I just recently saw the plane at WPAFB. I think its last flight was coast-to-coast in 67 minutes. I had a chance when I was teaching at Creighton University to ride in a refueling tanker (C-47?) with an AF friend of mine, who was working at SAC Headquarters, Offutt AFB. A 71 called in and said he was slowing down for refuel. We were almost to the Iowa-IL state line when he called. He said approximately 10 minutes to link-up. When asked where he was, he reported: “Over Billings, Montana.” Holy crap, Batman! When he showed up, he was literally at stall speed and the tanker was firewalled. He took on a load of fuel, dropped down and—whish!—was gone. He radioed in a few minutes later (we had just crossed into IL) and said he had just completed his turn for home. When asked where he was now, he reported he was over Atlanta! The 71 couldn’t turn at all, but it was a bat-out-of-hell in a straight line.
I am green with envy! And I thot I hitched a few remarkable rides.
Way cool personal story!!
another good one:
http://foxtrotalpha.jalopnik.com/the-sr-71-blackbirds-most-spectacular-flyover-was-also-1719654907