Back In Black

Posted 29 September 2012

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Photo by A1C Andrew Buchannan

Employees of a commercial painting company repaint an SR-71 'Blackbird' on static display in Heritage Park at Beale AFB, California, on 29 September 2012. The first SR-71 was delivered to Beale in January 1966 and the high speed, high altitude reconnaissance aircraft were stationed at the base near Marysville until they were retired on 26 January 1990. This aircraft (Air Force serial number 61-7963) was used to set the absolute altitude record of 85,069 feet in July 1976.

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