This Blackbird made the first operational SR-71 sortie in March, 1968 and during its career accumulated 2,981 flying hours and flew 942 total sorties, more than any other SR-71. These included 257 operational missions; from Beale Air Force Base, CA, Palmdale, CA, Kadena Air Base, Okinawa and RAF Mildenhall, England. The aircraft was flown to the National Museum of the USAF in March 1990 for preservation.

On its way to Farnborough, this Blackbird famously set a new record for New York to London in just under 1 hr 55 min and on departure, London to Los Angeles in 3 hrs 47.5 min. In 1976 the same aircraft exceeded 85,000ft. Now on display in the Udvar-Hazy Center, Washington-Dulles

My shot of this record-breaking machine at Farnborough gives more details. Set another speed record, this time transcontinental, on delivery flight to Air & Space Museum at Dulles on 6.3.90. View gives some measure of the wealth of exhibits on offer at the Udvar-Hazy Center

The Castle Air Museum has a fantastic collection of US strategic aircraft.

An irresistible motive at Udvar-Hazy.

Seen with brake chute deployed on landing after a flying display at the Mildenhall Airshow