Spy in the Sky

The A-12 and SR-71 Blackbirds were nearly identical in size, shape, and performance, both designed by Lockheed Skunk Works but operated by different agencies for different missions. The CIA needed a spy plane to collect intelligence on military capabilities and maneuvers before the start of war, so the Skunk Works designed the single-pilot A-12 Blackbird, whose pilot also operated the surveillance sensors; it made its first official flight on April 30, 1962. The U.S. Air Force needed a spy plane to collect intelligence on damage levels and target destruction after the start of a war, so the Skunk Works created the SR-71 Blackbird from the A-12 by reducing the size of the A-12’s camera, adding a second crewman to operate the sensors, and making minor adjustments to the airframe. Because maintaining both fleets proved costly, the A-12 was eventually retired in favor of the SR-71, and the Air Force took over the aerial spy mission from the CIA. In building the A-12, the Skunk Works made major advances in aircraft technology, including developing the first titanium aircraft, new methods for fuels and oil to withstand extreme engine heat, and new ways to make aircraft less visible to radar. The A-12 trainer had two cockpits, one for an instructor and one for a pilot in training, and black paint on the nose reduced reflected sunlight that could blind pilots. Its performance specifications were titanium construction, a length of 31.2 meters (102 feet 3 inches), a wingspan of 16.9 meters (55 feet 7 inches), a height of 5.6 meters (18 feet 6 inches), a takeoff weight of 53,000 kilograms (117,000 pounds), a landing weight of 23,600 kilograms (52,000 pounds), a speed of Mach 2.0, twice the speed of sound, an altitude of 18,000 meters (60,000 feet), two Pratt and Whitney J-75 engines each rated at 17,000 pounds of thrust, a first flight in January 1963, 614 flights, and 1,076 hours of flight.

Los Angeles, California · United States