Welcome to Episode 27 of Cold war conversations.
Today we are talking about the SR71 Blackbird spy plane of which only 32 were ever made.
The great defensive ability of the plane was its high speed and altitude. Standard evasive action was just to accelerate, which made it almost invulnerable to the attack technologies of the time. The top speed of the plane was mach 3.3 (2,200 miles/hour that’s 36 miles/minute).
Thanks to all those who are supporting the podcast with monthly pledges and donation. It is much appreciated and will allow us to expand our scope. If you would like to support the podcast further and get access to some exclusive extras click here.
Back to todays episode…our guest knows a bit about the SR71…
Buz Carpenter accrued 777 hours flying SR-71 planes. He flew Blackbirds as an aircraft commander and later as an instructor pilot, with over 60 operational missions. He also flew in the C-141, RF-4C, and T-38 planes, flying 150 combat hours in Vietnam. He worked in the Pentagon and served as Wing commander at Ramstein Air Base in German during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm.
He retired as a Colonel after serving as the 2nd Air Force Vice Commander, responsible for all the USAF Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance flying assets. He is currently a docent for the Smithsonian Institution’s National Air and Space Museum, Udvar Hazy Center.
We welcome Buz Carpenter to Cold War Conversations.
Books
Sr-71 Blackbird: Stories, Tales and Legends
Video
Tour of the SR71 with Buz Carpenter
More from Col Buz Carpenter and the SR-71 Blackbird
Best Documentary 2016 First Stealth Blackbird SR 71 | History Documentary HD 1080p
Support the Podcast and get access to exclusive extra content
Available on our Patreon page here