An SR-71 Blackbird Crossed Qaddafi’s “Line of Death” at 2,125 MPH. The Pilot Threw the Throttles Full Forward and Overran the Refueling Tanker at Gibraltar

An SR-71 Blackbird Crossed Qaddafi’s “Line of Death” at 2,125 MPH. The Pilot Threw the Throttles Full Forward and Overran the Refueling Tanker at Gibraltar

Summary and Key Points: On April 15, 1986, Maj. Brian Shul crossed Muammar Qaddafi’s self-declared “Line of Death” over the Gulf of Sidra at 2,125 miles per hour, piloting SR-71 Blackbird tail number 64-17960 on a bomb damage assessment run following Operation El Dorado Canyon. It was the fastest flight any SR-71 ever flew, exceeding the aircraft’s standard Mach 3.2 engine temperature limit and requiring a special wartime emergency authorization…