IWM Duxford

This airframe was built in 1945 and served with the USAAF until December 1950 when it was transferred to the RCAF but six months later an accident saw it damaged and struck off charge. After a period as an instructional airframe it came to the IWM in 1968. It carries the tactical markings of the US 78th Fighter Group based at Duxford between 1943 and 1945. The Group escorted heavy bombers on daylight raids deep into occupied Europe, the Mustangs were fitted with underwing drop tanks for additional range

The Lockheed SR-71 "Blackbird" is a long-range, high-altitude, Mach 3+ strategic reconnaissance aircraft developed and manufactured by the American aerospace company Lockheed Corporation. It was operated by the United States Air Force (USAF) and NASA. This airframe is 61-7962, a SR-71A variant and set a flight altitude record of 85,069 feet in July 1976. The SR-71 was designed for a flight crew of two in tandem cockpits, with the pilot in the forward cockpit and the reconnaissance systems officer operating the surveillance systems and equipment from the rear cockpit, and directing navigation on the mission flight path. The SR-71 was designed to minimise its radar cross-section, an early attempt at stealth design. Finished aircraft were painted a dark blue, almost black, to increase the emission of internal heat and to act as camouflage against the night sky. The dark colour led to the aircraft's nickname "Blackbird".

The SR-71 operated at high speeds and altitudes (Mach 3.2 and 85,000 feet), allowing it to outrace or entirely avoid threats. If a surface-to-air missile launch was detected, the standard evasive action was simply to accelerate and outpace the missile. Looking at the rear of the airframe, the engines have been removed and are displayed below.