My favorite A-12, M-21, SR-71 Photos

[Mach3DS]

Thought you would all appreciate these...


Maybe you've all seen these before, but I haven't and they have some very rare original photos from most Lockheed and General Dynamics aircraft, along with retro CONVAIR special projects diagrams and model images. All high resolution. All amazing!

All and more found here:
http://www.codeonemagazine.com/index.html

These are all linked to their images. I believe this is Lockheeds internal magazine. However I was able to subscribe as a follower for free. The articles are all available to anyone, with or without subscription.


Check out how reflective the first A-12 was with no paint!

[Mach3DS]

[Mach3DS]

[ian elliot]

Wondeful pics and very atmospheric, thanks for posting, i confess, im not an expert on the Habu, and im really curious about the second to last pic, is that a drone or an extra engine, or something else, looks really mean.

cheers ian

[YoYo]

Lovely! Next MV model.... ? It was something in his FB page about Blackbird.

[delta_lima]

Wondeful pics and very atmospheric, thanks for posting, i confess, im not an expert on the Habu, and im really curious about the second to last pic, is that a drone or an extra engine, or something else, looks really mean.

cheers ian

D-21 drone. Carrier was designated M-21, a modified 2-seat A-12 conversion.

Simplistic overview here:

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_D-21

DL

[expat]

Amazing photos - and amazed I have not seen these before.

Two things: one is that this technology existed over 50 years ago is pretty incredible. The second is how other-worldly (yes, and mean) this craft looks, even next to the ever futuristic looking F-104. You can almost imagine this being a top secret photo of a visit from an alien spacecraft.

[Mach3DS]

This is not a Milviz plug. Just my personal interests. I wish they would though! I was also shocked when I started combing through that website...so many (hundreds) of photos and most of which are full sized originals (or appears close to it). Very rare, and unique pictures I have NEVER seen anywhere else! Not in any books and certainly no where online. I'm glad you appreciate them. I appreciate a company putting information out there about these things and offering the public a view of it.

[ian elliot]

Thanks for the D-21 info really interesting that it was used operationally including flights over China, there's a link to the national military museum in Bejing which have a crash'd one on display, i did a tour of China a few years back but regretted not having enough time to explore that collection, thanks again for the pics,

cheers ian

[delta_lima]

Thanks for the D-21 info really interesting that it was used operationally including flights over China, there's a link to the national military museum in Bejing which have a crash'd one on display, i did a tour of China a few years back but regretted not having enough time to explore that collection, thanks again for the pics,

cheers ian

You're welcome.

The airframe in the photos (06940) now rests in the Museum of Flight in Seattle. I have photographed that unit extensively since it's just a couple of hours from where I live, across the border (though these are not my photos, just some off the 'net). It truly is magnificent.






There was some discussion when the Milviz model was first previewed about some folks hoping for the other Project Oxcart models (A-12, M-21, YF-12). A desperately long shot, I'd say - but I'd settle for the still-handsome Virtavia FSX model repainted as this M-21 in a heartbeat ...

dl