{"id":485,"date":"2026-06-21T23:06:01","date_gmt":"2026-06-22T03:06:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aviation.christophermreed.net\/?page_id=485"},"modified":"2026-10-06T21:17:27","modified_gmt":"2026-10-06T21:17:27","slug":"yf-12a-blackbird","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/christophermreed.net\/aviation\/yf-12a-blackbird\/","title":{"rendered":"YF-12A Blackbird"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script type=\"application\/ld+json\">\n{\n  \"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\",\n  \"@graph\": [\n    {\n      \"@type\": \"WebPage\",\n      \"@id\": \"https:\/\/christophermreed.net\/aviation\/yf-12a-blackbird\/#webpage\",\n      \"url\": \"https:\/\/christophermreed.net\/aviation\/yf-12a-blackbird\/\",\n      \"name\": \"Lockheed YF-12A Blackbird\",\n      \"headline\": \"Lockheed YF-12A Blackbird\",\n      \"description\": \"Reference page for the Lockheed YF-12A Blackbird, the Mach 3 high-altitude interceptor developed from the A-12 reconnaissance aircraft and precursor to the SR-71 Blackbird.\",\n      \"author\": {\n        \"@type\": \"Person\",\n        \"@id\": \"https:\/\/christophermreed.net\/#chris-reed\",\n        \"name\": \"Chris M. 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Reed.NET\",\n      \"publisher\": {\n        \"@type\": \"Person\",\n        \"@id\": \"https:\/\/christophermreed.net\/#chris-reed\",\n        \"name\": \"Chris M. Reed\",\n        \"url\": \"https:\/\/christophermreed.net\/\"\n      }\n    },<\/p>\n<p>    {\n      \"@type\": \"Person\",\n      \"@id\": \"https:\/\/christophermreed.net\/#chris-reed\",\n      \"name\": \"Chris M. Reed\",\n      \"url\": \"https:\/\/christophermreed.net\/\"\n    }\n  ]\n}\n<\/script><\/p>\n<p>The first member of the Blackbird family to go on display, 60-0935 is the last surviving YF-12A. It is seen here in the NMUSAF&#8217;s Research &amp; Development Gallery, underneath the XB-70 Valkyrie, and adjacent to the North American X-15A-2.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-413 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/christophermreed.net\/aviation\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/yf-12a-walkaround_4-1024x605.jpg\" alt=\"YF-12A Blackbird in the NMUSAF's Research and Development Gallery\" width=\"1024\" height=\"605\" data-neo-global--processed-neo-rename=\"true\" srcset=\"https:\/\/christophermreed.net\/aviation\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/yf-12a-walkaround_4-1024x605.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/christophermreed.net\/aviation\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/yf-12a-walkaround_4-300x177.jpg 300w, https:\/\/christophermreed.net\/aviation\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/yf-12a-walkaround_4-768x454.jpg 768w, https:\/\/christophermreed.net\/aviation\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/yf-12a-walkaround_4.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-410 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/christophermreed.net\/aviation\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/yf-12a-walkaround-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"YF-12A Blackbird forward fuselage side view\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" data-neo-global--processed-neo-rename=\"true\" srcset=\"https:\/\/christophermreed.net\/aviation\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/yf-12a-walkaround-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/christophermreed.net\/aviation\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/yf-12a-walkaround-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/christophermreed.net\/aviation\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/yf-12a-walkaround-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/christophermreed.net\/aviation\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/yf-12a-walkaround.jpg 1067w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-412 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/christophermreed.net\/aviation\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/yf-12a-walkaround_3-1024x651.jpg\" alt=\"YF-12A Blackbird nose gear closeup\" width=\"1024\" height=\"651\" data-neo-global--processed-neo-rename=\"true\" srcset=\"https:\/\/christophermreed.net\/aviation\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/yf-12a-walkaround_3-1024x651.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/christophermreed.net\/aviation\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/yf-12a-walkaround_3-300x191.jpg 300w, https:\/\/christophermreed.net\/aviation\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/yf-12a-walkaround_3-768x488.jpg 768w, https:\/\/christophermreed.net\/aviation\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/yf-12a-walkaround_3.jpg 1259w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-411 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/christophermreed.net\/aviation\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/yf-12a-walkaround_2-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"YF-12A Blackbird engine nacelle and main landing gear\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" data-neo-global--processed-neo-rename=\"true\" srcset=\"https:\/\/christophermreed.net\/aviation\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/yf-12a-walkaround_2-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/christophermreed.net\/aviation\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/yf-12a-walkaround_2-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/christophermreed.net\/aviation\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/yf-12a-walkaround_2-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/christophermreed.net\/aviation\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/yf-12a-walkaround_2.jpg 1067w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Slowing Mach 3 airflow to speeds of around Mach 0.4 for ingestion by the J58 engine was the job of the Blackbird&#8217;s inlet spikes, which moved as necessary to keep the shockwave in the proper position; at cruise speed, the cone was moved several feet aft of the takeoff position.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3>YF-12 reading:<\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/christophermreed.net\/aviation\/review-edwards-air-force-base-open-house-at-the-usaf-flight-test-center-1957-1966-a-photo-chronicle-of-aircraft-displayed\/\"><strong>Edwards Air Force Base: Open House at the USAF Flight Test Center 1957-1966: A Photo Chronicle of Aircraft Displayed<\/strong><\/a> Coverage includes several pages of YF-12A photos<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;USAF Stresses YF-12A Interceptor Role&#8221; Aviation Week &amp; Space Technology October 5, 1964 p.16-17 2 photos<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Lockheed YF-12A Flight Demonstration Reveals Design Details&#8221; Aviation Week &amp; Space Technology October 12, 1964 p.30-33 15 photos<\/p>\n<p>Photo: &#8220;USAF\/Lockheed YF-12A&#8221; Aviation Week &amp; Space Technology October 19, 1964 front cover<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Seven Tentative Flight Records Set by USAF\/Lockheed YF-12As&#8221; Aviation Week &amp; Space Technology May 10, 1965 p.33<\/p>\n<p>Photo: &#8220;Forward Delta of YF-12A Altered&#8221; Aviation Week &amp; Space Technology May 17, 1965 p.67<\/p>\n<p>Photo: &#8220;Lockheed YF-12A Details Shown&#8221; Aviation Week &amp; Space Technology June 28, 1965 p.70<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Seven Tentative Flight Records Set by USAF\/Lockheed YF-12As&#8221; Aviation Week &amp; Space Technology May 10, 1965 p.33<\/p>\n<p>Photo: &#8220;YF-12 flies NASA research mission with F-104 chase aircraft&#8221; Aviation Week &amp; Space Technology August 3, 1970 front cover<\/p>\n<p>Donald E. Fink &#8220;NASA YF-12A Proves Valuable Testbed&#8221; Aviation Week &amp; Space Technology August 13, 1973 p.44-46<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;YF-12s in Supersonic Research Program&#8221; Aviation Week &amp; Space Technology August 20, 1973 p.17<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/christophermreed.net\/aviation\/sr-71-blackbird-walk-around\/\"><strong>SR-71 Blackbird walk around<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The first member of the Blackbird family to go on display, 60-0935 is the last surviving YF-12A. It is seen here in the NMUSAF&#8217;s Research &amp; Development Gallery, underneath the XB-70 Valkyrie, and adjacent to the North American X-15A-2. &nbsp; Slowing Mach 3 airflow to speeds of around Mach 0.4 for ingestion by the J58 [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-485","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/christophermreed.net\/aviation\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/485","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/christophermreed.net\/aviation\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/christophermreed.net\/aviation\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christophermreed.net\/aviation\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christophermreed.net\/aviation\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=485"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/christophermreed.net\/aviation\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/485\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1316,"href":"https:\/\/christophermreed.net\/aviation\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/485\/revisions\/1316"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/christophermreed.net\/aviation\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=485"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}