An SR-71 Blackbird Broke Apart at Mach 3 Over Okinawa — The U.S. Navy Buried It 25,597 Feet Deep in the Mariana Trench

An SR-71 Blackbird Broke Apart at Mach 3 Over Okinawa — The U.S. Navy Buried It 25,597 Feet Deep in the Mariana Trench

The SR-71 Blackbird Could Hit Mach 3, But Accidents Did Happen  The Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird spy plane—also referred to as the “Habu” in honor of a highly venomous pit viper native to Okinawa—remains the fastest air-breathing, crewed aircraft ever built. Yes, the X-15 was twice as fast, but it was rocket-powered, not air-breathing. It holds that record even though it has officially been retired for 27 years.  SR-71 Blackbird at Smithsonian. Imag…