Tools of War: The Fubuki-class Destroyer

Fubuki, lead ship of her class.

Tools of War: The Fubuki-class Destroyer

 In 1928, the Imperial Japanese Navy introduced the Special Type destroyer. With much heavier armament than contemporary destroyers, the Fubuki-class became the new standard for destroyers in navies across the globe.

by Seth Marshall

                In 1922, the Washington Naval Treaty was signed by the United States, Great Britain, Italy, France, and Japan. The purpose of the treaty was to put an end to a naval arms race which had sprung up in the wake of the First World War. In an effort to stem the cost of massive shipbuilding programs, the Treaty placed limits on the amount of tonnage and size of capital ships. Battleship construction was limited to a displacement of 35,000 tons and a gun caliber no larger than 16”. Cruisers were limited in displacement to no more than 10,000 tons with no larger than 8” guns. Additionally, the size and tonnage of carriers was limited. While it signed the treaty, Japan was not happy with the results of the treaty, and felt that it restricted their ability to operate in the Pacific.[1]

                The end of result of this Treaty for Japan was that it came to the conclusion that since it was restricted in the construction of major capital ships, it would have to make up for this gap in other areas. Japan’s solution was the Special Type destroyer, also known as the Fubuki-class. When the first destroyer was commissioned in 1928, it completely changed the way that navies viewed destroyers. The Fubukis were much more powerful than their contemporaries. Armament consisted of six 5” guns in three dual mounts, three triple torpedo launchers, and two 7.7mm machine guns for anti-aircraft protection. The torpedoes made the Fubukis particularly deadly, as the launchers utilized the Type 93 torpedo, the finest torpedo designed by the Japanese and were more than deadly enough to destroy Allied capital ships. The new destroyer’s guns were also a substantial improvement over previous designs. The 5” guns were larger than older designs, and the dual mounts meant that gun crews would not have to operate exposed to the elements, though with .1 inches of armor, the mounts offered little to no protection. When launched, the Fubuki was 50% more powerful in armament than the preceding Mutsuki-class. Propulsion for the was provided by four boilers driving two geared turbines that made 50,000 shaft horsepower, which translated to 35 knots. Additionally, numerous new design features were incorporated, welding on the hull and lighter alloys used on the structure above the main deck.[2]

A US Navy Office of Naval Intelligence profile of the Fubuki-class.

                To emphasize how the Fubuki measured up against its contemporaries, here is a comparison to the US Navy’s Clemson-class and the Royal Navy’s A-class:

Sources: 1) Fubuki-class Destroyer." Combinedfleet.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Feb. 2016., 2) Arthur, Andrew, and Bruce T. Swain. ""A" Class Destroyers." Royal Navy Ships of World War 2. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Feb. 2016. 3)Budge, Kent G. "Clemson Class, U.S. Destroyers." The Pacific War Online Encyclopedia:. N.p., 2007. Web. 22 Feb. 2016.

As can be seen above, the Fubuki had a marked advantage in firepower over contemporary destroyers. At the time that the Fubuki-class came into service, the Clemson-class was already obsolete and was under-armed against the Fubuki. The A-class was also out-gunned, though it was a better design than the Clemson and served as a basis for future Royal Navy destroyers. Additionally, the IJN destroyer had the advantage of having much better torpedoes than any other navy at the time.[3][4][5]

The USS Clemson (DD-186) was the lead ship of its class

The HMS Achates, an A-class destroyer. Source: Imperial War Museum.

The IJN’s plans called for 24 Fubuki-class destroyers. These were produced in two groups of ten, the Special Type I and the Special Type II which were distinguished by several technical differences. Type A turret, while the Type II had the Type B turret.  The most noticeable difference was that the Type I had the  The last four ships that were to be produced featured so many changes from the original design that they were redesignated as the Akatsuki-class. The names of the twenty destroyers were: Fubuki, Hatsuyuki, Miyuki, Murakamo, Shinonome, Usugumo, Isonami, Uranami, Ayanami, Shikinami, Asagiri, Sagiri, Oboro, Akebono, Sazanami, and Ushio.

The Yugiri, showing the potent armament and speed of the Fubuki-class. Source: Kure Maritime Museum.

Despite the advantages of the Fubuki-class, it was not without problems. The design was overweight from the outset, which caused serious stability issues. There were also concerns with the structural integrity of the design. On September 26, 1935, the IJN fleet ran into a typhoon at sea. Two Special Type destroyers lost their bows, three more suffered severe structural damage, and six others had hull damage. As a result, from November 1935 to 1938 all of the Fubuki-class were sent back to the shipyards for hull strengthening and weight reduction. A ballast keel and an additional 40 tons of ballast were added. To lighten the topside of the ship, whose weight was the partial source of instability, a number of measures were taken: the bridge was reduced in size, smoke stacks were shortened, the number of torpedo reloads reduced, and magazine storage for the main guns was reduced. The result of these efforts was that the displacement was increased to 2,090 tons and top speed reduced to 34 knots, but the stability concerns had successfully been addressed. [6]

During the Pacific War, the Fubukis saw extensive service. For example, the Shikinami, which was assigned to Destroyer Division 19, was responsible for finishing off the cruiser USS Houston at the Battle of Sunda Strait during early 1942, participated in the Second Naval Battle of Guadalcanal from November 12-15, 1942, survived the Battle of the Bismarck Sea in 1943, and was finally sunk by the submarine USS Growler on September 12, 1944.[7] Another Fubuki-class, the Amagiri, was the ship responsible for sinking John F. Kennedy’s PT-109 on August 2, 1943.[8] It was later sunk by a mine in the Makassar Strait on April 23, 1944. As the war progressed, surviving Fubukis were modified to increase their survivability. Anti-aircraft armament was increased first to 2 x 13mm twin mounts, then to 2 x 25mm triple mounts, then to even more 25mm triple mounts, with some destroyers apparently being armed with as many as fifteen triple 25mm mounts. Seven of the destroyers were also eventually fitted with No. 22 radars, but the first was not installed on the Yugiri until November 1943, long after the tide of the war had shifted in favor of the Allies.[9] Eighteen of the class were sunk- six to Allied submarines, seven to aerial attack, three to Allied surface ships, and two to mines. Only one of the destroyers, the Ushio, survived the war (another destroyer, the Miyuki, was sunk in a collision in 1934).

The Amagiri, the destroyer which was responsible for sinking future-President John F. Kennedy's PT-Boat. Amagiri was herself sunk the following year when she struck a mine. 

The Shikinami survived numerous battles early in the Pacific War only to be sunk by an American submarine, the USS Growler, in 1944.

The Fubuki-class was a destroyer design that became the blueprint for future designs in the IJN, and also influenced plans in other navies. Fast and heavily armed, the Fubukis performed well in their intended role of making massed torpedo attacks against enemy surface ships. However, when faced with increasing numbers of aircraft and submarines, the Fubukis were not as effective and subsequently nearly all of them were lost. Nonetheless, the Fubuki-class destroyer remains an important milestone in the history of the IJN.

[1] Budge, Kent G. "Naval Disarmament Treaties." The Pacific War Online Encyclopedia. N.p., 2006. Web. 21 Feb. 2016.

[2] P.260-262-Stille, Mark. The Imperial Japanese Navy in the Pacific War. N.p.: Osprey, 2014. Print.

[3] "Fubuki-class Destroyer." Combinedfleet.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Feb. 2016.

[4] Arthur, Andrew, and Bruce T. Swain. ""A" Class Destroyers." Royal Navy Ships of World War 2. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Feb. 2016.

[5] Budge, Kent G. "Clemson Class, U.S. Destroyers." The Pacific War Online Encyclopedia:. N.p., 2007. Web. 22 Feb. 2016.

[6] P.261- Stille, Mark. The Imperial Japanese Navy in the Pacific War. N.p.: Osprey, 2014. Print.

[7] P. 269- Stille, Mark. The Imperial Japanese Navy in the Pacific War. N.p.: Osprey, 2014. Print.

[8] P.265- Stille, Mark. The Imperial Japanese Navy in the Pacific War. N.p.: Osprey, 2014. Print.

[9] P. 262- Stille, Mark. The Imperial Japanese Navy in the Pacific War. N.p.: Osprey, 2014. Print.

Greenland's War

By Seth Marshall

After the fall of Denmark in the spring of 1940, numerous countries sought to control the world’s largest sub-continental island. While sparsely populated, the island provided an ideal site to forecast weather that affected Europe and provided and place from which land-based aircraft could patrol the North Atlantic.

            Greenland is the world’s largest sub-continental island. Despite its size, the island has always had a very small population. Even today, the population numbers less than 70,000 people. First populated by Inuit peoples 4-5,000 years ago, Greenland was colonized by several waves of Inuits, the last of which arrived late in the 9th Century. Also arriving in the late 9th Century was Norse settlers led by Erik the Red. The settlers remained until the 1500s, when the Norse population disappeared for reasons not entirely known. In the 17th and 18th Centuries, other European explorers from England, Norway, and Denmark arrived. Eventually, the English and Norwegians left the Danes in charge of the island. However, on April 9, 1940, Germany invaded and occupied Denmark. Connections from Denmark and Greenland were severed and the island was left unprotected and exposed.[1]

            While Greenland had a low population and seemed a relatively unimportant piece of land in the North Atlantic, it was considered important for several reasons. First, one of the few exports of importance from the island was cryolite, an alloy used in the production of aluminum for aircraft. Additionally, the position of Greenland made it an ideal location to position airfields for both the transfer of aircraft across the Atlantic and for patrolling the ocean. Perhaps most importantly, the island was the origin point for much of the weather that affected Europe. This point in particular would prove to be of interest to Germany.

            In the summer of 1940, Germany established several expeditions to Greenland in the vicinity of Scoresby Sound. While these stations were operated by Scandanavians, they were controlled by the German military with the purpose of feeding meteorological information back to Europe. In the fall of 1940, the British countered the Germans by sending raiding parties to dismantle the radio stations, capturing some aviation fuel and several individuals. Later, the British seized a ship with some fifty Germans on board.[2]

            It was at this juncture that the United States became interested in Greenland. Secretary of State Cordell Hull became concerned with the amount of German activity in the region and discussed solutions with the US military and representatives of the Danish government in exile. The US decided that it would build several airfields on the island, officially began to formulate a plan to build sites. On February 6, 1941, President Roosevelt gave his approval to a plan to construct several new bases on Greenland. On April 9, 1941, the Hull-Kauffman agreement was formally signed.

“The Hull-Kauffman agreement gave the United States the right to construct, maintain, and operate in Greenland such airfields, seaplane facilities, and other defense facilities as were necessary to protect the sovereignty of Denmark and the territorial integrity of Greenland. The rights granted to the United States were extensive. They included, among others, the authority to deepen harbors and anchorages, to construct roads and fortifications, and, in general, “the right to do any and all things necessary to insure the efficient operation, maintenance and protection” of whatever defense facilities were established. It was agreed that areas necessary for these purposes would be leased to the United States.”[3]

One of Greenland's USAAF bases not long after construction.

On March 17th, the USCGC Cayuga was dispatched to Greenland to survey airfield sites. A small garrison was left in place, which was quickly increased in April from 100 to 480. By mid-1941, construction on two airfields was underway- one was known as BLUIE WEST I, in Narsarssuak,  and the other as BLUIE WEST 8.[4]

                Meanwhile, the Germans continued with their efforts to establish weather and radio stations along Greenland’s eastern coast. In late summer 1941, the Germans conducted Operation Bud, an effort to land more personnel on Greenland. Six Germans were stationed on the island until August 1942, when they were evacuated by U-boat.[5] In September, the Norwegian trawler Buskoe was captured attempting to establish a weather and radio station.[6]  In response to this, the Americans continued to expand their bases in Greenland. By June 30, 1942, BLUIE WEST I had 783 men, BLUIE WEST 8 had 379 officers and men, and there were 238 men at Ivigtut.[7] That fall, infantry and coastal artillery were brought in to provide additional defenses. The airbases were used by the USAAF for patrolling the Northern Atlantic searching for U-boats and escorting convoys making their way to England. The bases were also used as stopover points for aircraft that were being ferried to England and the Mediterranean theater.[8]

                In order to combat the Germans continuing efforts to establish weather stations on the East Coast, Danes and native Greenlanders established the Sled Patrol, teams of sled-borne men who patrolled the vast coastlines of eastern Greenland. Additionally, several US Coast Guard ships patrolled the coastline and would periodically land American GIs to search for Germans. While most of the time the patrols did not discover anything of interest, occasionally the patrols would encounter the enemy. On one occasion, the Sled Patrol discovered a weather base on Sabine Island. The Germans then raided the patrol station at Eskimonaes and burned the station to the ground, killing one patrolling soldier and capturing another. The captured man, a Dane named Marius Jensen, later escaped and in turn captured the enemy leader and brought him back to the Allied camp.[9] Later, a flight of USAAF bombers from Col. Bernt Balchen took off from Iceland to destroy the German camp. Upon reaching the base, the bombers strafed several buildings and sank a small supply ship. Two ships were dispatched, the USCG Northland and USCG North Star, to investigate what was left of the site. A single German was captured, the rest were presumed to have been evacuated. Following this, operations in 1943 were suspended due to bad weather.[10]

Members of the Sled Patrol examine captured parachute equipment at the site of an abandoned German weather station. 

A US shore party prepares to search a section of coastline for German weather stations. Source: The National World War II Museum.

The USCGC Northland (WPG-49), an arctic cutter originally designed as a cruising cutter, meaning that she was equipped with sails. Originally commissioned on May 7, 1927, she served in a variety of roles until she was decommissioned for the first time in 1938. Recommissioned the following year, she saw extensive service in the arctic circle during World War II. During this time, she was armed with 2 x 3 in./50 guns, 4 x 20mm AA autocannons, 2 x depth charge racks, and 2 x Y-Guns for antisubmarine operations. She was also equipped with a scout plane, a Grumman J2F-5. Her complement was 108 enlisted men and 18 officers. She was decommissioned from the Coast Guard in early 1946 and transferred to the Israeli Navy, where she served until 1961.

Another view of the USCGC Northland. Source: The National World War II Museum.

Coast Guard Grumman J2F scout planes search for German activity off the east coast of Greenland. Source: The National World War II Museum.

                In spite of the destruction of this base, German weather station operations continued until 1944. Several expeditions, codenamed Operations Crusader, Viola, Treasurer, and Notch were undertaken between 1943-1944, but all came to a premature end. Operation Notch in particular ended in disaster as the trawler Sachsen was attacked by Allied aircraft and sunk. The crew split up, some making their escape via German aircraft and others were captured by the Americans.[11] In 1944, the Germans sent three additional expeditions to Greenland in 1944 to set up additional weather stations. In July, the Northland found one of the weather stations at Cape Sussie, along with the trawler Coburg which was trapped in ice and destroyed both. In September,  Northland discovered another German ship attempting to bring another of the expeditions. The Germans attempted to flee, but eventually scuttled their ship when they realized that they could not escape. All 28 members of the expedition and crew were captured.[12]

                In October, the Northland was replaced by the USCGC Eastwind, a newly launched armed icebreaker. For several days, the Eastwind’s scout plane, a Grumman J2F “Duck” biplane, searched for the remaining German weather stations and eventually located a German camp. Early on October 4th, an American team landed and captured the 12-man German weather team, commanded by LT Karl Schmidt, along with the German’s radios, meteorological equipment, and documents that gave details about the German operations in Greenland, including a third expedition which had not yet been captured. The Eastwind’s scout plane continued to search, and on October 14th located the trawler Externsteine, responsible for delivering the third German expedition to Greenland. The following day, the cutter steamed within range of the trawler and opened fire and demanded the Externsteine’s surrender. After several salvoes, the Germans surrendered. The commander of the Eastwind forced several German officers back aboard their ship in order to ensure that the scuttling charges in place were not detonated. As it transpired, the German ship was stuck in ice- when the shells had started to fall, they had believed that they were under attack by tanks, thinking it impossible for ships to navigate the pack ice. Much to their consternation, the Coast Guard personnel were able to free the ship with some well-placed explosives. The Externsteine was then rechristened the Eastbreeze. The capture of the Externsteine along with the third expedition ended German operations in Greenland during World War II.[13]

The Northland's replacement was the USCGC Eastwind (WAGB-279), a Wind-class icebreaker. Commissioned on July 15, 1944, she was much more formidable than the Northland. She was armed with 4 x 5in guns in dual turrets, 3 x quad-mounted 40mm Bofors AA guns, 6 x Oerlikon 20mm autocannons, and 6 x K-Guns and a Hedgehog projector for anti-submarine action. She also carried her own scout plane. She remained in service after the war and was finally decommissioned in 1968 and was scrapped sometime in the 1970s.

Another view of the USCGC Eastwind in her wartime configuration. Source: US Coast Guard.

Members of the last German weather station in Greenland surrender to US troops on October 4, 1944.

The trawler Externsteine, trapped in ice. After her capture, she was made a prize ship and rechristened USCGC Eastbreeze. She was turned over to the US Navy and renamed the USS Callao (IX-205) in January 1945. She was decommissioned in 1950 and scrapped. 

Members of the Coast Guard raise the flag aboard the Externsteine on October 16, 1944. Source: US Coast Guard.

German prisoners being transported to a POW camp in the US. Source: US Coast GUard

                When Germany surrendered in 1945, Greenland was returned to Danish rule. A number of the American bases were closed, but BLUIE WEST 6 remained opened and is today operated by the US Air Force as Thule Air Base. It is difficult to say how successful the German weather stations were. They were certainly able to transmit a fair amount of information. Before the Holzauge weather station was discovered by the USCG, it was able to transmit over 1500 reports back to Germany.[14] Additionally, the Germans were able to tie up a not-unsubstantial amount of Allied resources by forcing them to counter the German weather stations. As a result, Greenland forces lost two killed and four wounded by direct action.[15] Further losses were incurred from accidents, such as the loss of the USCG Natsek, a converted fishing trawler, on December 17, 1942, when it sank in a snowstorm will all hands (23 men and 1 officer) in the Belle Isle Strait[16]. However, the Germans lost numerous personnel and ships in the process as well. In the any case, the war in Greenland remains one of the lesser known aspects of the war in Europe and in the Atlantic.  

Sources

1.       "The History of Greenland – From Dog Sled to Snowmobile." The History of Greenland – From Dog Sled to Snowmobile. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Feb. 2016.

2.       Zabecki, David T. World War II in Europe: An Encyclopedia. New York: Garland Pub., 1999. 628. Print.

3.       Evans, Mark Llewellyn. Great World War II Battles in the Arctic. Westport, CT: Greenwood, 1999. 60-62. Print.

4.       Conn, Stetson. Guarding the United States and Its Outposts. Washington: Office of the Chief of Military History, Dept. of the Army, 1964. 442-58. Print.

5.       Price, Scott T. "Arctic Combat: The Capture of the Nazi Trawler Externsteine by Scott T. Price." Arctic Combat: The Capture of the Nazi Trawler Externsteine by Scott T. Price. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Feb. 2016.

[1] The History of Greenland – From Dog Sled to Snowmobile." The History of Greenland – From Dog Sled to Snowmobile. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Feb. 2016

[2]P. 449, Conn, Stetson. Guarding the United States and Its Outposts. Washington: Office of the Chief of Military History, Dept. of the Army, 1964. 442-58. Print.

[3]P. 445,  Conn, Stetson. Guarding the United States and Its Outposts. Washington: Office of the Chief of Military History, Dept. of the Army, 1964. 442-58. Print.

[4] Conn, Stetson. Guarding the United States and Its Outposts. Washington: Office of the Chief of Military History, Dept. of the Army, 1964. 442-58. Print.

[5] P.61, Evans, Mark Llewellyn. Great World War II Battles in the Arctic. Westport, CT: Greenwood, 1999. 60-62. Print.

[6] P. 453, Conn, Stetson. Guarding the United States and Its Outposts. Washington: Office of the Chief of Military History, Dept. of the Army, 1964. 442-58. Print.

[7] P. 454, Conn, Stetson. Guarding the United States and Its Outposts. Washington: Office of the Chief of Military History, Dept. of the Army, 1964. 442-58. Print.

[8] P. 456, Conn, Stetson. Guarding the United States and Its Outposts. Washington: Office of the Chief of Military History, Dept. of the Army, 1964. 442-58. Print.

[9]Price, Scott T. "Arctic Combat: The Capture of the Nazi Trawler Externsteine by Scott T. Price." Arctic Combat: The Capture of the Nazi Trawler Externsteine by Scott T. Price. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Feb. 2016.

[10] P. 458, Conn, Stetson. Guarding the United States and Its Outposts. Washington: Office of the Chief of Military History, Dept. of the Army, 1964. 442-58. Print.

[11] P.61, Evans, Mark Llewellyn. Great World War II Battles in the Arctic. Westport, CT: Greenwood, 1999. 60-62. Print.

[12] Price, Scott T. "Arctic Combat: The Capture of the Nazi Trawler Externsteine by Scott T. Price." Arctic Combat: The Capture of the Nazi Trawler Externsteine by Scott T. Price. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Feb. 2016.

[13] Price, Scott T. "Arctic Combat: The Capture of the Nazi Trawler Externsteine by Scott T. Price." Arctic Combat: The Capture of the Nazi Trawler Externsteine by Scott T. Price. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Feb. 2016.

[14] P.61, Evans, Mark Llewellyn. Great World War II Battles in the Arctic. Westport, CT: Greenwood, 1999. 60-62. Print.

[15] P.628, Zabecki, David T. World War II in Europe: An Encyclopedia. New York: Garland Pub., 1999. 628. Print.

[16] P. 5, The Coast Guard at War. N.p.: Public Information Division, USCG Headquarters, 1947. Print. Chapter VIII.

Tools of War: The SR-71 Blackbird

Tools of War: The SR-71 Blackbird

For over twenty years during the Cold War, the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird was the world’s fastest and highest-flying reconnaissance aircraft. Utilizing technology that was far ahead of its time, the SR-71 provided vital strategic reconnaissance to American military leaders.

By Seth Marshall

                                On May 1, 1960, a Lockheed U-2 spyplane flown by Gary Powers was shot down by Soviet SA-2 surface-to-air missiles, touching off an international incident between the US and the Soviet Union. Despite the fact that the U-2 had been flying at over 70,000 feet, it was still vulnerable to interception by the new SAMs that were being built by the Soviet Union. Immediately after Powers’ shootdown, plans were set in motion for the development of a replacement for the U-2 . The result would eventually be the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird, a plane which was seemingly years ahead of its time.

                The Blackbird had its origins in an aircraft known as the A-12, another reconnaissance aircraft that was visually similar to the Blackbird. The A-12 first flew on April 30 1962, and was designed from the outset to fly reconnaissance missions at very high altitudes and cruise at Mach 3+ speeds. While many fighters have been able to approach such speeds at afterburner, none were able to cruise at that speed for long before destroying their engines. In addition, their airframes were not built to withstand the heat caused by the friction of passing air. In order to combat the heat, the Blackbird was built with titanium alloy, which wascapable of taking the 1,000+ degrees Farenheit.[1]  Later, it was discovered that the titanium was a very sensitive material which could easily be damaged by conventional tools. As a result, all tools used to maintain the aircraft had to be cadmium-free and made of titanium. Additionally, all SR-71s would be painted matte black, since black paint both emits and absorbs heat, which would further assist the aircraft in surviving the extreme environment that it would be flying in.

The Lockheed A-12 in flight.

The Lockheed A-12 undergoing flight testing at Groom Lake, also known as Area 51.

A later development of the A-12 was the M-12, which was modified to carry the M-21 drone, an early drone designed to gather photographic intelligence. Two aircraft were produced and numerous flights were made before a collision between a drone and mothership resulted in the crash of both and the death of one crewmen. The program was cancelled in 1966.

                An additional development of the A-12 was the F-12, an interceptor variation. With the same basic airframe as the A-12 and the SR-71, the F-12 was equipped with an internal ordinance bay which would carry three Hughes AIM-47A air-to-air radar-guided missiles. The F-12 program was revealed to the public in February 1964 by President Johnson. While it was estimated that 93 F-12s would be necessary for the air defense mission. However, before the aircraft could go into production, the project was cancelled in 1968.[2]

A F-12, an interceptor variant of the A-12.

                The SR-71, which was a advanced version of the A-12 that had been enlarged and fitted with a back seat for a Reconnaissance Systems Officer. The SR-71 was also capable of carrying more fuel than the A-12. In addition to the materials and paint used in the aircraft, the Blackbird was designed with a shape that would give it a minimal radar cross-section- an early example of a stealthy aircraft. Despite the aircraft being over 100 feet long, engineers succeeded in giving the Blackbird a radar cross-section no larger than a man. After extensive secretive testing in Nevada, the Blackbird was ready for service. A fly-off was conducted between the A-12 and the SR-71 in November 1967 to determine which aircraft would perform the reconnaissance role, but the SR-71 was chosen. The A-12 performed several operational and combat missions over Vietnam, however, it was retired in May 1968 and all remaining A-12s were placed in storage.

The SR-71 production line at Lockheed's Skunk Works factory.

An SR-71A.

                When it was put into service, the SR-71 was capable of flying at altitudes over 85,000 feet at a speed of Mach 3.2, though it is possible the aircraft can exceed these figures.[3] Based from Beale AFB, CA and Kadena AB, Okinawa (and later RAF Mildenhall, UK), the Blackbird quickly began breaking both speed and altitude records soon after it began operational missions. On September 1, 1974, a Blackbird flew from New York to London in 1 hour, 54 minutes and 56.4 seconds. A few weeks later on September 13, 1974, an SR-71A set an average speed record from London to Los Angeles with an average speed of 1,435.587mph. On July 28, 1976 an SR-71 set an Altitude in Horizontal Flight record of 85,068.997 feet. That same day, it set a Speed Over a Closed Course record of 2,193.167mph. [4]

While the official name for the SR-71 was the Blackbird, pilots and crew members frequently referred to the SR-71 as the Habu, a venomous snake found in Japan.

To survive the harsh high-altitude environment, Blackbird crews wore pressure suits, which required much more preparation time before flight. Additionally, the cockpit was pressurized and air conditioned to prevent the 500+ degree temperatures caused by the friction of the aircraft moving through air from cooking the crew.

                Throughout its 20+ years of active service, the Blackbird was never successfully intercepted by either anti-aircraft systems or other aircraft. When fired on by SAM systems, the aircraft would accelerate beyond the speed of the missile. The only other aircraft that were capable of matching the SR-71 were the American X-15, a rocket-powered experimental aircraft, and the Soviet MiG-25 Foxbat, which could get to Mach 3 but was not capable of remaining at that speed. The SR-71 remains the fastest air-breathing aircraft ever built. Additionally, during the course of its active service career, only one SR-71 was lost- one in April 1989, with both crew recovered. Despite the aircraft’s success at strategic reconnaissance, the Air Force was determined to eliminate the aircraft from its budget.  In 1989, the Air Force successfully eliminated the SR-71 from its budget for the following year. In March, the Blackbird was retired- it made its final flight in April 1990, when an aircraft made a record flight from Los Angeles to Washington, D.C., where the aircraft would be placed on display. However, as it happened, the Blackbird was not done flying. NASA received two aircraft in 1991 to use for high-speed research flights, and would continue to do so until 1999. Additionally, the DoD determined that modern satellites, which the Air Force had reasoned would replace the Blackbird, had not completely filled a gap in intelligence gathering. In 1994, Congress provided funding for three aircraft to be returned to flying status. From 1995 until 1998, SR-71s would continue to fly reconnaissance missions. The final SR-71 flight was made on October 9, 1999.

Sources:

1.       http://www.nasa.gov/centers/armstrong/news/FactSheets/FS-030-DFRC.html

2.       http://airandspace.si.edu/collections/artifact.cfm?object=nasm_A19920072000

3.       http://www.lockheedmartin.com/us/100years/stories/blackbird.html

4.       http://www.sr-71.org/blackbird/sr-71/

[1] http://www.lockheedmartin.com/us/100years/stories/blackbird.html

[2] http://www.sr-71.org/blackbird/yf-12/

[3] http://www.sr-71.org/blackbird/sr-71/

[4] http://www.sr-71.org/blackbird/sr-71/