Last updated on: 19 November 2006

Blackbird Timeline of Events, 1980's

• 18 May 1980
  Mt. St. Helens disaster relief flights (LSB; BB)
• 1 Jul 1980
  SR-71A #962 flies from Kadena AB to Diego Garcia to test facility, USAF Pilot/ RSO: BobCrowder/ Don Emmons (SME; RG)
• Aug 1980
  Honeywell starts conversion of analog flight & inlet control system(AFICS) to digital automatic flight & inlet control system(DAFICS) (SME)
• Oct 1980
  SR-71A #955 flys S-Band Space Transponder to evaluate C-Band tracking, communication & navigation system for Space Shuttle (LSB)
• 6 Mar 1981
  SR-71A #972 deployed to det 4 till 5 May 1981 (SME)
• 6 May 1981
  Refueling tests with KC-10 #N110KC and SR-71A #955, USAF Pilot/RSO: Calvin Jewett/Bill Flanagan (SME)
• 1 Aug 1981
  4029 Strategic Recon Training Sq formed to train SR-71 crews (BB)
• 12 Aug 1981
  SR-71A #964 had to divert to Bodo, Norway, with low engine oil problem arose, USAF Pilot/RSO: B.C. Thomas/ Jay Reid (SME)
• 16 Aug 1981
  SR-71A #964 returned from being diverted to Bodo, Norway, was nicknamed "Bodonian Express" USAF Pilot/RSO: B. C. Thomas/ Jay Reid (LSB; SME)
• 31 Aug 1981
  C. L. "Kelly" Johnson announces that the SR-71 has had over 1000 missiles launches against it, but none successful (BB)
• 15 Jan 1982
  SR-71B #956 flies it's 1000th Sortie (LTR)
• 24 Feb 1982
  9 SRW wins the 15 Air Force Outstanding Recon Wing and Crew for 1981 (9RW)
• Jun 1982
  Internal Navigation System(INS) changed to Singer-Kearfott SKN-2417 from the gyro flight reference system (SME)
• 20 Jul 1982
  Col. T. S. Pugh becomes 9 SRW Commander thru 22 Jul 1983 (9RW)
• 17 Mar 1983
  SR-71A # 955 conducted aerial refueling tests with KC-10, USAF Pilot/ RSO: Thomas Tilden/ J.T. Vida (SME)
• 18 Apr 1983
  SAC awards the 9 SRW the Outstanding Unit Award for 1 Jul 1981 thru 20 Jun 1982 (9RW)
• 1 Jul 1983
  SR-71A #955 flies the first ASARS-1 familiarization flight, USAF Pilot/ RSO: B.C. Thomas/ John Morgan (SME)
• 9 Jul 1983
  SR-71A #955 arrives at Det 4, as #962, to test ASARS-1 (SME)
• 23 Jul 1983
  Col. D. H. Pinsky becomes 9 SRW Acting Commander thru 3 Aug 1983 (9RW)
• 4 Aug 1983
  Col. G. V. Freese becomes 9 SRW Commander thru 28 Jan 1985 (9RW)
• 10 Nov 1983
  9 SRW awarded Best Active Duty Tanker Unit and best unit in SAC Bombing and Navigation competition (9RW)
• 5 Apr 1984
  British Government announces that they will permit 2 SR-71s to be based at RAF Mildenhall, UK(Det 4) (SME)
• 1 Nov 1984
  9 SRW Tanker crew awarded the Navigation Trophy in the SAC Bombing and Navigation Competition (9RW)
• 7 Nov 1984
  First Nicaraguan SR-71 overflights from Beale AFB; USAF Pilot/RSO: Bob Behler/ Ron Tabor (flew 3 of 6 sorties) (SME; BB)
• 24 Jan 1985
  Last flight and 722nd sortie of SR-71A #955, USAF Pilot/RSO: Thomas Tilden/ Bill Flanagan (SME)
• 28 Jan 1985
  Col. D. H. Pinsky becomes 9 SRW Commander thru 17 Jul 1987 (9RW)
• 28 Jan 1985
  SR-71A #955 did runway roughness evaluation then was parked at Palmdale, CA; USAF Pilot/RSO: Thomas Tilden/Bill Flanagan; (now on display at USAF Flight Test Center museum, Edwards AFB, CA) (SME; LSW)
• 20 Apr 1985
  Gen Jerry O'Malley & wife Diane and Crew of T-39 were killed when landing in Western Pennsylvania (SME)
• 8 Aug 1985
  SR barns at RAF Mildenhall used for the first time by SR-71A #962 (LSB)
• 18 Sep 1985
  USAF Awards Jerome F. O'Malley Award for Best Recon Crew to USAF Pilot/RSO: Bob Behler/ Ron Tabor (9RW; PH)
• Nov 1985
  Honeywell completes conversion of SR from analog to digital auto. flight & inlet controls systems (SME)
• 7 Jan 1986
  20th Anniversary of the SR-71s arrival at Beale AFB, CA
• 8 Feb 1986
  9 SRW won 15th Air Force Outstanding Recon Wing for 1985 (9RW)
• 15 Apr 1986
  SR-71A #980 performs post bombing damage assessment flights of Libya in support of Operation "Eldorado Canyon", USAF Pilot/RSO: Jerry Glasser/ Ron Tabor (SME; BB)
• 15 Apr 1986
  First operational use of KC-10s(#30079; #30082; #30075) as refueling aircraft for SR-71 (TU; LSB; SME)
• 16 Apr 1986
  SR-71A #960 performs post bombing damage assessment flights of Libya in support of Operation "Eldorado Canyon", USAF Pilot/RSO: Brian Shul/ Walter Watson (BB; TU)
• 17 Apr 1986
  SR-71A #980 performs post bombing damage assessment flights of Libya in support of Operation "Eldorado Canyon", USAF Pilot/RSO: Bernie Smith/ Denny Whalen (BB; TU)
• 17 Jul 1987
  Col. R. H. Graham becomes 9 SRW Commander thru 28 Nov 1988 (9RW)
• 21 Jul 1987
  Last Flight of SR-71A #973; (Now on display at Blackbird Airpark, Palmdale, CA) (LSW)
• 22 Jul 1987
  Persian Gulf missions from Det 4; SR-71A #967; USAF Pilot/RSO: Smith/ Doug Soifer
  • 9 Aug 1987: SR-71A #975
  • 26 Oct 1987: SR-71A #967
  • 30 Apr 1988: SR-71A #974 (BB)
• 20 Oct 1987
  USAF Pilot/RSO: Warren MacKendree/ Randy Shelhorse fly from Kadena AB to Iran on a Giant Express mission to look for Silkworm missile batteries in Iran during Iran-Iraq War (SME)
• 5 Mar 1988
  1 Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron celebrates 75th Anniversary, it is the oldest unit in the USAF (AFM)
• 6 Dec 1988
  Col J. S. Savarda becomes 9 SRW Commander thru 12 Jun 1990 (9RW; BB)
• 21 Apr 1989
  SR-71A #974 crashes off coast of Philippines, last SR lost by USAF crew (to date), USAF Pilot/RSO: Dan House/Blair Bozek (SME; LSW)
• 1 Oct 1989
  USAF SR-71 operations suspended except for minimum proficiency flights (LSW; BB)
• 22 Nov 1989
  USAF SR-71 program officially terminated (Thanks Larry Welch) (SME; LSW; BB)

  
  
  You can also link to the:
  A-12, YF-12A, & SR-71 Timeline 1950's
  A-12, YF-12A, & SR-71 Timeline 1960's
  A-12, YF-12A, & SR-71 Timeline 1970's
  A-12, YF-12A, & SR-71 Timeline 1990's & Credits

  

  
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