Checked on 2024-09-28
Probability: 0.9
Justification: The evidence provided confirms that the SR-71 Blackbird is the fastest jet aircraft in the world, with a speed record of 3,529.6 kilometers per hour (2,193.2 miles per hour), approximately Mach 3.3. Although rocket-powered aircraft like the North American X-15 achieved higher speeds, the SR-71 remains the fastest plane ever created in terms of sustained flight.
Final Truth Score: 0.88
The Lockheed SR-71 "Blackbird" is a retired long-range, high-altitude, Mach 3+ strategic reconnaissance aircraft developed and manufactured by the American aerospace company Lockheed Corporation. [N 1] The SR-71 has several nicknames, including "Blackbird" and "Habu".[1]The SR-71 was developed as a black project reconnaissance aircraft during the 1960s by Lockheed's Skunk Works division ...
In 1976, the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird broke the world’s record for sustained altitude in horizontal flight at 25,929 meters (85,069 feet). The same day another SR-71 set an absolute speed record of 3,529.6 kilometers per hour (2,193.2 miles per hour), approximately Mach 3.3. As the fastest jet aircraft in the world, the SR-71 has an impressive collection of records and history of service.
The SR-71 reconnaissance aircraft was the world’s fastest jet-propelled aircraft and the most advanced member of the Blackbird family developed by Lockheed Aircraft Corporation’s clandestine “Skunk Works” division. The SR-71 accrued nearly 2,800 hours of flight time during its 24 years of service with the U.S. Air Force.
The aircraft was painted black, and soon earned its name: “Blackbird.” The original Blackbird was designated the A-12 and made its first flight on Apr. 30, 1962. The single-seat A-12 soon evolved into the larger SR-71, which added a second seat for a Reconnaissance Systems Officer and carried more fuel than the A-12.
The SR-71 Blackbird could fly at speeds exceeding Mach 3 or over 2,000 mph, which made it the fastest plane ever built, though it’s worth noting that rocket-powered aircraft the North American X-15 achieved higher speeds. This incredible velocity was achieved thanks to two Pratt & Whitney J58 engines, which used afterburners to produce up to ...