Lockheed A-12 "Archangel"- Palmdale California - Static Aircraft Displays on Waymarking.com

Facts provided by Blackbird Park: This plane's maiden fight was March 25, 1962 was flown by Louis Schalk and reached record speeds of Mach 3.35. Aircraft located in Palmdale Calif. Tail number: 06924

This plane proved the concept of extremely high altitude (80,000 ft plus) and extremely fast (Mach 3. plus) reconnaissance flight for CIA flights. This vehicle model later became the SR-71 (YF-12). The A-12 was the prototype for the later SR-71, but had quite a different nose and wing configurations. The A-12 was developed by the CIA to replace the older spyplane U-2 for secret overflights of the USSR. The U-2 was now vulerable and one shot down. The CIA wanted a spyplane to fly higher, faster, and also not be visable to Soviet radar. Lockheed's Kelly Johnson began preliminary design work to satisfy those strict requirements in mid 1950s and in 1959 was given the contract to build the A-12. (BTW: 'A' stood for "Archangel", a reference to the earlier U-2 which was called the 'Angel' internally at the CIA for it's missions.) The A-12 was the first of the "Blackbird" family of aircraft, but not the last. It's skin has Radar Absorbent Materials (RAM). It first flew in April 1962. After an extensive flight test program, the A-12 flew briefly for the CIA over North Korea and North Vietnam. It retired in 1968 when the USAF took over the manned Strategic Reconnaissance Program from CIA.

History: (visit link)

Type of Aircraft: (make/model): A-12 Tail Number: (S/N): 06924 Construction:: original aircraft Location (park, airport, museum, etc.): Blackbird Park inside / outside: outside Access restrictions: Park and parking is only open on Fridays and weekends 11 am - 4 pm: However you can see the display from the street sidewalk anytime through fence. Other Information:: Not listed

Visit Instructions:
Photo of aircraft (required - will be interesting to see if the aircraft is ever repainted or progress if being restored)
Photo of serial number (required unless there is not one or it is a replica)
Photo(s) of any artwork on the aircraft (optional but interesting)

Tell why you are visiting this waymark along with any other interesting facts or personal experiences about the aircraft not already mentioned.

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Date Logged Log User Rating   10/26/2014 CacheKidz! visited it 03/19/2014 calgriz visited it

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