Lost on 24 May 1963, Nevada. When water
froze in the pitot tube causing an incorrect reading on the TDI(Triple
Display Instrument). The aircraft (first A-12 to crash) stalled, then the
A-12 entered a inverted spin, crashing 14 miles South of Wendover, UT. The
CIA Pilot Ken Collins ejected safely.
6927/ #124B
First heard it was in storage for Cal
Museum of Science,but know heard that it is in storage for New Orleans, LA;
or for CIA Headquarters.
6928/ #125
Lost on 5 January 1967, Groom Lake,Nevada.
With a faulty fuel guage, CIA Pilot Walt Ray was on final to Groom Lake, NV,
when the A-12 ran out of fuel. Walt Ray ejected from the aircraft, he failed
to seperate from the ejection seat and was killed when he landed in
seat.
6929/ #126
Lost on 28 December 1967, Groom Lake, NV.
A-12 had a SAS (Stability Augmentation System) wired in reverse causing the
CIA Pilot Mel Vojovidich to loose control of the A-12. Vojovidich ejected
safely.
6930/ #127
On display at Alabama Space & Rocket
Center, Huntsville, AL
6931/ #128
On display at Minnesota Air National Guard
Museum, MN
6932/ #129
Lost on 5 June 1968, in South China Sea
off Phillipines Islands. While on a FCF (Functional Check Flight) CIA Pilot
Jack Weeks and the A-12 disappered, No trace was ever found of pilot or
aircraft.
6933/ #130
On display at San Diego Aerospace Museum,
San Diego, CA
6934-6936
Numbers assigned to YF-12 production, see
below
6937/ #131
First A-12 deployed to Kadena AB, Okinawa,
Operation Black Shield
Flew the first of the 29 A-12 missions
over North Vietnam, 22 May 1967
Flew the last Black Shield mission in
support of AGER-2 USS Pueblo, 8 May 1968
Flew last A-12 flight 21 June 1968
Flew 345.75 hours in 177 flights.
On display at the Lockheed Martin Skunk
Works, AF plant 42, Palmdale, CA. It is just inside the fence at the South
entrance to the main plant.
6938/ #132
On display at USS Alabama Battleship
Memorial Park, Mobile, AL
6939/ #133
Lost on 9 July 1964, at Groom Lake, NV.
While on approach to Groom Lake, the aircraft suffered a hydraulic failure,
causing loss of control of the A-12. Lockheed Test Pilot Bill Park ejected
safely.
6940/ #134M
Actually a M-21, On display at Museum of
Flight, Seattle,WA. Mated with D-21 drone
6941/ #135M
M-21, Lost on 30 July 1966, near Midway
Island, (some sources say Pt. Mugu, CA). While launching a D-21 drone, the
drone was trapped in the shock wave of the aircraft, forcing the drone back
into the M-21, causing the aircraft to break-up at Mach 3. The Lockheed Test
Pilot Bill Park and the LCO (Launch Control Officer) Ray Torick ejected
safely, but upon landing in the water Ray Torrick's suit, which became torn
in the ejection, caused the suit to fill with water drowning Torrick. Bill
Park was rescued safely. This crash prompted the end of the M-21/ D-21
program.
Serial Numbers assigned to A-12 production
was 60-6924 through 60-6948
Serial numbers 60-6942 through 60-6948 were
not used
YF-12A
6934/ #1001
Lost on 14 August 1966 (some sources say
14 July 1966), at Edwards AFB, CA. Seriously damaged during a landing at
Edwards. The rear half of the YF was fused with the front half of the SR-71
static model to make the SR-71C #64-17981.
6935/ #1002
On display in Annex of USAF Museum,
Wright-Patterson, OH
6936/ #1003
Lost on 24 June 1971, Edwards AFB, CA.
While in the traffic pattern at Edwards AFB, a fire broke due to fuel line
rupture, while on final the entire aircraft became engulfed in fire and both
crew members ejected safely, Lt. Col. Ronald Layton, and Major Bill
Curtis.
SR-71s
950/ #2001
Lost on 10 January 1967 at Edwards AFB,
CA. During anti-skid braking tests, the tires blew out causing a fire, which
resulted in the loss of the aircraft. Lockheed Test pilot Art Peterson
survived.
951/ #2002
On display at Pima Air Museum, Tucson,
AZ
952/ #2003
Lost on 25 January 1966 near Tucumcari,
NM. While in a 30 deg. bank at Mach 3 and 80,000 ft, the right engine had an
unstart. Which caused the aircraft to desintegrate. The Lockheed RSO Jim
Zwayer was killed in the bailout, while Lockheed Test Pilot Bill Weaver
survived even though he never ejected, the aircraft desintegrated around
him.
953/ #2004
Lost on 18 December 1969 near Shosone, CA.
After an inflight explosion, both USAF Pilot and RSO: Lt. Col. Joe Rogers/
Lt. Col. Garry Heidelbaugh ejected safely. No explanation for the explosion
was ever found.
954/ #2005
Lost on 11 April 1969 at Edwards AFB, CA.
While doing maximum weight take-off tests, the left main tires blew causing
a fire which engulfed the entire aircraft. USAF Pilot/ RSO: Lt. Col. Bill
Skliar/ Major Noel Warner escaped safely.
955/ #2006
On display at Edwards AFB, CA
956/ #2007
"B" model (trainer); Now being shared by
NASA and USAF
957/ #2008
SR-71B (Trainer) Lost on 11 Janaury 1968
near Beale AFB, CA. While over Washington state the SR suffered double
generator failure. The Instructor Pilot: Lt. Col. Robert Sowers and the
Student Pilot: Capt. David Fruehauf managed to get the aircraft on final to
Beale when both engines flamed out due to fuel pump cavitation. Both crew
members ejected safely, while the SR crashed inverted several miles from
Beale AFB, CA.
958/ #2009
On display at Museum of Aviation, Robbins
AFB, GA
959/ #2010
"Big Tail" On display at USAF Armament
Museum, Eglin AFB, FL
960/ #2011
On display at Castle AFB, CA
961/ #2012
On display at Kansas Cosomphere and Space
Center, Hutchinson, KS
962/ #2013
In storage at Palmdale, CA
963/ #2014
On display on flightline at Beale AFB,
CA
964/ #2015
On display at SAC Museum, Offutt AFB,
NE
965/ #2016
Lost on 25 October 1967 near Lovelock, NV.
The aircraft suffered an INS (Inertial Navigation System) failure while on
night flight. After unknowingly entering a dive, the USAF Pilot/ RSO: Capt.
Roy St.Martin/ Capt. John Carnochan ejected safely. The aircraft crashed
near Lovelock, NV. This was the second SR lost by USAF.
966/ #2017
Lost on 13 April 1965 near Las Vegas, NM.
The aircraft entered a subsonic stall after a night refueling. The aircraft
crashed near Las Vegas, NM, after both USAF Pilot/RSO: Capt. Earle Boone/
Capt. Richard Sheffield ejected safely. First SR loss by USAF.
967/ #2018
Was in storage at Palmdale, CA; Now being
refurbished by Lockheed for USAF, Made first flight after refurbishing on 28
August 1995. Now being flown by USAF out of Edwards AFB, CA.
968/ #2019
In storage at Palmdale, CA
969/ #2020
Lost on 10 May 1970 near Korat Royal Thai
Air Force Base (RTAFB), Thailand. After refueling the aircraft was in a
climb back to altitude, when it entered a huge thunderstorm with clouds well
above 45,000 ft. Both engines flamed out and unable to save the aircraft
both USAF Pilot/ RSO: Maj. William Lawson/ Maj. Glibert Martinez ejected
safely.
970/ #2021
Lost on 17 June 1970 near El Paso, TX.
After refueling, the SR and the KC-135Q collided, when the SR suddenly
pitched up and hit the tanker. The USAF Pilot/RSO: Lt. Col. Buddy Brown/
Maj. Mortimer Jarvis both ejected safely, but Buddy Brown broke both his
legs during the ejection. The KC-135Q limped back to Beale AFB, CA and
arrived safely.
971/ #2022
Was on loan to NASA
Now being flown by the USAF out of Edwards
AFB, CA
Fly-by aircraft at Beale Air Fest '97; Lt.
Col. Gil Luloff Pilot; ? RSO
972/ #2023
In storage at Dulles Intl. Airport for
National Air & Space Museum
973/ #2024
On display at Backbird Airpark, Palmdale,
CA
974/ #2025
Lost on 21 April 1989 near the Phillipines
in the South China Sea. While climbing out from Kadena AB, Okinawa, the
right engine exploded severing the hydraulic lines for the flight controls.
Seeing the lowering hydraulic pressure the USAF PIlot: Lt. Col. Dan House
headed for the nearest base, which was in the Phillipines, nearing the coast
they lost all control of the SR and he and his RSO: Maj. Blair Bozek ejected
safely landing just off the coast of the Phillipines. They were rescued by
native fisherman shortly before US Rescue forces arrived. The SR was
recovered after a lengthy salvage mission.
975/ #2026
On display at March AFB, CA
976/ #2027
On display at USAF Museum,
Wright-Patterson AFB, OH
977/ #2028
Lost on 10 October 1968 at Beale AFB, CA.
After returning from maintenance at Lockheed ADP, on take-off one of the
wheel hubs exploded causing a fire, which engulfed the aircraft. USAF RSO:
Maj. James Kogler ejected, Pilot: Maj.Gabriel Kardong elected to stay with
the aircraft. Both crew members survived.
978/ #2029
Lost on 20 July 1972 at Kadena AB,
Okinawa. Attemping to land with a severe crosswind, USAF PIlot: Capt. Dennis
Bush had to abort the landing after deploying the braking chute. He
jettisoned the chute and went around and attempted to land again, without
the chute. The second attempt was too fast and the SR went off the end of
the runway, ripping off the main landing gear and causing considerable
damage to the underside of the aircraft. The RSO: Capt. James Fagg and pilot
survived safely. This aircraft was known as"Rapid Rabbit". They tried to
destroy the aircraft by burning it, but were not successful, it was buried
near the end of the runway in a small hill, now known as Habu Mtn.
979/ #2030
On display at USAF History and Traditions
Museum, Lackland AFB, TX
980/ #2031
Currently being flown by NASA as
#844
Currently has Linear Aerospike engine
mounted on it for LASRE tests.
981/ #2001
"C" model (trainer), built from front end
of SR-71 static test model & aft end of YF-12 #934; On display at Hill
AFB, UT
AF Serial Numbers assigned for the SR-71:
61-17950 through 61-17985
Serial numbers 61-17982 through 61-17985
were not used
Sources:
"Lockheed Skunk Works, The First 50 Years" by
Jay Miller
"Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird" by Paul Crickmore
"Lockheed SR-71, The Secret Missions Exposed"
by Paul Crickmore