This publication provides a fascinating look at NASA's research
program using the YF-12. Among the aircraft designs that
transitioned from paper to hardware during the high-speed era, the
Lockheed Blackbirds hold a unique place. The A-12, YF-12A, M-21,
D-21, and SR-71 variants outperformed all other jet airplanes in
terms of altitude and speed. To this day, they remain the only
production aircraft capable of sustained cruise in excess of Mach
3. Developed in utmost secrecy, they eventually became some of the
world's most famous aircraft. Conceived originally as spyplanes,
several Blackbirds saw service with the National Aeronautics and
Space Administration (NASA) as research platforms. This monograph
describes the first major NASA project involving the Blackbirds.
Conducted with the U.S. Air Force (USAF) as a partner, the
NASA/USAF YF-12 research lasted 10 years, and produced a wealth of
data on materials, structures, loads, heating, aerodynamics, and
performance for high-speed aircraft. More than two decades after
the program ended, no comprehensive history of the joint program
has yet been written. This monograph is an attempt to rectify that
deficiency. Until recently, security restrictions prevented the
release of some information relative to the YF-12. Since then,
numerous documents have been declassified, and program participants
are free to speak about previously restricted aspects of the
project. Unfortunately, some who contributed to the NASA/USAF YF-12
investigations have not outlived the blanket of security that
covered their work. Those who have must reach back more than 20
years to retrieve anecdotes and historical details. In a sense, the
oral history interviews in this monograph amount to a sort of
salvage archeology into the fading memories of the remaining YF-12
participants. Over the years, numerous books and articles have been
written about the Blackbirds, but few give more than a brief
description of the YF-12 and its role as a research aircraft. In
this monograph, the author briefly describes the origins of the
Blackbird family of aircraft and how NASA became involved with
them. Each of the following chapters then describes a facet of the
NASA/USAF YF-12 research program in detail.
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