Willamp - I have a feeling he was either having you on or perhaps wasn't up to date with the SR-71 program's status. I suspect the USAF is happy to allow the 'SR-71 still being in service' myth to survive, perhaps in an attempt to divert attention from a more advanced platform?
After the USAF fleet was canned in 1990, NASA retained two A models and the sole remaining B model in flying condition, plus a couple of flyable storage. Two single seaters were re-generated in late 94 for the USAF to fill a need, but were retired again on 1997. NASA hasn't flown its SRs since about 1999 when the now cancelled X-33 engine test program ended.
The last remaining unaccounted for jet to have been kept in flyable storage at NASA was the two seater, -956, and I believe this was cut up and transported by road to a museum earlier this year.
The only jet that used the JP7 was the SR, but all the remaining dedicated KC-135Q tankers have been retired to the boneyard or converted over to -135R/T standard via the BAE Pacer Crag programme, and I believe only the NASA NKC-135s retain the capability to offload that fuel now. The SR could use normal JP4 in an emergency, but had performance (M2.0) and altitude (50K) limits imposed when doing so.
Brian Shul's 'Sled Driver' book is indeed a 'special' and I was fortunate to have been given a signed copy a few years ago by an ex USAF buddy of mine.
I regret that I shall never see an SR fly
, but I'll be paying a visit (making a pilgrimage?) to the Blackbird Airpark at Palmdale later this year to pay my respects to Kelly Johnson, Ben Rich, and all Roadrunners and Sled drivers out there.
Magoo