D-21 Aircraft - One of the two M-21s was lost in a D-21 launch accident in 1966. The M/D-21 project was canceled after four flight tests, but the D-21 drone was further adapted in the late 1960s to be launched from
B-52H bombers. This later version, designated D-21B and mated with a large, solid-propellant rocket for launch, flew the only operational missions. The D-21 drone was an unpiloted aircraft originally designed for CIA and Air Force surveillance missions over particularly hostile territories.
D-21 Aircraft
Launched from airborne carrier aircraft, the D-21's Marquardt ramjet engine propelled it at speeds over 2,000 mph (3,200 km/h). The Lockheed M-21 Blackbird "mothership" was designated M/D-21s when the D-21 "daughter" drone was mounted on top.
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The Blackbird, as it was unofficially called, looked and performed far ahead of its time. The CIA operated the A-12 on clandestine missions through 1968. The A-12 spawned the USAF YF-12A interceptor program, which was eventually cancelled.
The most famous Blackbird variant, the SR-71, was developed for the USAF and flew frontline reconnaissance missions until 1990. Three SR-71s continued their careers into the late 1990s as NASA research testbeds. Although several Blackbirds were lost in accidents, none were ever shot down.
Key to the performance of the Blackbird was the Pratt & Whitney J58 turbojet and its advanced inlet design. Turbojet engines cannot function consuming air at supersonic speeds, so the inlet incorporates a spike assembly that translates fore and aft as a function of Mach number, to decelerate the incoming air to a suitable subsonic speed at the compressor face.
The pressure recovery of this inlet air contributed almost two-thirds of the total net thrust at Mach 3 cruise conditions. During a reconnaissance mission, the D-21 drone would follow a pre-programmed flight path over areas of interest.
The drone would then return to international airspace, where the reconnaissance film package, equipped with its own parachute, was ejected. The package would be recovered in mid-air by a specially equipped airplane or at sea by a ship.
Shortly after the film package was jettisoned, the drone self-destructed. During a reconnaissance mission, the D-21 drone would follow a pre-programmed flight path over areas of interest. The drone would then return to international airspace, where the reconnaissance film package, equipped with its own parachute, was ejected.
The package would be recovered in mid-air by a specially equipped airplane or at sea by a ship. Shortly after the film package was jettisoned, the drone self-destructed. Created during the height of the Cold War, the Lockheed D-21 Strategic
Reconnaissance Drone is a high-speed, high-altitude unmanned aircraft using many technical innovations derived from the SR-71 Blackbird. The D-21 powered by the RJ43-MA20S-4 ramjet was designed to carry a single high-resolution camera capable of taking critically important detailed photographs from altitudes exceeding 90,000 feet over hostile territory and return without endangering human
aircrews. The Blackbird, as it was unofficially called, looked and performed far ahead of its time. The CIA operated the A-12 on clandestine missions through 1968. The A-12 spawned the USAF YF-12A interceptor program, which was eventually cancelled.
The most famous Blackbird variant, the SR-71, was developed for the USAF and flew frontline reconnaissance missions until 1990. Three SR-71s continued their careers into the late 1990s as NASA research testbeds. Although several Blackbirds were lost in accidents, none were ever shot down.
In 1959, Lockheed's chief engineer Kelly Johnson and his team submitted an unsolicited proposal to the U.S. Air Force for a Mach 3+ reconnaissance aircraft. The resulting vehicle, called the A-12 (the twelfth of a series of Lockheed designs), was ordered first by the Central Intelligence Agency.
Most of these aircraft were single-seat configuration, but two were built as two-seaters for potential later use as drone-launchers. The A-12 pioneered the use of major titanium structures, composite materials, and low radar cross-section technology. It required advances in design methods, fabrication techniques, and fuels.
The prototype first flew in April 1962. The Museum's D-21 was acquired from the U.S. Air Force in November 1993. In 1994, it was reunited with the only surviving Lockheed M-21 "mothership." The D-21 is on loan from the National Museum of the United States Air Force.
In 1959, Lockheed's chief engineer Kelly Johnson and his team submitted an unsolicited proposal to the U.S. Air Force for a Mach 3+ reconnaissance aircraft. The resulting vehicle, called the A-12 (the twelfth of a series of Lockheed designs), was ordered first by the Central Intelligence Agency.
Most of these aircraft were single-seat configuration, but two were built as two-seaters for potential later use as drone-launchers. The A-12 pioneered the use of major titanium structures, composite materials, and low radar cross-section technology. It required advances in design methods, fabrication techniques, and fuels.
The prototype first flew in April 1962. During the Cold War, two Lockheed Blackbirds were modified to carry the D-21, a supersonic drone that was designed to fly on high-risk missions. One was lost in a tragic accident during the test program, and our model is the lone survivor of this James Bondian program.
The Museum's D-21 was acquired from the U.S. Air Force in November 1993. In 1994, it was reunited with the only surviving Lockheed M-21 "mothership." The D-21 is on loan from the National Museum of the United States Air Force.
The Museum's aircraft is an M-21, the first of the rare two-seat variants of the early A-12. Built for a CIA program code-named "Tagboard," it carried an unpiloted D-21 drone for intelligence gathering. These drones were intended for launch from the M-21 "mothership" for flights over hostile territories.
Design features of the M-21 include the second seat for the Launch Control Officer and the launch pylon on which the drone is mounted. Two M-21 airframes were manufactured; the second was lost in a D-21 launch accident in 1966.
The D-21 drone was an unpiloted aircraft originally designed for CIA and Air Force surveillance missions over particularly hostile territories. Launched from airborne carrier aircraft, the D-21's Marquardt ramjet engine propelled it at speeds over 2,000 mph (3,200 km/h).
The Lockheed M-21 Blackbird "mothership" was designated M/D-21s when the D-21 "daughter" drone was mounted on top. One of the two M-21s was lost in a D-21 launch accident in 1966. The M/D-21 project was canceled after four flight tests, but the D-21 drone was further adapted in the late 1960s to be launched from
B-52H bombers. This later version, designated D-21B and mated with a large, solid-propellant rocket for launch, flew the only operational missions. The Blackbird family of aircraft cruised at speeds of more than Mach 3 and flew over 85,000 feet (25,500 m) in altitude.
Conceived in the 1950s, Blackbirds remain the fastest and highest flying air-breathing production aircraft ever built. The Blackbird family of aircraft cruised at speeds of more than Mach 3 and flew over 85,000 feet (25,500 m) in altitude.
Conceived in the 1950s, Blackbirds remain the fastest and highest flying air-breathing production aircraft ever built. Key to the performance of the Blackbird was the Pratt & Whitney J58 turbojet and its advanced inlet design. Turbojet engines cannot function consuming air at supersonic speeds, so the inlet incorporates a spike assembly that translates fore and aft as a function of Mach number, to decelerate the incoming air to a suitable subsonic speed at the compressor face.
The pressure recovery of this inlet air contributed almost two-thirds of the total net thrust at Mach 3 cruise conditions. The Museum's aircraft is an M-21, the first of the rare two-seat variants of the early A-12.
Built for a CIA program code-named "Tagboard," it carried an unpiloted D-21 drone for intelligence gathering. These drones were intended for launch from the M-21 "mothership" for flights over hostile territories. Design features of the M-21 include the second seat for the Launch Control Officer and the launch pylon on which the drone is mounted.
Two M-21 airframes were manufactured; the second was lost in a D-21 launch accident in 1966. Because of the extreme frictional heat generated during supersonic flight, the Blackbird's fuselage was made of panels that would expand when heated and fit snugly together during flight.
While on the ground, jet fuel would leak through the loosely fitting components. In the heated political atmosphere following the 1960 Soviet destruction of a CIA U-2 spy plane piloted by Francis Gary Powers, the United States searched for an alternative to manned reconnaissance flights over its technologically advanced competitors.
By 1962, aviation genius Kelly Johnson the designer of the SR-71 and his famous Lockheed "Skunk Works" believed the solution lay in the D-21. Capable of speeds of Mach 3.5 the D-21, (initially designated Q-21) used
cutting-edge design to reduce its radar cross-section making it virtually invisible to eastern bloc surveillance networks. Launched from an upper surface pylon of a modified high-speed CIA reconnaissance version of the SR-71 the A-12, the D-21 could penetrate foreign airspace along a pre-set flight path before returning to a secure area and ejecting an electronics module containing the
camera, photographs and navigational systems. Following completion of its mission the D-21 was programmed to self-destruct.
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