Last updated on 6 October 2007
Locations of A-12s, YF-12 & SR-71s
Locations of A-12s
-
Tail Number/ Lockheed Build Number
- 6924/ #121
- 6925/ #122
- 6926/ #123
- Lost on 24 May 1963, Nevada. When water froze in the pitot tube
causing an incorrect reading on the TDI(Triple Display Instrument).
The aircraft (first A-12 to crash) stalled, then the A-12 entered
a inverted spin, crashing 14 miles South of Wendover, UT. The CIA
Pilot Ken Collins ejected safely.
- 6927/ #124B
- 6928/ #125
- Lost on 5 January 1967, Groom Lake,Nevada. With a faulty fuel guage,
CIA Pilot Walt Ray was on final to Groom Lake, NV, when the A-12 ran
out of fuel. Walt Ray ejected from the aircraft, he faile to seperate
from the ejection seat and was killed when he landed in seat.
- 6929/ #126
- Lost on 28 December 1967, Groom Lake, NV. A-12 had a SAS (Stability
Augmentation System) wired in reverse causing the CIA Pilot Mel Vojovidich
to loose control of the A-12. Vojovidich ejected safely.
- 6930/ #127
- 6931/ #128
- 6932/ #129
- Lost on 5 June 1968, in South China Sea off Phillipines Islands. While
on a FCF (Functional Check Flight) CIA Pilot Jack Weeks and the A-12
disappered, No trace was ever found of pilot or aircraft.
- 6933/ #130
- 6934-6936
- Numbers assigned to YF-12 production, see below
- 6937/ #131
- 6938/ #132
- 6939/ #133
- Lost on 9 July 1964, at Groom Lake, NV. While on approach to Groom
Lake, the aircraft suffered a hydraulic failure, causing loss of control
of the A-12. Lockheed Test Pilot Bill Park ejected safely.
- 6940/ #134M
- Actually a M-21, On display at Museum
of Flight, Seattle,WA. Mated with D-21 drone
- 6941/ #135M
- M-21, Lost on 30 July 1966, near Midway Island, (some sources say
Pt. Mugu, CA). While launching a D-21 drone, the drone was trapped in
the shock wave of the aircraft, forcing the drone back into the M-21,
causing the aircraft to break-up at Mach 3. The Lockheed Test Pilot
Bill Park and the LCO (Launch Control Officer) Ray Torick ejected safely,
but upon landing in the water Ray Torrick's suit, which became torn
in the ejection, caused the suit to fill with water drowning Torrick.
Bill Park was rescued safely. This crash prompted the end of the M-21/
D-21 program.
- Serial Numbers assigned to A-12 production was 60-6924 through 60-6948
- Serial numbers 60-6942 through 60-6948 were not used
Location of YF-12A
- 6934/ #1001
- Lost on 14 August 1966 (some sources say 14 July 1966), at Edwards
AFB, CA. Seriously damaged during a landing at Edwards. The rear half
of the YF was fused with the front half of the SR-71 static model to
make the SR-71C #64-17981.
- 6935/ #1002
- On display in Annex of USAF
Museum, Wright-Patterson, OH
- 6936/ #1003
- Lost on 24 June 1971, Edwards AFB, CA. While in the traffic pattern
at Edwards AFB, a fire broke due to fuel line rupture, while on final
the entire aircraft became engulfed in fire and both crew members ejected
safely, Lt. Col. Ronald Layton, and Major Bill Curtis.
Location of SR-71s
- 950/ #2001
- Lost on 10 January 1967 at Edwards AFB, CA. During anti-skid braking
tests, the tires blew out causing a fire, which resulted in the loss
of the aircraft. Lockheed Test pilot Art Peterson survived.
- 951/ #2002
- 952/ #2003
- Lost on 25 January 1966 near Tucumcari, NM. While in a 30 deg. bank
at Mach 3 and 80,000 ft, the right engine had an unstart. Which caused
the aircraft to desintegrate. The Lockheed RSO Jim Zwayer was killed
in the bailout, while Lockheed Test Pilot Bill Weaver survived even
though he never ejected, the aircraft desintegrated around him!
- 953/ #2004
- Lost on 18 December 1969 near Shosone, CA. After an inflight explosion,
both USAF Pilot and RSO: Lt. Col. Joe Rogers/ Lt. Col. Garry Heidelbaugh
ejected safely. No explanation for the explosion was ever found.
- 954/ #2005
- Lost on 11 April 1969 at Edwards AFB, CA. While doing maximum weight
take-off tests, the left main tires blew causing a fire which engulfed
the entire aircraft. USAF Pilot/ RSO: Lt. Col. Bill Skliar/ Major Noel
Warner escaped safely.
- 955/ #2006
- On display at Edwards AFB, CA
- 956/ #2007/NASA #831
- "B" model (trainer)
- Transferred to NASA(NASA #831) inventory with closing on USAF SR-71
program
- With the reopening of the USAF SR-71 program used jointly by NASA
and the USAF
- With the cancelation of the USAF SR-71 program(again!), transferred
to NASA
- December 17, 2002 transferred to Kalamazoo
Air Zoo, Kalamazoo, Michigan
- 957/ #2008
- SR-71B (Trainer) Lost on 11 Janaury 1968 near Beale AFB, CA. While
over Washington state the SR suffered double generator failure. The
Instructor Pilot: Lt. Col. Robert Sowers and the Student Pilot: Capt.
David Fruehauf managed to get the aircraft on final to Beale when both
engines flamed out due to fuel pump cavitation. Both crew members ejected
safely, while the SR crashed inverted several miles from Beale AFB,
CA.
- 958/ #2009
- 959/ #2010
- "Big Tail" On display at USAF Armament Museum, Eglin AFB,
FL
- 960/ #2011
- 961/ #2012
- 962/ #2013
- In storage at Palmdale, CA
- Now on display at he Imperial War
Museum at Duxford, England as of April 11, 2001
- 963/ #2014
- 964/ #2015
- 965/ #2016
- Lost on 25 October 1967 near Lovelock, NV. The aircraft suffered an
INS (Inertial Navigation System) failure while on night flight. After
unknowingly entering a dive, the USAF Pilot/ RSO: Capt. Roy St.Martin/
Capt. John Carnochan ejected safely. The aircraft crashed near Lovelock,
NV. This was the second SR lost by USAF.
- 966/ #2017
- Lost on 13 April 1965 near Las Vegas, NM. The aircraft entered a subsonic
stall after a night refueling. The aircraft crashed near Las Vegas,
NM, after both USAF Pilot/RSO: Capt. Earle Boone/ Capt. Richard Sheffield
ejected safely. First SR loss by USAF.
- 967/ #2018
- Was in storage at Palmdale, CA; Now being refurbished by Lockheed
for USAF, Made first flight after refurbishing on 28 August 1995. Now
being flown by USAF out of Edwards AFB, CA.
- 968/ #2019
- In storage at Palmdale, CA
- 969/ #2020
- Lost on 10 May 1970 near Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base (RTAFB),
Thailand. After refueling the aircraft was in a climb back to altitude,
when it entered a huge thunderstorm with clouds well above 45,000 ft.
Both engines flamed out and unable to save the aircraft both USAF Pilot/
RSO: Maj. William Lawson/ Maj. Glibert Martinez ejected safely.
- 970/ #2021
- Lost on 17 June 1970 near El Paso, TX. After refueling, the SR and
the KC-135Q collided, when the SR suddenly pitched up and hit the tanker.
The USAF Pilot/RSO: Lt. Col. Buddy Brown/ Maj. Mortimer Jarvis both
ejected safely, but Buddy Brown broke both his legs during the ejection.
The KC-135Q limped back to Beale AFB, CA and arrived safely.
- 971/ #2022/ NASA #832
- Was on loan to NASA
- Now being flown by the USAF out of Edwards AFB, CA
- Fly-by aircraft at Beale Air Fest '97; Lt. Col. Gil Luloff Pilot;
? RSO
- 972/ #2023
- 973/ #2024
- 974/ #2025
- Lost on 21 April 1989 near the Phillipines in the South China Sea.
While climbing out from Kadena AB, Okinawa, the right engine exploded
severing the hydraulic lines for the flight controls. Seeing the lowering
hydraulic pressure the USAF PIlot: Lt. Col. Dan House headed for the
nearest base, which was in the Phillipines, nearing the coast they lost
all control of the SR and he and his RSO: Maj. Blair Bozek ejected safely
landing just off the coast of the Phillipines. They were rescued by
native fisherman shortly before US Rescue forces arrived. The SR was
recovered after a lengthy salvage mission.
- 975/ #2026
- 976/ #2027
- 977/ #2028
- Lost on 10 October 1968 at Beale AFB, CA. After returning from maintenance
at Lockheed ADP, on take-off one of the wheel hubs exploded causing
a fire, which engulfed the aircraft. USAF RSO: Maj. James Kogler ejected,
Pilot: Maj.Gabriel Kardong elected to stay with the aircraft. Both crew
members survived.
- 978/ #2029
- Lost on 20 July 1972 at Kadena AB, Okinawa. Attemping to land with
a severe crosswind, USAF PIlot: Capt. Dennis Bush had to abort the landing
after deploying the braking chute. He jettisoned the chute and went
around and attempted to land again, without the chute. The second attempt
was too fast and the SR went off the end of the runway, ripping off
the main landing gear and causing considerable damage to the underside
of the aircraft. The RSO: Capt. James Fagg and pilot survived safely.
This aircraft was known as"Rapid Rabbit". They tried to destroy
the aircraft by burning it, but were not successful, it was buried near
the end of the runway in a small hill, now known as Habu Mtn.
- 979/ #2030
- 980/ #2031/ NASA #844
- Currently being flown by NASA as #844
- Currently has Linear Aerospike engine mounted on it for LASRE tests.
- 981/ #2001
- "C" model (trainer), built from front end of SR-71 static
test model & aft end of YF-12 #934; On display at Hill
AFB, UT
AF Serial Numbers assigned for the SR-71: 61-17950 through 61-17985
- Serial numbers 61-17982 through 61-17985 were not used
Sources: