Last updated on: 30 November
2006
Blackbird Timeline of Events, 1960's
- 30 Jan 1960
CIA approves funding for 12 A-12s (SME; LSW; BB)
- Feb 1960
CIA proposes to Lockheed to begin search for 24 pilots for A-12
- Sep 1960
Work begins to enlarge and lengthen runway at Groom Lake, NV
- Jan 1961
Kelly Johnson sends proposal to Dr. Joseph Charyk(SAF), Col. Leo Geary (YF-12 Project Officer), Lew Meyer(Finance Officer) for RS-12 Strategic Recon Bomber (LSB; SME)
- 26 Feb 1962
First A-12 leaves Burbank, Ca for Groom Lake, NV by truck (SME; LSW)
- 28 Feb 1962
A-12 arrives by truck at Groom Lake, NV (SME)
- 24 Apr 1962
A-12 high speed taxi tests; Lockheed Test Pilot: Lou Schalk (AM1; LSB)
- 26 Apr 1962
First flight of A-12 article #121/ #6924; Lockheed Test Pilot: Lou Schalk (BIA; AM1; LSB; BB)
- 30 Apr 1962
A-12 art.#121/#6924, first official flight; Lockheed Test Pilot: Lou Schalk
- May 1962
Bill Park joins Lou Schalk as 2nd pilot for A-12 program
- 4 May 1962
A-12 goes supersonic(Mach 1.1) for first time (LSW)
- 4 Jun 1962
SR-71 mock-up reveiwed by USAF (BB; LSW-14 May)
- 26 Jun 1962
Second A-12 art. #122/#6925 arrives at Groom Lake;(now on display at USS Intrepid Museum, NYC) (SME)
- 30 Jul 1962
J-58 completes pre-flight testing (BB)
- Aug 1962
Third A-12 art#123/#6926 arrives at Groom Lake, NV (SME; LSW)
- Aug 1962
Jim Eastham becomes third pilot for Blackbird Program (LSW)
- Oct 1962
Second A-12 flies at Groom Lake, NV (SME)
- Oct 1962
Letter of Intent for $1 million for AF-12(YF-12) delivered to Lockheed (LSW)
- 5 Oct 1962
A-12 flies with J-75(Left nacelle) and J-58(Right nacelle) engines (LSW)
- 10 Oct 1962
Skunk Works receives authorization for Drone(Q-12) study from CIA
- Nov 1962
Fourth A-12 (2 seat trainer) art.#124/6027 arrives at Groom Lake, NV (SME)
- 17 Dec 1962
Fifth A-12 art.#125/#6928 arrives at Groom Lake (LSW)
- 28 Dec 1962
Lockheed signs contract to build 6 SR-71 aircraft (AM1; LSB; BB)
- 7 Jan 1963
A-12 Trainer flies for first time (TL; SME; LSW)
- 5 Jan 1963
Bob Gilliland hired as fourth pilot for "Program" (LSW)
- 15 Jan 1963
First fully J-58 engined A-12 flies (SME; LSW)
- 15 Jan 1963
Bob Gilliland arrives at Groom Lake, NV (LSW)
- Feb 1963
William Skliar joins "Oxcart" program (LSB)
- Mar 1963
Jim Eastham begins writing Flight Handbook for YF-12 (LSB)
- 24 May 1963
First loss A-12 art.#123/#6926 crashed near Wendover, UT; Ken Collins ok, pitched up and became inverted during subsonic flight (AM1; LSB; SME; BB)
- 31 May 1963
Mock-up review of AF-12 (LSW)
- Jun 1963
Q-12 drone fit check to A-12 (RK)
- 20 Jul 1963
First Mach 3 A-12 flight (LSW)
- 7 Aug 1963
First YF-12 flight; Lockheed Test Pilot: James Eastham (AM1; LSB; LSW; BB)
- 1 Oct 1963
Q-12 design finalized, and renamed D-21 (RK)
- Nov 1963
A-12 design speed (3.2 mach) and altitude(78,000ft)
- 3 Feb 1964
A-12 cruises at Mach 3.2 and 83,000ft for 10 minutes (LSW)
- 29 Feb 1964
President Johnson announces existence of A-11 (actually A-12, and showed pics of YF-12) (LSW; BB)
- 13 Mar 1964
First Flight of YF-12 #6936, Lockheed Test Pilot: James Eastham (RK)
- Apr 1964
- 16 Apr 1964
First AIM-47 ejected in flight from YF-12; Lockheed Test Pilot/FCO: Jim
Eastham/Ray Scalise (RON; RS)
- May 1964
Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara cancels RS-70 program (Recon/Strike) in favor of SR-71 program(Recon) (SME)
- Jun 1964
Final A-12 #6939 delivered to Groom Lake (RK)
- 19 Jun 1964
Fit check of mating of M-21 #134 and D-21 #504 is successful (LSW)
- 9 Jul 1964
Bill Park forced to eject from A-12 art.#133/#6939 on final at Groom Lake; stuck outboard aileron servo valve (LSW)
- 24 Jul 1964
President Johnson makes public announcement of RS-71 and reverses name to SR-71 (LSW)
- 5 Aug 1964
Cuban overflights "Skylark" planning starts (Emergency operational status by 5 Nov) (SME)
- 29 Oct 1964
SR-71 #950 prototype delivered to Palmdale, Site 2, Air Force Plant 42 in 2 large trailers (BB)
- 10 Nov 1964
First operational A-12 mission and penetration of denied airspace over Cuba (CIA denies this) (LSW)
- 7 Dec 1964
Beale AFB, CA announced as base for SR-71 (BB)(LSB says Oct 64)
- 18 Dec 1964
First engine run of SR-71 prototype (BB)
- 21 Dec 1964
- 22 Dec 1964
First flight of SR-71 #950; Lockheed Test Pilot Bob Gilliland at Palmdale; flew for 1 hour and over 1000mph (AM1; BB)
- 22 Dec 1964
First flight M-21/D-21 at Groom Lake; Lockheed Test Pilot Bill Park (piloted all M-21/D-21 flights) (BIA; SME; BB)
- 1 Jan 1965
4200 SRW Activated at Beale AFB, CA, along with 4200 HQS, AEMS, FMS, OMS, Medical Group (BIA; LSB; SME)
- 9 Jan 1965
Jim Eastham flies YF-12A at Mach 3.2 for 5 minutes
- 27 Jan 1965
A-12 flown for 1hr 40 min at Mach 3.1 or higher for a distance of 3000 miles (SME)
- 5 Mar 1965
First flight of SR-71A #951, Lockheed Test Pilot/RSO: Bob Gilliland/ Jim Zwayer (now on display at Pima Air Museum, AZ) (LSW; BB)
- 18 Mar 1965
First firing of GAR-9 from YF-12A; Lockheed Test Pilot/FCO: Jim Eastham/John
Archer (LSW; RON; RS)
- 22 Mar 1965
Deputy Sec. of Defense Cyrus Vance briefed on Project "Black Shield", plan to base A-12s at Kadena AB, Okinawa (SME)
- Apr 1965
Acton delivers the first 3 Type H(60" focal length) cameras for A-12 (SME)
- 1 May 1965
Two YF-12A(#6934 & #6936) sets Speed and Altitude Records: Class C,
- Group III Sustained Altitude(absolute):80,258ft USAF Pilots/FCO: Col Robt. Stevens/ Lt Col Daniel Andre
- 15/25 KM Closed Circuit: 2,070.102mph, USAF Pilot/FCO: Col. Robert Stephens/ Lt Col Daniel Andre
- 500 KM Closed Circuit: 1,643.042mph, USAF Pilot/FCO: Maj Walter Daniel/ Maj. Noel Warner
- 1000KM Closed Circuit: 1,688.891mph, USAF Pilot/FCO: Maj Walter Daniel/ Capt James Cooney
(BIA; LSW)
- 1 Jun 1965
SR-71/YF-12 Test force formed at Edwards AFB, CA
- 3 Jun 1965
Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara inquires of Under Secretary of USAF practicality of substituting A-12 for U-2 over Vietnam (LSW)
- 4 Jun 1965
First flight of SR-71A #953; Lockheed Test Pilots: Bill Weaver/ George Andre (LSW; BB)
- 1 Jul 1965
Col J. A. Des Portes becomes 4200 SRW Commander thru 17 Jul 1965 (9RW)
- 7 Jul 1965
First T-38 companion trainers arrive at Beale AFB, CA (LSB; SME; BB)
- 20 Jul 1965
First flight of SR-71A #954; Lockheed Test Pilot/RSO: Bill Weaver/ George Andre (LSW; BB)
- 17 Aug 1965
First flight of SR-71A #955; Lockheed Test Pilot/RSO: Bill Weaver/ George Andre (Now on display at USAF Flight Test Museum, Edward AFB, CA) (LSW; BB)
- 18 Sep 1965
Col D. T. Nelson becomes(again) 4200 SRW Commander thru 24 Jun 1966 (9RW; BB)
- 28 Sep 1965
GAR-9 fired from YF-12A at Mach 3.2 at 75,000 ft, with target at a range of 36 miles, missed target by 6 feet
- 5 Nov 1965
Project "Skylark" (Cuban overflights) on emergency operational status (SME)
- 18 Nov 1965
First flight SR-71B #956; Lockheed Test Pilot/RSO: Bob Gilliland / Steven Belgau (now operational with NASA) (BB; JS)
- 20 Nov 1965
A-12 flies for 6hrs, 20 minutes(longest flight to date) (LSW; SME)
- 2 Dec 1965
"303 Committee" asked to deploy Oxcart to Far East(Black Shield); They reject proposal , but want quick-reaction capability in 21 days (SME)
- 14 Dec 1965
Col W.R. Hayes becomes 9 SRW Commander through 26 Jun 1969 (9RW; BB)
- 15 Dec 1965
First flight of SR-71A #958; Lockheed Test Pilot/RSO: Bill Weaver/ George Andre (LSW; BB)
- 18 Dec 1965 First flight of SR-71B #957; Lockheed Test Pilot/RSO: Bill Weaver/ Jim Eastham (LSW; BB)
- 7 Jan 1966
First SR-71B #956 delivered to USAF flown to Beale AFB by Ray Haupt/ Doug Nelson (AM!; SME; LSW; LSB)
- 9 Jan 1966
First flight SR-71A #960; Lockheed Test Pilot/RSO: Bill Weaver/ George Andre (LSW; BB)
- 19 Jan 1966
First flight SR-71A #959; Lockheed Test Pilot/RSO: Bill Weaver/ George Andre (now on display Eglin AFB, FL) (BB)
- 25 Jan 1966
First SR-71A crash, #952 crashed near Tucumcary, NM; Lockheed Test Pilot/ RSO: Bill Weaver ejected at over 3 Mach Jim Zwayer was killed (LTR)
- 11 Feb 1966
Staff Crew #1 completes initial qualification in SR-71, USAF Crew: Doug Nelson/ Russell Lewis (RLL)
- 5 Mar 1966
First D-21 #503 launched from M-21 #6941, and flew 150 nmi; Lockheed Test Pilot/FCO: Bill Park/ Keith Beswick (LSW)
- 13 Apr 1966
First flight SR-71A #961; Lockheed Test Pilot/RSO: Bill Weaver/ George Andre (LSW; BB)
- 27 Apr 1966
Second D-21 #506 launched from M-21 #6941 and flew 1120 nmi; Lockheed Test Pilot/LCO: Bill Park/ Ray Torrick (LSW)
- 29 Apr 1966
First flight SR-71A #962; Lockheed Test Pilot/RSO: Bill Weaver/ Steven Belgau; (In flyable storage at Palmdale, CA) (LSW; BB)
- 29 Apr 1966
Second batch of 15 D-21s ordered
- 11 May 1966
First flight SR-71A #964, Lockheed Test Pilot/RSO: Bill Weaver/ Steven Belgau (LSW; BB)
- 24 May 1966
First SR-71A #958 delivered to Beale AFB, CA USAF Pilots: Bill Campbell/ Al Pennington (LSB says 10 May)(LSW says 4 Apr 1966)(WC)
- 24 May 1966
Second SR-71A #962 Delivered to Beale AFB, CA, by USAF Crew: Douglas Nelson/ Russell Lewis, from Palmdale, CA (WC)
- 16 Jun 1966
Third D-21 #505 launch from M-21 #6941, it flew1600 nmi; Lockheed Test Pilot/ LCO: Bill Park/ Keith Beswick (LSW)
- 9 Jun 1966
First flight SR-71A #963, Lockheed Test Pilot/RSO: Bill Weaver/ Steven Belgau (LSW; BB)
- 10 Jun 1966
First flight SR-71A #965, Lockheed Test Pilot/RSO: Bill Weaver/ Kenneth Moeller (LSW; BB)
- 25 Jun 1966
4200 SRW inactivated, 9 SRW formed (9RW; BIA; LSB; SME)
- 1 Jul 1966
First flight SR-71A #966, Lockheed Test Pilot/RSO: Bob Gilliland/ Steven Belgau (LSW; BB)
- 30 Jul 1966
Fourth D-21 #504 launch from a M-21 #6941, results in the D-21 colliding with the M-21, both crew eject Pilot Bill Park survives, but LCO Ray Torrick drowns, ending M-21/D-21 program (AM1; SME)
- 3 Aug 1966
First flight of SR-71A #967, Lockheed Test Pilot/RSO: Bill Weaver/ George Andre (LSW; BB)
- 14 Aug 1966
YF-12A #6934 crashed, (rear half mated to front half of SR-71 static model to make SR-71C #64-17981)
- 10 Oct 1966
First flight of SR-71A #968, Lockheed Test Pilot/RSO: Bill Weaver/ George Andre (LSW; BB)
- 18 Oct 1966
First flight of SR-71A #969, Lockheed Test Pilot/RSO: Bill Weaver/ Steven Belgau (LSW; BB)
- 21 Oct 1966
First flight of SR-71A #970, Lockheed Test Pilot/RSO: Bill Weaver/ Steven Belgau (LSW; BB)
- 17 Nov 1966
First flight of SR-71A #971, Lockheed Test Pilot/RSO: Bill Weaver/ Kenneth Moeller; (now being flown by NASA as #832) (LSW; BB)
- 12 Dec 1966
First flight of SR-71A #972, Lockheed Test Pilot/RSO: Bill Weaver/ Steven Belgau (LSW; BB)
- 21 Dec 1966
Bill Park flies A-12 10,200 mi (statute) in 6 hrs (LSW; SME; ADR)
- 23 Dec 1966
Decision is made to terminate A-12 Operation by 1 Jun 1968 (LSW)
- 5 Jan 1967
A-12 #6928 lost on training mission from Groom Lake, NV, the a/c ran out of fuel due to a faulty fuel gauge, CIA Pilot: Walt Ray killed when he failed to separate from ejection seat after ejecting from A-12 (AM1; SME)
- 10 Jan 1967
SR-71A #950 crashes at Edwards AFB, CA during max gross weight anti-skid brake test; Lockheed Test Pilot: Art Peterson OK, no RSO on flight (LSW; PH)
- 10 Jan 1967
Secretary of Defense Cyrus Vance advised that 4 A-12s will be placed in storage by July, and 2 more in Dec, and 4 more in Jan 1968 (SME)
- 18 Jan 1967
First flight of SR-71A #973, Lockheed Test Pilot/RSO: Bill Weaver/ Darrell Greenamyer (LSW)
- 16 Feb 1967
First flight of SR-71A #974, Lockheed Test Pilot/RSO: Bill Weaver/ Steven Belgau (LSW; BB)
- 13 Apr 1967
First flight of SR-71A #975, Lockheed Test Pilot/RSO: Bill Weaver/ Steven Belgau (LSW; BB)
- 13 Apr 1967
First SR-71 #966 lost by 9 SRW crew, crashes near Las Vegas, NM, as a result of over extended angle of attack and stalled aircraft; USAF Pilot/RSO: Earle Boone/ Richard Sheffield (crew E-12) (LSW; PH)
- 17 Apr 1967
R.L. "Silverfox" Stevens flies SR-71 14,000 miles and is awarded FAI Gold Medal (BIA; BB)
- May 1967
Deputy Secretary of Defense Cyrus Vance directs that SR-71 assume Cuban overflights in July 1967 and in Vietnam by Dec 1967 from CIA's A-12s (SME)
- May 1967
First flight of SR-71A #976, Lockheed Test Pilot/RSO: Bob Gilliland/ Steven Belgau (LSW; BB)
- 17 May 1967
First support components for operation "Black Shield" airlifted to Kadena AB, Okinawa (OL-8) (LSW)
- 22 May 1967
First A-12 art#131/#937, flown to Kadena AB, Civilian Pilot: Mel Vojovodich (LSW)
- 24 May 1967
Second A-12 art #127/#930, flown to Kadena AB, Civilian Pilot: Jack
Layton, A-12 lost TDI after take-off but he proceeded anyway to Kadena
(SME)
- 26 May 1967
A-12 art#129/#932, lands at Midway Island with INS problems on way to Kadena AB, Okinawa deployment, Civilian Pilot: Jack Weeks (SME)
- 27 May 1967
Photo of initial SR crews taken at Beale AFB, CA (LSB)
- 27 May 1967
Third A-12 art#129/#932 arrives at Kadena AB after stop-over at Midway Island (SME)
- 29 May 1967
"Black Shield" unit declared operational (SME; LSW)
- 31 May 1967
First A-12(art#131/#937) mission, It was over North Vietnam and lasted 3 hrs 39 minutes; CIA Pilot: Mel Vojvodich (SME; LSW; RON)
- 15 Aug 1967
Since 31 May 1967, 15 A-12 missions alerted, but only 7 flown (SME)
- 6 Jun 1967
First flight SR-71A #977, Lockheed Test Pilot/RSO: Bob Gilliland/ Darrell Greenamyer (LSW; BB)
- 2 Jul 1967
Jim Watkins and Dave Dempster flew first international sortie in SR-71A #972 when on a training mission the INS failed and they flew into Mexican airspace (SME)
- 5 Jul 1967
First flight SR-71A #978, Lockheed Test Pilot/RSO: Bill Weaver/ Steven Belgau; Aircraft became known as "Rapid Rabbit" (LSW; BB)
- 10 Aug 1967
First flight SR-71A #979, Lockheed Test Pilot/RSO: Darrel Greenamyer/ Steven Belgau, ( now on display at Lackland AFB, TX) (LSW; BB)
- 25 Sep 1967
First flight SR-71A #980, Lockheed Test Pilot/RSO: Bob Gilliland/ Steven Belgau; (Now flying as NASA #844) (LSW; BB)
- 28 Sep 1967
D-21 #501 accidently dropped from B-52H, while on the ground (LSW)
- 25 Oct 1967
SR-71A #965 crashed near Lovelock, NV after ANS failure, 2nd SR lost by 9 SRW, USAF Pilot/RSO: Roy St.Martin/ John Carnochan (crew E-18) ok (LSB; SME; LSW)
- 30 Oct 1967
Dennis Sullivan flying an A-12 mission over North Vietnam had 6 missiles launched against him, 3 detonated, on post flight inspection, they found a small piece of metal from missile imbeded in lower wing fillet area (LSW)
- 3 Nov 1967
A-12 and SR-71 pitted against each other in a recon fly-off, code named "Nice Girl" over the Mississippi Valley, 1 hour apart. Results were inconclusive (RK)
- 6 Nov 1967
D-21 #507 launched from B-52H and flew 134 nmi (LSW)
- 2 Dec 1967
D-21 #509 launched from B-52H and flew 1430 nmi (LSW)
- 28 Dec 1967
A-12 art#126/#929 crashed at Groom Lake, NV due to crosswired SAS, CIA Pilot: Mel Vojvodich ok (LSB; SME; PH)
- 31 Dec 1967
Since 16 Aug 1967, 26 A-12 missions alerted, only15 flown (LSW)
- 5 Jan 1968
Skunk Works receives official USAF notice closing down YF-12 ops (LSW)
- 11 Jan 1968
SR-71B #957 crashes near Beale AFB, CA due to double generator failure; USAF Pilots: Robert Sowers/ David Fruehauf ok (LSB; LSW; BB)
- 19 Jan 1968
D-21 #508 launched from B-52H and flew 280 nmi (LSW)
- 26 Jan 1968
First A-12 overflight of North Korea, this was during Pueblo incident, CIA Pilot: Frank Murray (SME; LSW)
- 5 Feb 1968
Lockheed receives letter from USAF, instructing them to destroy A-12, YF-12 and SR-71 tooling (LSW)
- 8 Mar 1968
First SR-71A #978 arrives at Kadena AB, Okinawa(OL-8), USAF Pilot/ RSO: Buddy Brown/ David Jensen (LSB, SME, BB)
- 10 Mar 1968
2nd SR-71A #976 deployed to Kadena AB, Okinawa(OL-8), USAF Pilot/RSO: Jerry O'Malley/ Edward Payne (SME)
- 13 Mar 1968
3rd SR-71A #974 arrives at Kadena AB, Okinawa, USAF Pilot/RSO: Robert Spencer/ Keith Branham (SME)
- 15 Mar 1968
All 3 SR-71s operational at Kadena AB (SME)
- 16 Mar 1968
Fourth Aircrew arrives at Kadena AB, Okinawa the "hard way" by KC-135Q (SME)
- 21 Mar 1968
First SAC/9 SRW SR-71(SR-71A #976) operational mission flown from Kadena AB over Vietnam, USAF Pilot/RSO: Jerry O'Malley/ Edward Payne (Crew E-10) (LSB; SME) (BB says 30th)
- 30 Mar 1968
D-21 #511 launched from B-52H and flew 150 nmi (LSW)
- 31 Mar 1968
Since 1 Jan 1968, 15 A-12 missions alerted, only 6 flown (LSW)
- 8 May 1968
Last A-12 mission flown over North Korea, CIA Pilot: Jack Layton (SME; LSW)
- 29 May 1968
CMSGT Bill Gormick starts tie-cutting tradition of HABU crews neck-ties (SME)
- 4 Jun 1968
First overseas loss of A-12 art.#129/#932, crashed for unknown reason (neither A-12 or pilot ever found) on post maintenance test hop (FCF), CIA Pilot: Jack Weeks was killed (LSW)(AM1; BB; SMEsays 5 June)
- 7 Jun 1968
A-12 art. #131/#6937, had to divert to Wake Island on way from Kadena AB to Groom Lake, NV, due to fuel leak; CIA Pilot: Ken Collins (SME)
- 9 Jun 1968
A-12 art.#127/#930 deployed back to Groom Lake, NV from Kadena AB in 5 hrs, 29mins, CIA Pilot: Denny Sullivan (SME)
- 16 Jun 1968
D-21 #512 launched from B-52H and flew 2850 nmi, camera hatch recovered, but no camera was carried (LSW)
- 19 Jun 1968
Maj. Bill West writes poem for the 2 "slow" A-12 flights from Kadena AB to Groom Lake (SME)
- 21 Jun 1968
Last A-12 art. #131/#6937 flight, it was ferried from Groom Lake, NV to Palmdale, Ca; CIA Pilot: Frank Murray (SME; LSW; BB)
- 26 Jun 1968
"Black Shield" pilots: Jack Layton, Frank Murray, Ken Collins, Denny Sullivan, Mel Vojvodich, and the Widow of Jack Weeks receive CIA "Intelligence Star for Valor" medal at Groom Lake from the Director of the CIA VAdm Rufus Taylor (SME)
- 1 Jul 1968
D-21 #514 launched from B-52H and flew 80 nmi (LSW)
- 5 Jul 1968
High Time USAF SR-71 Pilot Robert Powell with 1,020.3 hrs; first flys an SR-71
- 26 Jul 1968
SR-71A #974 with USAF Pilot/RSO: Tony Bevacqua/ crew, positively fired on by SA-2 missile, it was photographed by the SRs cameras (SME)
- 28 Aug 1968
D-21 #516 launched from B-52H and flew 78 nmi (LSW)
- Sep 1968
First in-air recall of SR-71 mission, USAF Pilot/RSO: James Shelton/ Lawrence Boggess (SME)
- Sep 1968
Switched OL-8s SR-71s #974,#976,#978 with #962, #970, #980 (SME)
- 10 Oct 1968
SR-71A #977 crashes at Beale AFB, CA,(wheel hub fractured sending scrapnel into fuel tanks starting fire on take-off); USAF Pilot/RSO: Gabriel Kardong/ Jim Kogler ok (LSB)
- 2 Nov 1968
9th SRW receives Air Force Outstanding Unit Award for 1 Jul 1967-30 Jun1968 (LSB; BB)
- Dec 1968
SR-71 Cat III Operational testing ends
- 15 Dec 1968
D-21 #515 launched from B-52H and flew 2953 nmi, camera hatch recovered, photos are "fair" (LSW)
- 11 Feb 1969
D-21 #518 launched from B-52H and flew 161 nmi (LSW)
- 5 Mar 1969
9th SRW receives 15th Air Force Outstanding Recon Crew (Pat Halloran/ Mort Jarvis) & Maintenance activity and Strategic Recon Wing Award for 1968 (9RW; PH)
- 14 Mar 1969
First flight of SR-71C #981, Lockheed Test Pilot/RSO: Bob Gilliland/ Steven Belgau; (Now on display on at Hill AFB, UT); (SR-71C was built from half of static SR test model and rear half of crashed YF-12A #6934) (LSB; LSW; BB)
- 11 Apr 1969
SR-71A #954 crashes at Edwards AFB, CA, (during Max weight take-off test, left tire blew and caught the aircraft on fire), Lockheed Test Pilot/RSO: William Skliar/ Noel Warner were ok (LSB; SME; LSW; PH)
- 27 Jun 1969
Col C. F. Minter 9th SRW Commander thru 30 Jun1970 (BB; 9RW)
- 10 Jul 1969
D-21 #520 launched from B-52H and flew 2937 nmi, camera pallet recovered, photos good (LSW)
- Sep 1969
SAC SR-71s had flown over 100 "Hot missions" out of Kadena AB, Okinawa (LSW)
- 9 Nov 1969
First operational D-21 mission. D-21 #517 launched from B-52H, no camera pallet recovered (LSW)
- 11 Dec 1969
NASAs first YF-12 flight. YF-12A #6935, USAF Pilot/FCO: Col. Joseph Rogers/ Maj. Garry Heilbaugh (BIA; LSB; LSW)
- 18 Dec 1969
SR-71A #953 crashes near Shosone, CA; USAF Pilot/RSO: Col. Joe Rogers/ Lt. Col. Garry Heidelbaugh ejected (after loud explosion and loss of power and control difficulties, accident caused by a plugged static line) (LSW; SME; LSW; PH; WC)
You can also link to the:
A-12, YF-12A, & SR-71 Timeline 1950's
A-12, YF-12A, & SR-71 Timeline
1970's
A-12, YF-12A, & SR-71 Timeline 1980's
A-12, YF-12A, & SR-71 Timeline 1990's & Credits
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