The incredible story behind the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird, one of the most legendary and invulnerable aircraft ever built.

There are many planes in the world - but these are the swiftest ever made ...

That's faster than any other aircraft that ever took off from a runway, including the SR-71 Blackbird, which back in 1976 set the speed record for piloted jet-powered aircraft, reaching 2,193.2 ...

The aircraft's top speed is rated at Mach 2.2, or 1,688 MPH, although other sources place its maximum a little lower, at 1,452 miles per hour while offering a range of nearly 3,000 miles.

Philip Thomas "Tom" Harsha, an aerospace engineer who helped lead the development of the fastest jet aircraft ever built, and ...