Originally Posted by
Stu666
Never ceases to amaze me how they spent all that money researching and developing these fantastic aircraft, only to mothball them a few years later. And then they languished in a hangar, virtually untouched for the next 20-odd years. Surely the US could've got more use out of them? I understand it was political and due to internal rivalries, but even so, what a monumental waste of technology and taxpayer money. No wonder they kept them secret for so long.
A shame. Agree that they should have been put into USAF service.
An often overlooked part is the dedicated KC-135 refuelers for the special fuel. A truly massive enterprise to support SR-71 and A-12 operations.