The most complete book ever published on the SR-71 Blackbird, from initial design stage and testing through production, testing, and operations. The legendary SR-71 Blackbird spy plane was, and still is, the world's only operational Mach 3 aircraft, and was designed, built, and tested by Lockheed's famed Skunk Works. This new book covers all fifty Blackbirds built, from the first flight in 1962, to the last in 1999. As a replacement for the venerable U-2 spyplane, Lockheed went from contract signing to first flight in only thirty-two months starting in April 1958 - from the beginning of design studies to the signing of a contract from the...