File A121-R-61-7971SR-71AArticle 2022

61-7971

SR-71A · Article 2022
On displayMcMinnville, Oregon

North American Aerospace Museum (Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum until August 2026)
McMinnville, Oregon, USA · 45.20, -123.14

SR-71A 61-7971 on the ramp at Edwards Air Force Base, California, in October 1996, during its reactivated U.S. Air Force service.
SR-71A 61-7971 on the ramp at Edwards Air Force Base, California, in October 1996, during its reactivated U.S. Air Force service.Peter Garwood (Flickr) · 1996-10 · CC BY 4.0 · Source
SR-71A 61-7971 on display at the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum, McMinnville, Oregon, on 19 August 2006.
SR-71A 61-7971 on display at the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum, McMinnville, Oregon, on 19 August 2006.Parodygm (English Wikipedia user) · 2006-08-19 · Public domain (released by the photographer) · Source

Record

61-7971
2022
SR-71A
3,512.5
17 November 1966
Preserved, on display
North American Aerospace Museum (Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum until August 2026), McMinnville, Oregon, USA

Career

  • NASA 832
  • First SR-71 reactivated for the USAF in 1995 (delivered to Palmdale 12 January 1995)
  • Displayed under the wing of the Hughes H-4 'Spruce Goose'

Fate

Retired 1990 and loaned to NASA as NASA 832 (arrived Dryden 19 March 1990); returned to the USAF as the first aircraft reactivated in 1995 and last flew 30 September 1997. Unveiled at the Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum, McMinnville, on 7 June 2003.

In the chronology

15 Feb 1990NASA receives SR-71A 61-7980 NASA
SR-71A 61-7980 arrived at NASA Dryden as NASA 844, followed by 61-7971 (NASA 832) on 19 March 1990. NASA 844 was stored until 1992 and then served as NASA's research Blackbird until 1999.
28 Sep 1994Congress funds SR-71 reactivation SENIOR CROWN
Congress directed the Air Force, which had not asked for it, to return SR-71s to service. The Carpenter timeline records a 28 September 1994 vote allocating $100 million to reactivate three SR-71s; two SR-71As, 61-7967 and 61-7971, were returned to flight.
26 Apr 1995Reactivated SR-71A 61-7971 flies SENIOR CROWN
61-7971, returned from NASA, made the first flight of the reactivation program from Palmdale, crewed by NASA's Ed Schneider and Marta Bohn-Meyer, a subsonic 1.4 hour functional check flight. The 9th Reconnaissance Wing commander formally accepted the aircraft for the Air Force on 28 June 1995.
28 Aug 1995Second reactivated SR-71, 61-7967, flies SENIOR CROWN
61-7967 flew for the first time after refurbishment by Lockheed Martin, but needed nine functional check flights and did not pass its high-speed check until 12 January 1996. Both reactivated aircraft moved to Det 2 at Edwards AFB on 30 January and 1 February 1996.
27 Mar 2003Last stored SR-71s head to museums Legacy
NASA announced that SR-71B 61-7956 (NASA 831) would go to the Kalamazoo Air Zoo in Michigan. During 2003 the reactivated SR-71As also left Edwards: 61-7971 to the Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum in Oregon and 61-7967 to the Eighth Air Force Museum at Barksdale AFB, Louisiana.

Where the record disagrees

The host museum was renamed the North American Aerospace Museum in August 2026 (Flying, 13 August 2026). Last flight date (30 September 1997) and hours are from sr-71.org only. Coordinates are the museum site (Wikipedia infobox, cross-checked against OpenStreetMap).

Sources

  1. NASA Dryden Flight Research Center. NASA Facts FS-2008-6-030-DFRC: SR-71 Blackbird. Open · Archived · In the register
  2. SR-71 Online (sr-71.org), via Internet Archive. SR-71A #61-7971 gallery page (archived copy). Open · In the register
  3. Habu.org. 61-7971 (Blackbird Photo Archive). Archived copy · In the register
  4. Joe Baugher. 1961 USAF Serial Numbers (61-7950 to 61-7981). Open · Archived · In the register
  5. Flying Magazine. 'Spruce Goose' Home Rebrands as North American Aerospace Museum. Open · Archived · In the register
  6. SR-71 Online (sr-71.org), via Internet Archive. SR-71 Locations (archived copy, lists serial / Lockheed article number and fate). Open · In the register