{"id":639,"date":"2026-06-21T23:02:49","date_gmt":"2026-06-22T03:02:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aviation.christophermreed.net\/?page_id=639"},"modified":"2026-10-06T20:54:24","modified_gmt":"2026-10-06T20:54:24","slug":"sr-71-blackbird-walk-around","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/christophermreed.net\/aviation\/sr-71-blackbird-walk-around\/","title":{"rendered":"SR-71 Blackbird walk around"},"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\/sr-71-blackbird-walk-around\/#webpage\",\n      \"url\": \"https:\/\/christophermreed.net\/aviation\/sr-71-blackbird-walk-around\/\",\n      \"name\": \"Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird Walk-Around\",\n      \"headline\": \"Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird Walk-Around\",\n      \"description\": \"Walk-around and photographic reference to the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird, the U.S. Air Force's Mach 3 strategic reconnaissance aircraft developed from the Lockheed A-12 and YF-12 family.\",\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>61-7976 was flight-delivered to the (then) Air Force Museum in March 1990, several months after the SR-71&#8217;s initial retirement. This aircraft had carried out the first operational Blackbird sortie by the USAF in March 1968 (after of course, the CIA&#8217;s A-12s); -7976 ultimately flew more operational missions than any other Blackbird.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_409\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-409\" style=\"width: 900px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-409 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/christophermreed.net\/aviation\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/sr-71-walkaround-overall.jpg\" alt=\"SR-71 at NMUSAF\" width=\"900\" height=\"623\" data-neo-global--processed-neo-rename=\"true\" srcset=\"https:\/\/christophermreed.net\/aviation\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/sr-71-walkaround-overall.jpg 900w, https:\/\/christophermreed.net\/aviation\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/sr-71-walkaround-overall-300x208.jpg 300w, https:\/\/christophermreed.net\/aviation\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/sr-71-walkaround-overall-768x532.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-409\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Low-angle forward three-quarter view of Lockheed SR-71A Blackbird (s\/n 61-7976) on display at the National Museum of the United States Air Force (NMUSAF). The photograph highlights the extended pitot boom, radical nose chine geometry, cockpit canopy profile, dual nose landing gear, and starboard engine nacelle structure in dramatic low-key gallery lighting.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_407\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-407\" style=\"width: 1024px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-407 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/christophermreed.net\/aviation\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/sr-71-walkaround_3-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"Closeup SR-71 Blackbird nose gear\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" data-neo-global--processed-neo-rename=\"true\" srcset=\"https:\/\/christophermreed.net\/aviation\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/sr-71-walkaround_3-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/christophermreed.net\/aviation\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/sr-71-walkaround_3-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/christophermreed.net\/aviation\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/sr-71-walkaround_3-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/christophermreed.net\/aviation\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/sr-71-walkaround_3.jpg 1067w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-407\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Low-angle detail view of the nose landing gear assembly on Lockheed SR-71A Blackbird (s\/n 61-7976) at the National Museum of the United States Air Force (NMUSAF), displaying the dual nose wheels, taxi light mount, strut linkage, drag brace, and lower forward fuselage chine structure.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_406\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-406\" style=\"width: 1024px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-406 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/christophermreed.net\/aviation\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/sr-71-walkaround_2-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"Aft end of Pratt &amp; Whitney J58 on transport trailer.\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" data-neo-global--processed-neo-rename=\"true\" srcset=\"https:\/\/christophermreed.net\/aviation\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/sr-71-walkaround_2-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/christophermreed.net\/aviation\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/sr-71-walkaround_2-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/christophermreed.net\/aviation\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/sr-71-walkaround_2-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/christophermreed.net\/aviation\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/sr-71-walkaround_2.jpg 1067w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-406\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Side profile detail of a Pratt &amp; Whitney J58 (JT11D-20) continuous-bleed afterburning turbojet engine mounted on a transport dolly at the National Museum of the United States Air Force (NMUSAF), showing the bleed air bypass ducting, afterburner casing, variable exhaust nozzle, and the silhouette of a Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird (s\/n 61-7976) in the background gallery.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_408\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-408\" style=\"width: 1024px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-408 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/christophermreed.net\/aviation\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/sr-71-walkaround_4-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"SR-71 exhaust and tail.\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" data-neo-global--processed-neo-rename=\"true\" srcset=\"https:\/\/christophermreed.net\/aviation\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/sr-71-walkaround_4-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/christophermreed.net\/aviation\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/sr-71-walkaround_4-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/christophermreed.net\/aviation\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/sr-71-walkaround_4-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/christophermreed.net\/aviation\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/sr-71-walkaround_4.jpg 1067w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-408\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Port-side rear empennage and wing trailing edge detail of Lockheed SR-71A Blackbird (s\/n 61-7976) on display at the National Museum of the United States Air Force (NMUSAF). The image highlights the inward-canted vertical stabilizer displaying red serial number 17976 and the &#8220;I&#8217;ll Be Seeing You&#8221; mascot art, the outboard wing chine elevon structure, engine nacelle fairing, and main gear assembly in museum lighting.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2>SR-71 reading:<\/h2>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Bob Archer\u00a0 &#8220;Giant Reach: The Lockheed\u00a0SR-71\u00a0in East Anglia, 1974-90&#8221;\u00a0\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/charliemikeromeo.com\/american-cold-war-stories.html\">American Cold War Stories<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Robert Hopkins III\u00a0\u00a0Strategic Air Command in the UK: SAC Operations 1946-1992\u00a0 Detailed coverage of SR-71 operations from England.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&#8220;SR-71 Shows Striking Similarities to YF-12A&#8221;\u00a0\u00a0 Aviation Week &amp; Space Technology\u00a0 December 14, 1964\u00a0 p.20-21\u00a0 5 photos<\/p>\n<p>Richard G. O&#8217;Lone\u00a0\u00a0 &#8220;First Operational SR-71 Delivered to SAC&#8221;\u00a0\u00a0 Aviation Week &amp; Space Technology\u00a0 January 17, 1966\u00a0 p.33-34\u00a0 3 photos<\/p>\n<p>Photo:\u00a0 &#8220;Modified Boeing 747 in refueling tests with USAF\/Lockheed SR-71&#8221;\u00a0\u00a0 Aviation Week &amp; Space Technology\u00a0 October 2, 1972\u00a0 front cover<\/p>\n<p>Photos (3):\u00a0 &#8220;Second SR-71 Deployed to England&#8221;\u00a0\u00a0 AW&amp;ST\u00a0 January 31, 1983\u00a0 p.59<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;SR-71 Sets Four Records During Retirement Flight&#8221;\u00a0\u00a0 Aviation Week &amp; Space Technology\u00a0 March 12, 1990\u00a0 p.25<\/p>\n<p>Michael O&#8217;Leary\u00a0 &#8220;Bad Day At Blackbird Central&#8221;\u00a0\u00a0 Air Combat\u00a0 May 1990\u00a0 p.42-53\u00a0 15 photos<\/p>\n<p>Brian Shul\u00a0\u00a0 &#8220;Lasting Legacy&#8221;\u00a0\u00a0 Journal of American Military Aviation\u00a0 V2 N1\u00a0 p.16-17\u00a0 4 photos<\/p>\n<p>Christopher Michaels\u00a0 &#8220;Beyond The Horizon&#8221;\u00a0\u00a0 Airpower\u00a0 September 1993\u00a0 p.10-55\u00a0 74 photos<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;SR-71 permanently retired&#8221;\u00a0\u00a0 World Air Power Journal\u00a0 Vol.35\u00a0 Winter 1998\u00a0 p.15<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Bye Bye Blackbird Again&#8221;\u00a0\u00a0 USAF Yearbook\u00a0 1998\u00a0 p.50-52\u00a0 11 photos<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/christophermreed.net\/aviation-index.html\">Aviation Index<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>61-7976 was flight-delivered to the (then) Air Force Museum in March 1990, several months after the SR-71&#8217;s initial retirement. This aircraft had carried out the first operational Blackbird sortie by the USAF in March 1968 (after of course, the CIA&#8217;s A-12s); -7976 ultimately flew more operational missions than any other Blackbird. SR-71 reading: &nbsp; Bob [&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-639","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/christophermreed.net\/aviation\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/639","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=639"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/christophermreed.net\/aviation\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/639\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1311,"href":"https:\/\/christophermreed.net\/aviation\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/639\/revisions\/1311"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/christophermreed.net\/aviation\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=639"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}