Lockheed SR-71A

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The SR-71 Blackbird , unofficially known as the Blackbird or Habu (after the Japanese adder), is an American reconnaissance aircraft with long range and very high speed (over Mach 3). The aircraft was developed from the Lockheed YF-12A and A-12 aircraft by Lockheed Skunk Works (which also developed the U-2 ). 1 ] SR-71 flew between 1964 and 1998. Of the 32 planes built, 12 crashed, none of them in combat. The SR-71 is also the world's fastest jet with a maximum speed of Mach 3.3 (that is, 3.3 times the speed of sound). At such high speeds, the rapidly increasing air pressure in front of the aircraft makes the surface so hot that it cannot be moved without burning. The components are designed with regard to thermal expansion, which means that the fuselage leaks fuel when it is cold.