The Fastest American Fighter Jet
How the design of the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird made it the Fastest Jet Aircraft ever built by the United States
The Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird is the world’s fastest fighter jet, this jet has the skunk logo on the SR-71’s tail and, it is part of the aircraft’s unique history. This little skunk is the official logo of Lockheed’s secret project manufacturer, dubbed “Skunk Works.”
The SR-71 can fly` up to a speed of Mach 3.3–over 3,500 kph (2,100 mph) and almost four times faster than the average cruising speed of a typical airplane.
The key factor is in the design of the SR-71
This speed and agility of the aircraft is due in large part to the location of its unique engine inlet – the passage through which the intake air is carried to the engine. To deal with significant changes in speed and pressure, air is slowed to subsonic speeds before entering the SR-71’s jet engines.
The exhaust of the SR-71 jet engine creates a diamond pattern. That’s because of the extra boost provided by its supersonic afterburner. This creates successive shock waves that appear as diamond patterns. The SR-71 engine flies continuously in the afterburner, except when refueling.
The SR-71 can withstand temperatures of 316° C (600° F). This is necessary for an airplane flying at 3 times the speed of sound. That’s why the SR-71’s outer shell is made of a titanium alloy that protects the internal aluminum fuselage. wing components must be designed with strong materials to prevent them from melting during flight.
To make tires, latex is mixed with aluminum, and filled with nitrogen. The tire pressure on the SR-71 is 415 psi–10 times more than the average set of car tires.
With its ability to reach high speeds and high altitudes, the SR-71 was used to gather intelligence for the US military during the Cold War. The aircraft can survey an area of up to 160,934 square kilometers (100,000 square miles) in just one hour. Its stealthy design also reduces the chances of being detected on radar.
During missions aboard the SR-71, pilots fly so high that they have to wear special pressure suits which are actually modified space suits, because the faster you fly, the more sensitive the plane is and requires more concentration and attention.