Spy Planes and Lockheed's Top Secret Skunk Works
SR-72 Aurora
Aurora SR-72 in flight going supersonic.
National Archives
Aurora
The disclosure of Aurora in the 1989 issue of Aviation Week and Space Technology set off a flurry of speculation. Following the public debut of the Lockheed F-117 stealth fighter and the Northrop B-2 stealth bomber, there was an intensified global curiosity for insights into the clandestine world of aviation. Touted as a "prospective hypersonic reconnaissance aircraft" to succeed the newly decommissioned SR-71, Aurora has continued to be shrouded in secrecy, enthralling aviation aficionados worldwide.
Global reports of unusual pulsing sounds in the sky and numerous sightings of contrails shaped like 'doughnuts on a rope' have been recorded. In 1989, Chris Gibson, while on the Galveston Key oil platform in the North Sea, spotted an unidentified triangular aircraft receiving fuel from a KC-135 Stratotanker. Gibson's expertise in aircraft identification, honed through his Royal Observer Corps service, lent credibility to his account. The Guardian newspaper in Britain acknowledged him as 'an expert in aircraft recognition.' His sighting has intensified the mystery around the rumored Aurora project.
Bob Lazar gained worldwide attention for his assertions regarding extraterrestrial beings held by the US government, contributing to the perpetuation of the Aurora myth. He claimed to have observed the Aurora aircraft during his tenure at Area 51.
Reports of unusual pulsating sounds in the sky and sightings of contrails resembling "doughnuts on a rope" have been circulating since the 1990s, often linked to the so-called Aurora project. Moreover, conspiracy theories concerning Area 51 have referenced a delta-winged aircraft, alternately dubbed the "Brilliant Buzzard" or "The Mothership."
Does Aurora Exists?
X-37 Space Plane
The Hammers of Hell
The SR-71 Blackbird maintained the singular honor of being the world's swiftest operational aircraft from its debut until its retirement after thirty years. With the ability to surpass Mach 3, the Blackbird cruised at the upper echelon of Earth's atmosphere. The nighttime launch of the Blackbird was so remarkable that CIA Director Richard Helms christened this legendary reconnaissance aircraft "The Hammers of Hell."
President Lyndon Johnson was instrumental in introducing the SR-71 Blackbird to the global stage. In a press conference held on February 29, 1964, he revealed that the United States had created an experimental jet capable of achieving sustained speeds of Mach 3 (2,200 mph) and operating at altitudes over 70,000 feet.
SR-71 Blackbird pilots had to wear pressurized suits because of the extreme altitudes they reached. These suits shielded them from the severe heat and pressure encountered as the aircraft glided at the fringes of space. On certain missions, pilots could see the sunrise and sunset multiple times, since the Blackbird traveled faster than the Earth's rotation.
This remarkable aircraft was indeed faster than a speeding bullet. Reflecting on the aircraft's capabilities during a reconnaissance mission, one Blackbird pilot quoted Psalm 23 with a twist: 'Even as I soar through the valley of Death, I will fear no evil, for I am ascending beyond 90,000 feet.'
The Blackbird's velocity and defensive mechanisms allowed it to evade and ascend beyond any surface-to-air missiles. Throughout its thirty years of service, no Blackbird was ever lost to enemy action, a testament to its design that stands unmatched in aviation history. On July 28, 1976, an SR-71 achieved a world record for the highest sustained altitude in horizontal flight at 85,069 feet, a feat accomplished by an aircraft powered by its own engines. Although there were rumors that the SR-71 could exceed speeds of Mach 3.3 and reach altitudes above 100,000 feet, such achievements were not officially recorded.
In the 1970s, the Blackbird stepped out of the shadows to demonstrate its prowess. On September 1, 1974, the SR-71 set a global speed record, covering the 3,508 miles from New York to London in just under two hours, with an average speed of 1,435.6 mph.
The SR-71 Blackbird in Flight
Coated with radar absorbent black ferrite paint this Mach 3 spy plane looked its name.
Media Commons
Birth of Stealth
To preserve the stealth capabilities of the aircraft, Lockheed engineers were charged with hiding the exhaust from the Blackbird's potent J58 turbo-ramjets. The solution, consistent with the Blackbird's cutting-edge design, was both innovative and ahead of its time. By adding the chemical cesium to the Blackbird's fuel, the exhaust would become ionized, making it invisible to radar. This intricate ionization process is a key component of stealth technology and remains classified. Although it originated in the 1960s, the Blackbird's technology still leads advancements in the twenty-first century.
The Blackbird was the brainchild of Lockheed Skunk Works' exceptional team, led by Kelly Johnson, who directed its development for over forty years. Built in complete secrecy at the Lockheed Skunk Works plant in Burbank, California, its flight tests were conducted at Area 51 in the 1960s.
The J58 turbo-ramjets on the Blackbird represented a theoretical breakthrough, seamlessly integrating the functions of a turbojet and a ramjet. Below Mach 2, the SR-71's powerful engines funneled air into the J-58's front inlets, where it was slowed and compressed by a turbine-driven multistage compressor. The air then mixed with fuel in the combustion chambers, with extra fuel added to activate the afterburner stage. At speeds above Mach 2.2, six bypass tubes would open, directing additional air straight from the engine to the afterburner, thereby improving the engine's fuel efficiency at high speeds.
The Blackbird essentially functioned as a flying fuel tank, with the capacity to hold over eleven thousand gallons of fuel. Aerial refueling was required for missions that demanded extended range. The Blackbird's fuel needs were distinct from those of any other aircraft.
During in-flight refueling, the Blackbird had to fly at lower altitudes and slow down. At speeds below Mach 2, the fuel temperature would drop to -90 degrees Fahrenheit. In contrast, at Mach 3, it would rise to 285 degrees Fahrenheit, a level where most fuels could boil and risk explosion. To handle these drastic temperature changes, a special fuel was developed. This fuel had such low vapor pressure that it wouldn't ignite, even if exposed directly to an open flame.
The Blackbird was initially deployed for reconnaissance missions over hostile territory during Operation Black Shield, flying high above the skies of Hanoi in North Vietnam. By the close of 1967, Blackbirds had completed twenty missions over North Vietnam and were occasionally targeted by surface-to-air missiles (SAMs). Usually, the Blackbird would be out of the enemy's radar range before they could achieve a lock-on, and if missiles were fired, it would simply climb and speed up, easily evading any threats.
Soaring through the deep, dark blue skies above North Vietnam, the SR-71 Blackbird remained invincible over the heavily defended city of Hanoi. During its entire operational history, not one SR-71 was ever shot down by a surface-to-air missile.
Ryan AQM-91 Firefly
The Ryan AQM-91 Firefly was a developmental drone developed during the Vietnam War to perform long-range reconnaissance, only 28 were built. It presents a small radar image to avoid surface-to-air missiles.
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Kelly Johnson
Kelly Johnson's History in Planes
End of the Blackbird Era
The full capabilities of the Blackbird have not been publicly disclosed, but it is speculated to reach speeds beyond Mach 3.3 and altitudes over 100,000 feet. The SR-71 Blackbird's true maximum speed remains classified. Despite never being seriously threatened by enemy defenses, technological advancements and political considerations rendered it obsolete. By the 1980s, the advent of satellite technology offered a more cost-effective means for photographic reconnaissance.
In October 1997, President Bill Clinton used a line-item veto to stop funding for the Blackbird program. Over a span of six years, Area 51 was the starting point for 2,850 Blackbird flights. In the mid-1960s, which aligned with the Blackbird's testing period, there was a significant increase in unidentified flying object reports near Area 51. This spike was primarily because departures of the Blackbird from Groom Lake were often mistaken for UFOs.
Most Blackbird sightings happen just after sunset, when the lower atmosphere is on the brink of total darkness. Its distinctive silhouette gives the Blackbird an otherworldly appearance to airline pilots flying six miles beneath, as the sunlight glints off its titanium body. The burning question remains whether a successor to the Blackbird exists. Speculation points to the Aurora, purportedly based at Groom Lake. Time alone will tell if the Aurora is real; the truth will eventually come to light.
Lockheed's Skunk Works, prominently located within sight of the main runway at Burbank's Municipal Airport, earned its name from a nearby plastics factory known for emitting a skunk-like odor. The facility itself is akin to a concrete blockhouse in appearance.
Throughout the Cold War, Russian satellites consistently surveyed Lockheed's extensive five-square-mile production complex, scrutinizing the secret operations at this mysterious site. Skunk Works staff members, chosen with precision, pledged to keep their work confidential from the public eye. The initial progress of Skunk Works was directed by Kelly Johnson, who became part of Lockheed in 1933 as a tool designer, following his master's degree completion, with a monthly wage of eighty-three dollars.
After forty-two years of service, he retired as the leading aerodynamics engineer of his time, credited with creating the fastest and highest-flying military aircraft ever known. His main clients were the Central Intelligence Agency and the U.S. Air Force, for whom he designed legendary aircraft like the U2, SR71, and the F117 Nighthawk Stealth Fighter.
Robert "Ben" Rich
Robert "Ben" Rich joined Lockheed Skunk Works in 1954 and served as Kelly Johnson's chief engineer on the U-2 and the SR-71. In 1975, he succeeded Kelly Johnson as head of the Skunk Works, where he created the F-117A Nighthawk stealth fighter.
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The F117 Nighthawk
Horton Brothers Stealth Aircraft
Dreamland
The restricted airspace above Groom Lake and the Nevada Test Range, commonly known as Dreamland, was a focal point for extensive atmospheric nuclear weapons testing in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s. Area 51 was chosen for its secretive nature, amplified by the public's fear of radiation from these tests. During that era, the full extent of the deadly impact of nuclear explosions was not fully comprehended. The U.S. Army used its soldiers as test subjects to determine the survivability of nuclear warfare.
It is unsurprising that Skunk Works would choose such a location for the testing of their most secretive aircraft. Bob Lazar has alleged that he saw the Aurora aircraft during his time at Area 51. In Southern California and elsewhere, there have been multiple reports of odd pulsating noises in the sky, accompanied by numerous sightings of contrails resembling "doughnuts on a rope."
The disclosure of the Aurora aircraft is just the tip of the iceberg regarding activities at Area 51. Although the sensational assertion that flying saucers were a creation of Nazi Germany and are authentic fuels conspiracy theories, there is no substantial evidence to back these extraordinary claims. Theories suggest that clandestine advanced aeronautical projects from Germany, the documents and equipment of which were captured by American forces during Operation Paperclip after World War II, are now being tested at Area 51.
Germany built the world's first operational jet fighter, the Me262. It also developed the first operational jet bomber, the Arado AR234, which had limited deployment before the war ended. Furthermore, America seized Wernher von Braun's V-2 ballistic missile, which provided the foundation for the technology that would ultimately lead to Neil Armstrong's moon landing in July 1969.
During World War II, Germany embarked on several secret projects, such as the Horten IX, a tailless flying wing aircraft conceived by the Horten brothers, Walter and Reimar. This groundbreaking aircraft achieved its first powered flight in February 1945. Some of the most fascinating German aircraft designs of the time were those with disc-like shapes. In his book 'German Jet Genesis,' David Masters discusses a disc-shaped aircraft designed by Schriever and Miethe, which had a diameter of 138 feet and impressively reached nearly 40,000 feet in just three minutes during its test flight in February 1945.
Bob Lazar, a self-described engineer who was not widely known, significantly contributed to the public's awareness of Area 51. His elaborate descriptions of his time at Sector 4 (S-4) within Area 51 sparked worldwide interest in the operations of this clandestine military airbase. Lazar claimed that the U.S. Air Force was testing extraterrestrial spacecraft at this isolated desert location and that he, with other scientists, tried to reverse-engineer the craft's propulsion systems.
In the 1950s, well before it was enveloped in extraterrestrial mystique, the air base was merely referred to as Watertown Strip. The 1980s saw a growing fascination with Area 51, which intensified in the 1990s after Bob Lazar's revelations. This led many to venture into the remote desert, drawn by the desire to witness the mysterious lights that seemed to dance above the base.
The formal acknowledgment of Area 51 happened on June 25, 2013, almost fifty years after the U.S. Air Force began its first aircraft tests at the site. Stemming from the Cold War tensions and the resulting nuclear arms race fears between the United States and the Soviet Union before the advent of satellites, U.S. officials determined that an aircraft with the capability to fly over the Soviet Union was crucial for surveilling Soviet missile bases.
Dreamland
TR-3B Black Manta:(The Bat)
Reports that were officially denied by the United States Air Force the Black Manta was secretly used during Operation Desert Storm in 1991, possibly to laser designate targets for F-117A strikes.
Wiki Commons
Dreamland in the Nevada Desert
Sources
Annie Jacobsen, Area 51 An Uncensored History of America's Top Secret Military Base., Back Bay Books / Little, Brown and Company., Hachette Book Group 237 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017.
Rich Ben. Skunk Works Little, Brown and Company. Hachette Book Group Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017.
Bill Yenne. Black Jets: A History of the Aircraft Development at Groom Lake, America's Secret Aviation Base., Zenith Press, A member of Quarto Publishing Group USA Inc., 400 First Avenue North, Suite 400 Minneapolis, MN 55401 USA.
