Lockheed SR-71A Blackbird USAF 9th #61-7972, World Record Flight 1:72 CW-001631

Century Wings 1:72 Wings of Heroes 001631<br>

Lockheed SR-71A Blackbird Diecast Model<br>

USAF, #61-7972, World Record Flight, March 6th 1990<br>

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Aircraft #61-7972 rolled off the assembly line on September 15th, 1966 and first flew on December 12th, 1966. Over the next 23 years, it flew numerous missions with the 9th Strategic Recconaissance Wing, eventually racking up 2801.1 flight hours. In 1974 it set the world speed record flying from New York to London in 1 hour, 54 minutes, 56 seconds. On March 6th, 1990, #972 was retired from the US Air Force and flew from Palmdale, California to Dulles Field, Washington D.C. to be placed on permanent display at the National Air and Space Museum. The plane was piloted by Lt. Col. Ed Yielding with RSO Lt. Col. Joseph Vida in the backseat. During that final flight, the aircraft broke four world speed records, including a US West Coast to East Coast time of just under 1 hour 8 minutes, averaging 2,124 mph over 2,404 statute miles.