London to Los Angeles Record Flight-1974

On Sept. 13, 1974, Capt. Harold B. (Buck) Adams, Pilot, with Maj. Williams C. Machorek, Reconnaissance
Systems Operator, flew the SR-71 Blackbird across seven time zones from London to Los Angeles in a race with the sun. The 3 hour, 47 minute and 39 second flight established an initial speed record over the 5,447 statute mile route. An added aerial refueling over the longer distance produced a slower ground speed of 1,435 mph. The aircraft arrived (by California time) almost four hours before its London-time departure. For the record-setting flight, the pilot received the De La Vaulx medal given by Federation Aeronautique Internationale. The medal is awarded to individuals for establishing absolute world records for highest performance without regard to size of aircraft or power plant.

The following 48 images was taken at Beale AFB, California on Sept. 13, 1974.
They are the only known images of this historic Blackbird flight.

la001.jpg
la001.jpg
54.47 Kb
la002.jpg
la002.jpg
65.26 Kb
la003.jpg
la003.jpg
69.32 Kb
la004.jpg
la004.jpg
79.92 Kb
la005.jpg
la005.jpg
62.69 Kb
la006.jpg
la006.jpg
70.76 Kb
la007.jpg
la007.jpg
68.87 Kb
la008.jpg
la008.jpg
85.67 Kb
la009.jpg
la009.jpg
83.91 Kb
la010.jpg
la010.jpg
81.16 Kb
la011.jpg
la011.jpg
73.42 Kb
la012.jpg
la012.jpg
78.00 Kb
la013.jpg
la013.jpg
87.64 Kb
la014.jpg
la014.jpg
81.84 Kb
la015.jpg
la015.jpg
77.22 Kb
la016.jpg
la016.jpg
77.44 Kb
la017.jpg
la017.jpg
75.46 Kb
la018.jpg
la018.jpg
79.86 Kb
la019.jpg
la019.jpg
78.53 Kb
la020.jpg
la020.jpg
83.44 Kb
la021.jpg
la021.jpg
88.55 Kb
la022.jpg
la022.jpg
82.81 Kb
la023.jpg
la023.jpg
81.31 Kb
la024.jpg
la024.jpg
73.28 Kb
la025.jpg
la025.jpg
81.08 Kb
la026.jpg
la026.jpg
88.40 Kb
la027.jpg
la027.jpg
99.61 Kb
la028.jpg
la028.jpg
78.87 Kb
la029.jpg
la029.jpg
77.98 Kb
la030.jpg
la030.jpg
62.38 Kb
la031.jpg
la031.jpg
81.19 Kb
la032.jpg
la032.jpg
83.95 Kb
la033.jpg
la033.jpg
85.66 Kb
la034.jpg
la034.jpg
78.05 Kb
la035.jpg
la035.jpg
86.80 Kb
la036.jpg
la036.jpg
92.01 Kb
la037.jpg
la037.jpg
87.63 Kb
la038.jpg
la038.jpg
77.17 Kb
la039.jpg
la039.jpg
84.13 Kb
la040.jpg
la040.jpg
47.72 Kb
la041.jpg
la041.jpg
84.18 Kb
la042.jpg
la042.jpg
82.16 Kb
la043.jpg
la043.jpg
89.38 Kb
la044.jpg
la044.jpg
84.81 Kb
la045.jpg
la045.jpg
87.50 Kb
la046.jpg
la046.jpg
56.77 Kb
la047.jpg
la047.jpg
109.54 Kb
la048.jpg
la048.jpg
87.10 Kb

Home| Previous Page |Next Page


 

London to Los Angeles Speed Run Clarification

There has been minor discrepancies both in SR-71 publications and in data appearing on photos (to include the Lockheed photos on this web site) pertaining to the actual miles flown and the actual speed over the closed course.  National Aeronautics Association book of aircraft records issued by the  Federation Aeronautique International (FAI, the governing body of aviation world records) reflects accurately the speed of 2,310.35 Kilometers Per Hour. Therefore:

One statute mile = 1.609344 km. 

Therefore, 2310.35km/hr = 1435.59 statute mi/hr. 

3hr 47m 39s = 3.79416666 hr

Rate times time = distance = 5446.87 statute miles

The correct London to Los Angeles Speed Run Data is:

Time Flown: 3hour, 47min, 39sec

Distance Flown: 5,446.87 statute miles

Speed Flown: 1,435.59 statute mi/hr.


View 73 Photos taken at Farnborough Air Show in 1974

Questions and Thoughts on the SR-71 Blackbird

Deactivation of the SR-71. Beale AFB Air Fest 1997

Ten Videos of the SR-71 that can be downloaded

 

 SR-71 Front Page   Links Page   Index Page   Recollections   2001 Reunion  
"SR-71 Blackbirds"  Web Site Navigator
First Created: April 15, 1996 - Last Revised: March 29, 2004
Copyright © 1996 Leland R. Haynes     Email: sr71webmaster@sr71.us

 
 

Copyright 1996 Leland R. Haynes (MSgt, USAF, Ret) All rights reserved. Original publish date April 03,2001
Revised March 29, 2004

Page #60 of the "SR-71 Blackbirds"