LOCKHEED SR-71 BLACKBIRD 91
Above: Around 85 per cent of the SR-71’s structure
was made of high-grade titanium, chosen for its
ability to withstand extreme temperatures and its
light weight compared to steel. Just to get a J58
engine up to starting RPM (revs per minute) required
over 600hp. Initially this was provided by a ‘start
cart’ made up of two Buick racing car engines,
connected to the J58’s starter drive via a gearbox.Left: ‘Blackbird’, ‘Habu’, ‘Sled’. No matter what the
Lockheed SR-71 was called, it was a true world
beater. Few aviators ever got the chance to fly the SR-- In over 20 years of service, just 314 US Air Force
pilots took it to Mach 2+.