Palmdale, California
Palmdale, California
The airpark consists of approximately three acres on the Air Force's Production Flight Test Installation at Plant 42 in Palmdale, California.
The Blacbird Airpark was dedicated in September 1991. It is the world's only display of a Lockheed SR-71A together with its Blackbird predecessor, the A-12, and the once ultra-secret D-21 drone.
The aircraft on display, A-12 #60-6924 and SR-71A #64-17973, are USAF Museum Program property and are on loan (the A-12 to the AFFTC Museum and the SR-71 to Det 1, Aeronautical Systems Center, at Plant 42) for display at the Blackbird Airpark.
The D-21 drone is on loan from NASA. If you look close enough you may notice a C-17 above the D-21 on the Palmdale runway. Note the SR-71 engine and the Joshua Tree behind the drone.
The A-12 on display was the first Blackbird built and the first to fly, completing its maiden flight on 26 April 1962. It was used as a flight test vehicle throughout its career and never flew an operational mission. Notice the C-17 taking off from Palmdale.
The SR-71A on display was delivered to the Strategic Air Command in 1968 and performed operational missions with the 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing at Beale AFB, California until 1987, when it was retired due to structural over-G's.
Pictures © Jarmo Lindberg
Both aircraft were repainted courtesy of Lockheed Advanced Development Company.
The airpark is manned by AFFTC Museum volunteers and is open Friday to Sunday (weather permitting), from 10.00 A.M. to 5.00 P.M.
Blackbird Airpark is located at Air Force Plant 42, on the corner of 25th St East and Avenue P, in Palmdale, CA
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