Aviation Republic on MSN

2,200 MPH, 85,000 Feet: The Secret Engine That Powered the Blackbird

Lockheed’s engineers built the J58 engine to do the impossible, operate as both a jet and a ramjet. At Mach 3 and 85,000 feet ...
Aviation Republic on MSN

3,530°F, Mach 3.3, 1 Secret Alloy: How the Blackbird Survived the Heat of Speed

Flying faster than a rifle bullet, the SR-71 faced skin temperatures above 3,500°F. Engineers created a titanium alloy coated ...