Lockheed YF-12

[Anarchemitis]

Mig-31 Foxhound could reach Mach 2.5 and 60,000 feet and carried missiles. However its maneuverability left something to be desired and had limited range.

Not a problem for the SR-71 though. Must be fun flying with engines that get more efficient the faster you go.

[911SHIZBO]

This was a little faster then the sr-71 yes? I thought I remembered this being mach 3.35 or so.

[JEFFMM71]

i know its a pretty hardcore lookin plane,can you imagine the MIG-25 and the F-12 head to head? with B-70's goin to bomb there SAC targets in the USSR and all,god wahat a high speed adrenaline pumping battle! contrails,sonic booms,breakups at mach 3 from hits,gee i have a lovley mind dont i,...

[Gruntol5]

@JEFFMM71 : You are an incredibly stupid little boy.

[lukchy505]

@JEFFMM71 jeff, mig-25 doesnt exist

[OsanBlackCat5RS]

i love all the little extra nicks and dings on this version,makes it look beefy and brutal!!

[sexpistolio]

this is amazing! i wonder why they didn't keep an interceptor version?

[E8F9G0]

sexpistolio..The YF-12 three prototypes lost funding to the F-111 program  ..THX

[Lexolo999]

kelly johnson and ben rich were geniuses and r sorely missed

[OsanBlackCat5RS]

if only we had those "Fighter" variants... God we would be powerfull

[r32adt3db]

Even by today's standard, that is one freaky looking but cool plane.

[theGoldenAgeOfBoredo]

is the SR-71 a further development of this?

they look almost the same, but for the "roud" fuselage of the blackbird

[jaglavaksoldier]

Yes...Take a look at the difference in the chines behind the nosecone. Also, there are pods on pylons beneath the fuselage on the YF-12.

[raynus1]

The pods to which you refer were temporary cameras installed for assessing missile launches (The XAIM-47A air-air missile). They're actually mounted on the engine nacelles, not the fuselage. In the 1970's, a centerline pod was used to experiment with heat-transfer (Coldwall). Like the camera pods, they were never permanent fixtures.

[ubuibiok]

***** fast enough to shot its self down

[alansrobot]

yeah...

[yreuq0]

I'd say fast enough to outrun its own missile. The SR71 was designed for recon and to outrun russian SAMs.