Lockheed A-12 | Speed matters
1,768,711
Published 2021-05-25
The A-12 is a high-speed, high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft created by the Lockheed Skunk Works division for the CIA under the Oxcart program in the early 1960s. The breakthrough design and power plant gave the aircraft the ability to fly at a cruising speed of more than Mach 3, which, for that time, was a revolutionary achievement.
The Oxcart project and the A-12 itself, led by the CIA for a long time, were strictly classified. This, along with the limited number and duration of service, was the reason why the strategic reconnaissance plane SR-71 became the famous representative of the heirs of the Archangel, although the A-12 was the founder of this family.
Today we will get acquainted with the A-12, its history and design and try to figure out why it became such an iconic aircraft.
Thank you for watching!
Subscribe to the channel, comment, like!
If you want to support Skyships and our work, welcome to our Patreon. We will create some special content for you there: www.patreon.com/skyships
Our Facebook: www.facebook.com/skyshipscom/
Our Instagram: www.instagram.com/skyships_world/
00:00 - Age of archangels
00:53 - Problems and their solutions
02:54 - GUSTO and OXCART
06:27 - Airframe
09:03 - Landing gear
10:05 - Fuel
14:56 - The heat
17:18 - The turboramjet engines
22:34 - Cockpit and equipment
25:04 - Flight on a meteorite
31:55 - Going out the world
All Comments (21)
-
Welcome to the legendary Mach 3 family: YF-12 interceptor: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hq-tvsdTQao M-21 and D-21 - mothership and drone: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_6sd6Nh3go SR-71 Blackbird: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgO7IYvJscw
-
Remember getting the chance to visit the USS Intrepid museum and seeing the A12. Stunning aircraft with the most beautiful lines, I was in awe. Just a few days later I was married in Central Park. March 2011.
-
Thank you! My Father worked for Lockheed on the L-1011 Tri Star, and I'm a fan of the company. That was the best explanations of the various technologies and developments I've ever seen. Looking forward to the next installment. I recall, when I was 5 or 6 (1966 or '67) seeing the SR-71 on static display at an employee open house event. It was roped off and had armed guards near it, but it was pretty awesome!
-
Thank you for the excellent overview of the A-12 and its relatives; looking forward to more. I was lucky to watch an SR-71 take off from MacDill in the summer of 1969 or '70, on my to work at the ARTCC Center. Once it rotated, lifted off and immediately tucked up the gear, it was just GONE, like a movie spaceship in warp drive. I'll never see that again, but I'll never forget it. Wright Flyer, USAF (1968-1972).
-
A beautiful, highly sophisticated aircraft that was way ahead of its time and still looks amazing today.
-
I remember seeing the SR-71's TEB tanks being swapped out at RAF Mildenhall in the 80's. Guy was in one of those silver fire suits and there was a firetruck parked in front of the aircraft with the nozzle pointed at whichever engine he was servicing. They actually pulled them out of the hangers they normally hid in to do that servicing.
-
So, this is it, everyone. Big video about the great plane! Enjoy!
-
my friend Frank Murray flew the A12 over n korea during i think 1968 and he would always talk about it to us, but we never knew what he was talking about until i watched his youtube on the oxcart project. I always wondered what the space suit he had sitting in his radio room was for. hell of a nice guy.
-
I never get tired of videos about the A-12/SR-71. They’re such amazing pieces of engineering.
-
Back in 67. On the way to Vietnam, we landed in Guam I believe and while there refueling. A YF-12 landed and taxied directly into a Hanger. First one I saw.
-
This is by far the most informative video I've seen on the A-12. Kudos!
-
One of the most beautiful planes I´ve ever seen.
-
I was fascinated by this aircraft at the age of 12. I treasured the model of the Black Bird I had assembled. I knew she was a special plain way back in 1969. I still get Goose Bumps when I see the A-12.
-
I cant even imagine how happy kelly johnson Was when he could fly with the plane he designed
-
Thank You , this brought back a lot of old memories . As a young child of 13 years , I got to see the A-12's long before the rest of the world knew anything about it . My Father was the Corporate Insurance Broker for Lockheed Aircraft , and one time we were invited to the Skunk Works by Kelly Johnson and I got to see Two A-12's being assembled inside the Skunk Works . --- (P.S. : I also got to witness the Testing of the YB-49 Flying Wing and the X-15 Rocket Plane .).
-
I've watched pretty much every single video that you've made and I must say that this is your most detailed and interesting video that you've ever made......Well done my friend, 10 out of 10 for this brilliant video!!!!!👏👏👏👏👏👏
-
You show that plane to anyone who doesn't know its history and ask them "when you this was designed?", you won't get an answer as early as 1964, most people would probably say 1990-2000 at earliest. It still looks futuristic today and its just a pity its so high maintenence and costly to maintain otherwise I'm sure they would still have a major military role today.
-
This was a beautifully made documentary, great job @Skyships Eng! I never realized the SR-71 was so much chonkier than the A-12. I knew they were closely related, but seeing it frame-to-frame made it cristal clear.
-
Growing up in Southwest Montana it was not uncommon to hear the distinctive double sonic boom of these aircraft only not knowing what they were at that point in time. They would loop out of Groom Dry Lake heading north to rendezvous with tankers out of Glasgow Airforce base then resume their flight heading south and eventually back home. I can still vividly remember those booms.
-
Thank you for all the good videos. Tore, Norway👍
