SR-71 Blackbird - the great and terrible

The Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird is a high-speed, high-altitude strategic reconnaissance aircraft created by Lockheed for the US Air Force in the early 1960s. The aircraft is the fourth model of the Archangel family, which, in addition to it, included the A-12 reconnaissance aircraft, the YF-12 interceptor and the M-21 reconnaissance drone carrier. Having the ability to perform long flights at speeds of more than Mach 3 at altitudes of more than 24 kilometers, the SR-71 is still considered an undefeated champion in these parameters and still amazes the imagination of aviators with its capabilities. However, such capabilities were extremely expensive. The entire history of the SR-71 service is an endless struggle on the scales, on one side of which there are incredible possibilities, and on the other - extreme complexity and high cost of operation. The Blackbird left a huge mark on the aviation industry and world culture and, despite the cancelation of flights, is rightfully considered one of the most ico