to an Air Force museum in Alabama, I seen this beautiful aircraft in person. I seen a sign that said, don’t touch the aircraft. I tried my best not to touch it, but it was too hard to resist. I decided to touch it with my fingers. I wanted to touch a piece of history. I’m sorry for disobeying, but I just had to touch the aircraft with my fingers.

She’s a Babe 🚀

Roughly a million dollars per flight, insane.

So top secret but you couldn't tell lashanda was qweefing with her afterburners on full blast

That's a hell of a preflight.

Nice AirCraft, Got One in Lego...🍻

l agree.

Pointless expensive crap, turning the resources of the whole planet into useless military toys, imbecility

really bad AI video

The cameraman had to wait decades to share this without being sent to Guantanamo.

Was this video made better using AI like to upscale it? It looks kinda weird...

Is thatbthe fuel?

This video was once classified

Yep, Okinawa, 1979-1980, best tour ever

Fantastic

THis is so well done. Very festive and old fashioned.

It is perfect

The most beautiful piece of engineering created by man. I had the chance to see and touch one at the aviation museum in Tucson. I'll never forget it.

Habu

"The most elegant aircraft ever built" RIP Brian Shul

Pretty awesome that the pilots have to wear astronaut suits to fly the thing….

My daughter once asked me what protects the SR71. I told her its speed.

That V8 Sound from the starting engines 😬

Nobody cares what you flew, what you saw, where you worked or your Wikipedia search. Just shut up and watch the video.