SR-71 Books (Not Sled Driver), suggestions?

[Boatbuoy]

Right,

Good people of PH, your assistance if I may? It's that awkward time of year when I'm asked what I'd like for Christmas. A black Lamborghini Countach LP400 is over budget so I'm forced to look for other, less expensive items. I've always loved receiving a decent coffee table book on Christmas Day.

I have a general aviation passion and consider myself to have an above average knowledge of aircraft. One of the planes that really transfixed me is the SR.-71 and its associated variants. Just to confirm, Sled driver is out (somewhere with the Lamborghini), but there are seemingly many publications to choose from. I'm more and more fascinated by the stories about the crews and the missions rather than the aircraft itself. In the shop at Duxford recently I had a quick flick through this one:



In the 10 minutes or so that I read of it I was pleasantly surprised by it and it's currently to of my list, I just wondered if I had missed something better?

Over to you lot!

Cheers,
Olly

[Tango13]

This is a very good read,

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Blackbird-Rising-Birth-Avi...

[lufbramatt]

I got "SR-71 revealed- the untold story" by Richard Graham the last time I was at Duxford, really good read, lots of detail about the aircraft and its systems and how the crew flew the aircraft. The last chapter where he goes into the politics of its cancellation dragged on a bit but overall I enjoyed it.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/SR-71-Revealed-Untold-Rich...

[PBDirector]

I guess you've watched this? http://youtu.be/CeBu6mRDaro - I found it fascinating.

Books: Steve Pace "Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird", Richard Graham (et al) "Flying the SR-71 - in the cockpit of a secret operation mission"

...and now a little off-piste:

This is an absolutely fascinating review of the background/needs : http://www.foia.cia.gov/sites/default/files/DOC_00...
and I LOVED this - it's a complete access CIA internal breifing document that gives you a real insight into the environment, politics and personalities between 1954-1974. Really sets it all in context: http://www.foia.cia.gov/sites/default/files/DOC_00...

enjoy!


EDIT: just realised you were asking for a Christmas present, and I didn't help. Sorry :/

Edited by PBDirector on Friday 21st November 09:32

[Neonblau]

Again, not much use as a Christmas present, but a really good read and you can download it straight away.

I especially like the story of the A-12 colliding with a Greyhound bus.

https://www.cia.gov/library/center-for-the-study-o...