Throwback Thursday; March Field Air Museum and the SR-71A Blackbird

Back in 2012 I was working in the Riverside Area when I stopped at the March Field Air Museum to view the Lockheed SR-71A Blackbird on display.

The March Field Air Museum is located off I-215 on Van Buren Boulevard in the March Air Reserve Base. The March Field Museum first opened in 1979 and was quickly moved to the former commissary building by 1983. Since 1993 the Museum has been located just off I-215 on Van Buren Boulevard.

The main attraction on display at the March Field Air Museum as stated above is 1 of 32 SR-71 Blackbirds ever built. The SR-71 Blackbird was in production from 1964 to 1998 and was the fastest plane that ever existed. In 1976 SR-71 61-7962 set a speed record of 2,193.2/Mach 3.3 and an altitude record of 85,069 feet.

The SR-71 was designed to be a stealth reconnaissance aircraft that was capable of evading surface-to-air-missiles. The SR-71 was powered by Pratt & Whitney J58 turbo jet engines capable of producing 32,500 pound feet of thrust. Interestingly SR-71 Blackbirds had to started by a pair of Buick Wildcat engines (I'm uncertain if it was the 401 or 425 nailheads) before being switched the Chevy Big Block engines (again I'm not certain of the displacement).

Of the 32 SR-71 Blackbirds produced 12 were lost in crashes. The SR-71A was the most common model with 29 being produced, 2 SR-71Bs being produced, and 1 SR-71C was produced. The SR-71A on this display on at the March Field Air Museum carries serial number 61-7975.

The March Air Field has various different military aircraft on display. Rather than attempting to describe all the notable ones they can be found here on my Flickr album:

March Field Air Museum

Comments

Former US Route 50 and the Pioneer Route Lincoln Highway on Johnson's Pass Road

Johnson's Pass Road is one of the oldest highway corridors in California. Johnson's Pass was part of the Lake Tahoe Wagon Road as it was completed during 1856 over the Sierra Nevada. The pass would later be incorporated into the Pioneer Branch of the Lincoln Highway in 1913 and US Route 50 in 1926. Johnson's Pass Road would be bypassed by a new alignment of US Route 50 over Echo Summit in 1938. A replacement of the Meyers Grade east of Johnson's Pass would be opened to traffic in 1947. Johnson's Pass Road remains accessible to traffic and is still signed by the Lincoln Highway Association. Pictured as the blog cover is the view from the top of Johnson's Pass Road overlooking modern US Route 50 and Lake Tahoe. Part 1; the history of Johnson's Pass Much of the history of what become the Lake Tahoe Wagon Road is discussed in the September 1950 California Highways & Public Works during its Centennial Edition. The or...

Former US Route 50 and the South Lincoln Highway from Folsom east to Placerville

The corridor of Folsom of Sacramento County east to Placerville of El Dorado County has been a long established corridor of overland travel dating back to the California Gold Rush. The Folsom-Placerville corridor was once part of the path of the Lake Tahoe Wagon Road which became the first California State Highway and later the South Lincoln Highway. In time the South Lincoln Highway's surface alignment was inherited by US Route 50. The Folsom-Placerville corridor also includes the communities of; Clarksville, Shingle Springs and El Dorado. Part 1; the history of the Lake Tahoe Wagon Road, South Lincoln Highway and US Route 50 through Folsom-Placerville Folsom is located on the American River/Lake Natoma of eastern Sacramento County. That lands now occupied by the City of Folsom were part of Rancho Rio de los Americanos prior to the finding of gold at Sutter's Mill during 1848. During the California Gold Rush the lands of Rancho Rio de los Americanos were p...

Old NC 10 - The Central Highway: Old Fort to Black Mountain through the Royal Gorge

A unique way of tracing the remnants of the Central Highway is through the mountainous terrain of Eastern Buncombe and Western McDowell Counties. From the east on US 70, you reach the base of Blue Ridge Mountains at the town of Old Fort. Old Fort is a tiny rail town that the old Central Highway and now US 70 goes through. The Central Highway can be followed via a right onto Mill Creek Road from US 70. Follow the highway as it takes you closer to the mountains. When Mill Creek Road bears right to head towards Andrews Geyser stay straight until the road ends at a gate. The nearby Piney Grove Church can be used for parking. At this point, the old Central Highway began a 3.5 mile climb of the mountain to Swannanoa Gap. NC 10 and later US 70 travelers followed this road for over 30 years until a new and modern four lane US 70 was built to the south. This same four lane road would eventually become Interstate 40. The Centra...

Gribblenation

Search This Blog