SR-71A 61-7963 by David ilott Via Flickr: Former 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing SR-71A Blackbird 61-7963 preserved at Beale AFB in October 1993.

Initial SR-71 Cadre 27 May 1967 Restored by Dale Shelton Via Flickr: In the front row, from left to right are: Sgt Dave Gallard, Jack Kennon (Ops Officer), Ray Haupt (1RS Commander), Hal Confer (DCO), Bill Hayes (9SRW Commander), Charles Minter (9SRW Vice Commander), John Boynton (99SRS Commander), Harlon Hain (Ops Officer) & MSgt Loignon. The pilots are in the second row, with their RSOs directly behind them, again starting from the left: Storrie/Mallozzi, Sowers/Sheffield, Hichew/Schmittou, Collins/Seagroves, Bill Campbell/Pennington, Halloran/Jarvis, Brown/Jensen, Dale Shelton/Boggess, O'Malley/Payne, Walbrecht/Loignon, Boone/Vick, Bevacqua/Crew, Watkins/Dempster, DeVall/Shoemaker, Spencer/Branham, McCallum/Locke, St. Martin/Carnochan, Bull/McNeer, Powell/Kendrick, Daubs/Roetcisoender, Bobby Campbell/Kraus, Kardong/Coleman, Maier/Casey, Fruehauf/Mathers, and Hudson/Ferrell. - info courtesy of Dr. Coy Cross, Beale AFB 9RW/HO

SR71_v_c_o_AKP (orig. M.O.D. (P.E.) R.A.F. Farnborough photo, neg. no. B2460-15, 2-9-74) by Mike Acs Via Flickr: “On September 1, 1974 Major James V. Sullivan, 37 (pilot) and Major Noel F. Widdifield, 33 (Reconnaissance Systems Officer), flashed across the starting line (radar gates in New York) at approximately 80,000 feet and speed in excess of 2,000 miles per hour. Exactly 1 hour 54 minutes and 56.4 seconds later, they had set a new world speed record from New York to London, England. The average speed was 1,807 statute mph over the 3,461 statute mile course, slowing to refuel one time from a specially modified KC-135 refueling tanker. The aircraft was placed on static display at the Farnborough Air Show for one week. It marked the first time the secret plane had been on public display outside of the United States. Clarence L. "Kelly" Johnson, the aircraft’s designer, was on hand for the event. He remarked, "It (the SR-71) has exceeded all my expectations." The above is much better than anything I could’ve come up with. At: sr71.com/srspee~1.htm See also: sr71.com/image2~1.htm Both above credit: "SR-71 Blackbirds" website New York to London: - 1 hour - 54 minutes - 56.4 seconds Excellent, with additional wonderful photos: www.key.aero/article/mach-3-men One of those wonderful photos. From a different viewpoint, and a moment before my posted photo. Fantastic: fullfatthings-keyaero.b-cdn.net/sites/keyaero/files/impor... Credit: "KEY.AERO" website Mind boggling. A striking photograph of probably the most brutally stunning, drop-dead gorgeous operational aircraft - EVER. Doesn’t that look like a Harrier - on the tarmac? - in the background to the right? Maybe the other aircraft that are also visible? So, if the above is correct, then the aircraft basically had a ‘running start’. Then was the ‘finish line’ analogous, thus ‘running’ through such radar gates IVO Farnborough? London Heathrow? The aircraft resides at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center.