Both Engines Seized

USAF technicians intentionally seized the engines on this SR-71A s/n 61-7960. This airplane was delivered in flying condition to this museum in Atwater California. Upon its retirement in 1991 it flew the short distance from Beale AFB to Castle AFB. The Air Force then drained the oil from the engines and ran them until they seized. It was part of the deal for the museum to have the airplane. It would be stored outside with public access so the plane had to be made unflyable. Today she parks next to the highway and a busy railroad about 30 minutes from the I-5. We are about four hours north of Los Angeles.
This airframe has the distinction of being the first SR-71 to fly over Vietnam. I believe the A-12's had been doing the job up until then. The arrival of the Blackbirds sent the A-12's into storage in Palmdale never to be used again. This airframe also achieved the most number of combat sorties of any SR-71 Blackbird. She has 2669 hours on her tach which is high for this type of plane. I have visited her a few times now, she never gets boring to me. She is rather large and I'm quite happy to walk around her a couple of times every time I pass by. What she has seen over those hours....