The SR71 Blackbird (also known as the A12 OXCART) and the U2 Dragon Lady Spy Planes. They are the brainchild of Skunk Works (Lockheed) and they are, perhaps, two most famous Spy Planes in history.
The Lockheed SR71 "Blackbird" is a longrange, highaltitude, 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.

The SR71 was developed as a black project from the Lockheed A12 reconnaissance aircraft during the 1960s by Lockheed's Skunk Works division. American aerospace engineer Clarence "Kelly" Johnson was responsible for many of the aircraft's innovative concepts. The shape of the SR71 was based on that of the A12, which was one of the first aircraft to be designed with a reduced radar crosssection. Initially, a bomber variant of the A12 was requested by Curtis LeMay, before the program was focused solely on reconnaissance. Mission equipment for the reconnaissance role included signals intelligence sensors, side looking airborne radar, and a camera;the SR71 was both longer and heavier than the A12, allowing it to hold more fuel as well as a twoseat cockpit. The SR71 entered service in January 1966.

The Lockheed U2, nicknamed "Dragon Lady", is an American singlejet engine, high altitude reconnaissance aircraft operated by the United States Air Force (USAF) and previously flown by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). It provides day and night, highaltitude (70,000 feet, 21,300 meters), allweather intelligence gathering.

Lockheed Corporation originally proposed it in 1953, it was approved in 1954, and its first test flight was in 1955. It was flown during the Cold War over the Soviet Union, China, Vietnam, and Cuba. In 1960, Gary Powers was shot down in a CIA U2C over the Soviet Union by a surfacetoair missile (SAM). Major Rudolf Anderson Jr. was shot down in a U2 during the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962.

U2s have taken part in postCold War conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq, and supported several multinational NATO operations. The U2 has also been used for electronic sensor research, satellite calibration, scientific research, and communications purposes. The U2 is one of a handful of aircraft types to have served the USAF for over 50 years, along with the Boeing B52, Boeing KC135, Lockheed C130 and Lockheed C5. The newest models (TR1, U2R, U2S) entered service in the 1980s, and the latest model, the U2S, had a technical upgrade in 2012.

SR71 General characteristics

Crew: 2; Pilot and reconnaissance systems officer (RSO)
Length: 107 ft 5 in (32.74 m)
Wingspan: 55 ft 7 in (16.94 m)
Height: 18 ft 6 in (5.64 m)
Wheel track: 16 ft 8 in (5 m)
Wheelbase: 37 ft 10 in (12 m)
Wing area: 1,800 sq ft (170 m2)
Aspect ratio: 1.7
Empty weight: 67,500 lb (30,617 kg)
Gross weight: 152,000 lb (68,946 kg)
Max takeoff weight: 172,000 lb (78,018 kg)
Fuel capacity: 12,219.2 US gal (10,174.6 imp gal; 46,255 l) in 6 tank groups (9 tanks)
Powerplant: 2 × Pratt & Whitney J58 (JT11D20J or JT11D20K) afterburning turbojets, 25,000 lbf (110 kN) thrust each
JT11D20J 32,500 lbf (144.57 kN) wet (fixed inlet guidevanes)
JT11D20K 34,000 lbf (151.24 kN) wet (2position inlet guidevanes)
Performance

Maximum speed: 1,910 kn (2,200 mph, 3,540 km/h) at 80,000 ft (24,000 m)
Maximum speed: Mach 3.3
Ferry range: 2,824 nmi (3,250 mi, 5,230 km)
Service ceiling: 85,000 ft (26,000 m)
Rate of climb: 11,820 ft/min (60.0 m/s)
Wing loading: 84 lb/sq ft (410 kg/m2)
Thrust/weight: 0.44

U2 General characteristics

Crew: 1
Capacity: 5,000 lb (2,300 kg) payload
Length: 63 ft 0 in (19.20 m)
Wingspan: 103 ft (31 m)
Height: 16 ft 0 in (4.88 m)
Wing area: 1,000 sq ft (93 m2)
Airfoil: root: NACA 63A409; tip: NACA 63A406
Empty weight: 16,000 lb (7,257 kg)
Max takeoff weight: 40,000 lb (18,144 kg)
Fuel capacity: 2,950 US gal (2,460 imp gal; 11,200 l)
Powerplant: 1 × General Electric F118101 turbofan engine, 17,000 lbf (76 kN) thrust
Performance
Cruise speed: Mach 0.715 (412 kn; 470 mph; 760 km/h) at 72,000 ft (22,000 m)
Cruise speed: 413 kn (475 mph, 765 km/h) at 65,000 ft (20,000 m)
Stall speed: 65 kn (75 mph, 120 km/h)
Range: 6,090 nmi (7,010 mi, 11,280 km) plus
Endurance: 12 hours
Service ceiling: 80,000 ft (24,000 m) plus
Rate of climb: 9,000 ft/min (46 m/s)
Time to altitude: 60,000 ft (18,000 m) in 12 minutes 30 seconds
Lifttodrag: 25.6
Wing loading: 40 lb/sq ft (200 kg/m2)
Thrust/weight: 0.425
Fuel consumption: 910 lb/h (410 kg/h) in cruise

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