Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird: Inside The Fastest Aircraft Ever Built

The Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird is one of the most iconic aircraft of the United States Air Forcein the Cold War, and represents the pinnacle of engineering. The aircraft was designed as a spy plane able to outfly any threats from missiles, enabling it to soar over areas of interest and gather information with impunity. Only 32 were ever built, with the first entering service in 1966. They served for the remainder of the Cold War, being temporarily retired in 1989 and permanently retired in 1998.