File A121-R-61-7960SR-71AArticle 2011
61-7960
SR-71A · Article 2011
On displayAtwater, California
Castle Air Museum
Atwater, California, USA · 37.36, -120.58
Record
61-7960
2011
SR-71A
2,669.6
9 February 1966
Preserved, on display
Castle Air Museum, Atwater, California, USA
Career
- Assembly began 8 Dec 1964, rolled out 20 Sep 1965
- Displayed at the former Castle AFB
Fate
Last flown on 27 February 1990, delivered to Castle Air Museum after the first SR-71 retirement.
In the chronology
| 15 Apr 1986 | SR-71s assess the Libya raid SENIOR CROWN SR-71s from Det 4 at RAF Mildenhall flew bomb damage assessment sorties over Libya after the Operation El Dorado Canyon strikes, on 15, 16 and 17 April 1986. |
| 26 Jan 1990 | SR-71 retired at Beale AFB SENIOR CROWN The Air Force formally retired its SR-71 fleet at a ceremony at Beale AFB, citing a decreasing defense budget and high operating costs. Days earlier the last Det 4 aircraft left the UK (18 January) and the last Det 1 aircraft, 61-7962, left Kadena (21 January) wearing tombstone tail art reading 'Det 1 RIP 1968-1990'. |
Where the record disagrees
Coordinates are the museum location (Wikipedia, Castle Air Museum).
Sources
- Castle Air Museum. Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird #61-7960. Open · Archived · In the register
- SR-71 Online (sr-71.org, read via Wayback Machine snapshot). SR-71A #61-7960 (17960). Archived copy · In the register
- SR-71 Online (sr-71.org, read via Wayback Machine snapshot). Blackbird Flight Hours (data from Peter Merlin, NASA Dryden, as of 21 May 2006). Archived copy · In the register
- Warbird Registry. SR-71 Blackbird/61-7960. Open · In the register
- Joe Baugher. 1961 USAF Serial Numbers (61-7950 to 61-7981 entries). Open · Archived · In the register
- Roadrunners Internationale. Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird production list (article numbers). Open · Archived · In the register