On display at Udvar-Hazy. The demarcation line on the nose shows where the entire section could be detached. It could carry the Advanced Synthetic Aperture Radar System (ASARS) or the Optical Bar Camera (OBC). The aerial refueling door is visible behind the cockpit, which was used to refuel the six main tanks from a KC-135Q or KC-10 between 24,000 to 28,000 feet. The hydraulically activated inlet spikes retracted up to a maximum of 26 in. with supersonic airflow for proper compressor inlet pressure. This SR-71A flew between LA and Washington, D.C. in a record 1h 4m 20s on 6 Mar 1990.

Taken just about 13 months after the dedication of Blackbird Airpark and the A-12 appears to be non the worse for wear here

Preserved at the Global Power Museum, Barksdale AFB, LA from 2003.

Serial 61-7956 heading for the runway of Edwards. It was bound for another flight in support of NASA research. Unfortunately, I was not allowed to enter the platform so full back light. Strikingly, a part of this Blackbird was used for creating a very fine watch from REC Watches, and since 1 August 2025, that watch (one of 1372 made) is now on my wrist (I have nr. 64, as I have special memories to that Blackbird (61-7964) which I pictured at Mildenhall, see AirHistory picture ID 191523).

This Blackbird made the first operational SR-71 sortie, over Vietnam in March 1968. During its career, it accumulated 2,981 flying hours and 942 total sorties (more than any other SR-71), including 257 operational missions from its 9th SRW base at Beale AFB, CA, Kadena AB, Okinawa and RAF Mildenhall, flying to the museum in March 1990

The YF-12 was developed in the 1960s as a high-altitude, Mach 3 interceptor to defend against supersonic bombers. Based on the A-12 reconnaissance aircraft, the YF-12A became the forerunner of the SR-71 strategic reconnaissance platform. The first of three made its maiden flight in August 1963; this is the second one built and was recalled from storage in 1969 for a joint USAF/NASA investigation of supersonic cruise technology in support of the SST and Space Shuttle programs. It was flown to the museum in November 1979, the other two having been destroyed in accidents

On display at the American Air Museum at IWM Duxford. This is the only SR-71 on display outside the continental USA as a gift to the UK for allowing SR-71s of DET-4 to operate out of RAF Mildenhall. On 28 Jul 1976 this aircraft set an altitude record of 85,069 feet in horizontal flight. It was the last SR-71 of 9th SRW to leave Kadena AB on 21 Jan 1990. The Blackbird went on display at the museum in 2001 and carries DET-1's 'Habu' symbol on the tail. The hydraulically activated inlet spikes retracted up to a maximum of 26 in. with supersonic airflow for proper compressor inlet pressure.

This Blackbird is known to have flown numerous missions from Kadena AB, Okinawa, Japan. In July 1976 it established a speed record on a run over 15/25km course of 2,193 mph. It was retired by the 9th SRW and flown to Robins for display in February 1990. The name "Ichi Ban" appearing on the tail comes from SR-71A 61-7974 which crashed on a mission out of Kadena in April 1989

On display at Museum of Flight. Article 134 is the first of two built in 1963 and the only one to survive a test loss. It was retired after 80 flights. D-21 'Tagboard' drone #510 for unmanned recce is attached to the spine launch pylon. Launch of these drones at M 3.3 by the Launch Control Officer (LCO) seated in the aft cockpit proved difficult. The 13.1 m titanium D-21 with a max weight of 4,990 kg was powered by a Marquart XRJ43-MA-20S4 ramjet engine that could fly the drone in excess of M 3.3 and 80,000 ft for around 90 min. Only the nose section with the cameras and film was recoverable.

Lockheed test aircraft.

Preserved at Washington-Dulles from 1990.