File:United States Air Force - Lockheed YF-12A interceptor plane 10.jpg

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Captions

Captions

Aircraft

Summary

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Description
English: (National Museum of the United States Air Force collection, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton, Ohio, USA)

From exhibit signage:

LOCKHEED YF-12A

The YF-12 was developed in the 1960s as a high-altitude, Mach 3 interceptor to defend against supersonic bombers. Based on the A-12 reconnaissance aircraft, the YF-12A became the forerunner of the highly-sophisticated SR-71 strategic reconnaissance aircraft.

The first of three YF-12s flew in August 1963. In May 1965, the first and third YF-12s set several records, including a speed record of 2,070.101 miles per hour and an altitude record of 80,257.65 feet. For their speed record flight, Colonel Robert L. "Fox" Stephens (pilot) and Lieutenant Colonel Daniel Andre (fire control officer) received the 1965 Thompson Trophy.

Though the aircraft performed well, the F-12 interceptor program ended in early 1968. High costs, the ongoing war in Southeast Asia, and a lower priority on air defense of the United States all contributed to the cancellation.

The aircraft on display - the second one built - was recalled from storage in 1969 for a joint United States Air Force / National Aeronautics and Space Administration investigation of supersonic cruise technology. It was flown to the museum in 1979, and it is the only remaining YF-12A in existence (the first YF-12A was damaged beyond repair after a landing mishap and the third YF-12A was destroyed after the crew ejected to escape an inflight fire).

Because air friction heated the skin to more than 500 degrees Fahrenheit, titanium alloys make up 93 percent of the YF-12's structural weight. The YF-12 is also coated with a special black paint that helps radiate heat from its skin.

TECHNICAL NOTES

ENGINES: Two Pratt & Whitney J58S of 32,000 pounds of thrust each (with afterburner)

MAXIMUM SPEED: Mach 3+

SERVICE CEILING: Above 80,000 feet

ARMAMENT: Three Hughes AIM-47A missiles

RANGE: 2,000+ miles

CREW: Two

WEIGHT: 127,000 pounds loaded


Date
Source https://www.flickr.com/photos/47445767@N05/53994740774/
Author James St. John

Licensing

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This image was originally posted to Flickr by James St. John at https://flickr.com/photos/47445767@N05/53994740774. It was reviewed on 28 September 2024 by FlickreviewR 2 and was confirmed to be licensed under the terms of the cc-by-2.0.

28 September 2024

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