Wingman: Habu’s Last Hurrah

It was a record-setter.

Congress voted in late 1989 to retire the SR-71 Blackbird. Soon thereafter, the Smithsonian Institution requested one of the triple-sonic reconnaissance aircraft for display.

Reconnaissance System Officer Joseph “J. T.” Vida and I had been flying test missions at Palmdale, Calif., primarily with tail No. 972. 

We were thrilled to be chosen to be that Blackbird’s crew for a historic retirement flight, March 6, 1990, delivering it to Dulles Arpt., Va., outside Washington, D.C. 

At the same time, we felt sad the fleet was being retired and that this would be our last Blackbird flight.  We knew that any of the SR-71 crews had the expertise to fly this record flight, so we were determined to represent well the men and women who designed, maintained, supported, and flew the Blackbird during its reconnaissance service in the Cold War.

Running Start 

After takeoff from Palmdale at 4:30 a.m., J. T. and I refueled with KC-135s over the Pacific, then lit the afterburners for a 200-mile running start. We crossed the West Coast, accelerating through Mach 2.5 as planned, because fuel was tight. Minutes later we reached our flight manual cruise limit of Mach 3.3. 

We streaked faster than a rifle bullet across the US, reaching an altitude of 83,000 feet and setting an aircraft coast-to-coast record of 67 minutes, 54 seconds. 

We set three other speed records—all to bring attention to the SR-71 and its 25 years of service.

The SR-71—nicknamed “Habu” after an Okinawan viper—was briefly reactivated but retired for the final time in 1999. No. 972 is now displayed at the Smithsonian’s Udvar-Hazy Center near Dulles, where it continues to inspire pride.

This Thing Is Slow

Two days after our record-setting delivery flight, J. T. and I sat in a United Airlines 767 for our nonstop flight back to California.

After takeoff, we were moved up to First Class, as recognition for our role in history. That was the first time I had ever been a First Class passenger. The service was nice, and J. T. and I enjoyed answering questions, signing autographs, and handing out SR-71 pins.

The United 767 return was a good flight and all, but gosh, it took five hours to fly back to California. J

Lt. Col. R. Edward Yeilding, USAF (Ret.), is a member of the Tennessee Valley Chap­ter in Alabama. Mike Machat is an aviation artist and member of California’s Gen. Doolittle Los Angeles Area Chapter. His latest book is Painting Aviation’s Legends.

Blackbird’s March 6, 1990, Speed Records

Erroneous times and speeds for this flight often appear in print and on the internet. These are the official numbers established by the National Aeronautic Association, printed in their record book, decimals rounded.—Ed Yeilding