Background information on our SR-71 Titanium Relics
The SR-71 Blackbird was the World's fastest spy plane. Approximately 90% of the aircraft was made from titanium. This was quite a feat, especially when considering how difficult titanium is to work and the fact that when the SR-71 was built back in the early 1960’s the US had very little titanium ore available. This led to cloak and dagger operations with the titanium ore having to be sourced by the CIA from our Cold War opponent the USSR through various third world front corporations. The SR-71 Blackbird spy plane first flew back in 1964 and had an incredible top speed of over mach 3.0! On March 6, 1990 an SR-71 Blackbird made its final flight from Los Angeles to Washington, DC in just 64 minutes at an average speed of 2144 mph!
Overview of the crash of SR-71 61-7970
On Wednesday, June 17. 1970, SR-71 Blackbird 61-7970 was engaged in refueling from KC-135Q tanker no. 59-1474. During this refueling the Blackbird pitched up into the underside of the tanker ripping open part of the Blackbird's cockpit and destroying the Blackbird’s flight controls. The flight crew, Lt. Col. Buddy L. Brown, and Maj. Mortimer Jarvis, safely ejected from the stricken aircraft, suffering relatively minor injuries. The Blackbird crashed approximately 20 miles from El Paso on non-Federally owned land. The KC-135Q suffered damage to its refueling boom and aft fuselage, but returned safely to Beal AFB in California.
The following is a brief summary of the discovery and recovery of the crash artifacts by a long time El Paso resident, who we shall refer to as Mr. H.
In the Spring of 2013, El Paso resident Mr. H began to hear rumors about a crashed Blackbird east of El Paso. At several school functions Mr. H’s peers told stories of visiting the crash site back in the early 1970’s. One history teacher even had a section of Blackbird hull decorating his desk. After hearing the stories and seeing the recovered artifacts, Mr. H was inspired and eager to began his search for this aircraft. After extensive research in local papers and elsewhere, Mr. H narrowed down the search area, and in June 2013, he and several friends came upon the final location of SR-71 61-7970.
The recovered parts had all been left on the desert floor for 43 years following the partial clean up of the crash in 1970 until recovery in 2013. From the numbered parts, high percentage of titanium, black exterior coating on exterior titanium skin, the location of the crash and various other indicators, this is definitely the crash site of SR-71 61-7970. According to Mr. H, people had been using the SR-71 artifacts littering the desert floor for target practice in the decades prior to his clean up and recovery efforts.
Mr. H has been kind enough to provide us a number of his artifacts. All of the SR-71 relics on our site were obtained from Mr. H along with a COA from him.
The recovered parts had all been left on the desert floor for 43 years following the partial clean up of the crash in 1970 until recovery in 2013. From the numbered parts, high percentage of titanium, black exterior coating on exterior titanium skin, the location of the crash and various other indicators, this is definitely the crash site of SR-71 61-7970. According to Mr. H, people had been using the SR-71 artifacts littering the desert floor for target practice in the decades prior to his clean up and recovery efforts.
Mr. H has been kind enough to provide us a number of his artifacts. All of the SR-71 relics on our site were obtained from Mr. H along with a COA from him.
How to Identify SR-71 Titanium Relics
Do you know how to distinguish titanium from aluminum from from steel? Let's walk through the process.
Fun Facts
Aluminum has the lowest density of only 2.7g per cm3 and it barely sparks at all when you grind it as can be seen in this short video:
Steel has the highest density of 7.8g / cm3 and it sparks moderately with orange sparks (and is attracted to magnets unless it is stainless steel in which case it is not attracted to magnets). The following short video shows this :
Titanium has an intermediate density of 4.5g / cm3 and it sparks with brilliant, white-hot, star-shaped sparks (similar to magnesium) like the ones in the attached video of a snapped structural beam from SR-71 61-7970:
Titanium also burns white hot when it has a high enough surface area to volume ratio such as in powder or fine lathe chip form. Titanium can also be heat anodized AND electrolytically anodized.
Photo of exterior SR-71 titanium skin w/ quintessential SR-71 black coating, heat anodized by fiery crash of SR-71 61-7970
Photo of SR-71 titanium structural beam which was snapped from the force of the crash
Photo of Stamped SR-71 titanium relic with "Hi Ti" specialty bolts
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Arizona Skies Meteorites
P.O. Box 2412
Flagstaff, Arizona 86003
Photo of exterior SR-71 titanium skin w/ quintessential SR-71 black coating, heat anodized by fiery crash of SR-71 61-7970
Photo of SR-71 titanium structural beam which was snapped from the force of the crash
Photo of Stamped SR-71 titanium relic with "Hi Ti" specialty bolts
We have acquired a number of amazing and historically important artifacts of the SR-71 titanium from this crash directly from the finder. The Structural beams, bolts, rivets, interior "skin" and exterior skin are all titanium. The exterior skin often still has the quintessential SR-71 black coating on it 55 years after the crash in the desert. According to Occam's razor, a black aircraft, made almost entirely from titanium which crashed in the West Texas desert (in the same area as the crash of 61-7970) with SR-71 stamp marks on a number of the parts, and black coating of the exterior skin, is, in fact SR-71 61-7970.
We guarantee the authenticity of all of our collectibles and provide Certificates of Authenticity with all of our relics, SR-71 rings and jewelry. If you have any questions feel free to contact us!
We guarantee the authenticity of all of our collectibles and provide Certificates of Authenticity with all of our relics, SR-71 rings and jewelry. If you have any questions feel free to contact us!
Arizona Skies Meteorites® is in no way affiliated with the Lockeed Martin Corporation.
P.O. Box 2412
Flagstaff, Arizona 86003
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