Function: Very high speed, high altitude Aerial Reconnaissance

Length: 102 feet 3 inches

Wingspan: 55 feet 7 inches

Height: 18 feet 6 inches

Max takeoff weight: 117,000 pounds

Max Speed: Mach 3.2 above 75,000 feet

Crew: 1 (very busy person who had to fly the plane plus work the other recon equipment!)

Number built: 13 (not including the 2 that were converted to M-21's)

Fixed Armament: None

Engines: 2 Pratt & Whitney J-58 engines 30,000 lbs thrust

Function: Launch unmanned D-21A reconnaissance drone for possible over-flight of certain countries.

Basic dimensions same as A-12.

Crew: 2 (pilot and drone Launch Control Officer)

Number built: 2 (were originally to be A-12s until the D-21 drone project began)

Fixed Armament: None

Engines: Improved J-58 engines with thrust increased to 40,000 lbs

Construction: Titanium (Beta-120/Ti-13V-11Cr-3A1) Monococque with some super-high- temperature plastics

Length: 42 feet, 10 inches

Wingspan: 19 feet, 1/4 inch

Height: 7 feet, 1/4 inch

Maximum Gross Take-off Weight: 11,000 pounds

Maximum Speed: 3.35 Mach/ Maximum 3.25 at 80,000 to 95,000 feet

Operational Ceiling: 95,000 feet

Maximum Un-refueled Range: 3,000 nautical miles

Armament: None

Power Plant Data: Marquardt RJ43-MA-11 Ramjet with 1,500 pounds thrust

D-21 production: 38 drones

D-21A: M-21 launched, 4 launches

D-21B: B-52H launched, 17 Launches, with 4 operational missions

Function: Very high speed Interceptor

Length: 101 feet 8 inches.

Wingspan: 55 feet 7 inches

Height: 18 feet 6 inches

Max takeoff weight: 124,000 pounds

Max Speed: Mach 3.2 above 75,000 feet

Crew: 2 (Pilot and Weapon Systems Operator)

Number built: 3

Fixed Armament: 3 Hughes GAR-9/AIM-47A air-to-air radar-guided missile (max speed Mach 4)

Engines: 2 Pratt & Whitney J-58 engines 31,500 lbs thrust

Function: Very-high-speed, high-altitude Aerial Reconnaissance

Length: 107 feet 5 inches

Wingspan: 55 feet 7 inches

Height: 18 feet 6 inches

Max takeoff weight: 140,000 pounds

Max Speed: Mach 3.2 above 75,000 feet

Crew: 2 (Pilot and Reconnaissance Systems Operator)

Number built: SR-71A: 29...SR-71B: 2...SR-71C: 1

Fixed Armament: none.

Engines: 2 Pratt & Whitney J-58 engines 34,000 lbs thrust

Editors comments: Speed and altitude numbers for the planes are less than the planes could and did fly! Normal SR-71A cruise was 80,000' to 85,000'. Due to the additional cockpit mounted for the SR-71B, it was necessary to add two ventral fins and to allow increased rudder deflection to prevent excessive asymmetric thrust from destroying the plane. The YF-12A's also had ventral fins, including a large one that folded for takeoff and landing. The "B" and "C" model could fly to Mach 3.2.