How the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird Works

Special thanks to Air Zoo Aerospace & Science Museum (youtube.com/AirZoo), retired SR-71 Pilots Jerry Glasser and Buz Carpenter, and Arnie Gunderson (retired Pratt & Whitney J58 PM). It's an absolute honor to work with folks as legendary as the subjects I cover!

As a mechanical engineer, I can't begin to express how much value your videos bring to young minds. With the internet filled with misinformative AI generated videos, your videos give me hope in the future of tomorow. On behalf of all of us.. thank you Jake and please never stop what you are doing. They will use your videos for hundreds of years to teach the future generations, well done my friend!

I've been a pilot for 30 years, I have never once been able to explain the SR 71 with such clarity. I've never heard anybody explain it well. This is one of the most complex airplanes to understand. And you made it so simple a child can understand it. Very skillfully done my friend.

“Just outrun the missiles” is the most badass flex in history

I'm an SR-71 nerd and for the longest time I couldn't help but watch anything Blackbird related. After a while, I hit my point of satiation. I've watched dozens of documentaries about this plane. I got it. So i stopped watching as much stuff about this plane, ignored this video in my feed a few times. But finally my inner nerd won and I'm 8 minutes in. I gotta say, holy crap dude, this is incredible. How everything is named, highlighted and shown in detail... Just incredible. It makes so much sense. It also demonstrates how dang smart the engineers were.

The fact that this is free is such a privilege. The quality of your videos is second to none. Amazing work.

20min in , and I realized why I’m still watching, you talk slow, and have pauses in between sentences, it lets me to think and comprehend what I’ve just heard, thank so much for that, just that is gold, finally a narrator that gets it!!!!

"Every part of this masterpiece is designed for its mission goals" is probably the most eloquent and concise summary of this amazing engineering marvel.

I was an Avionics Communications specialist (328x0) stationed at Beale AFB and worked on these fantastic machines. This video provides such great insights on so any of the items we knew about this jet but graphically explains how and why it works. For instance I knew that the Nacelles produced greater thrust than the afterburners but couldn’t exactly explain how it was done. Further we were in contact with the crew from launch to recovery and could hear the grunts and pauses when a SAM launch was detected and evasive maneuvers were underway sometimes resulting in the “inlet unstart” you spoke of. I believe that modifications were made when an unstart occurred that forced the ruddervators to the opposite direction to prevent the possible loss of consciousness for the crew by reducing the impact of their helmets hitting the sides of the cockpit. You did a great job of describing the engine starting process and the twin (Buick 400?) engines revving - sounded incredible and was especially exciting when the TEB was injected for the green flash that occurred! Comm specialists were among a few that were present for preflight testing and this was a treat to be a part of! Fantastic work!

An hour long Animagraffs video? And on the SR71?! Yes! Another outstanding video Jake!

Oh god we are in for a treat

If there was an award for the best made / best edited YouTube video. This would win it.

One of the best videos ever posted to YouTube. Unbelievable.

55 min on the most badass plane ever designed, engineered and produced. Instant like and watch

As a former fuel system repair specialist that was attached to the 9th SRW, my friend you did an awesome job.

The level of thought, dedication, and hours spent on this project is impressive. You should be proud of this video.

As an aerospace engineer this is by far the best explanation of how this aircraft works. Loved every bit of the video 🔥💯

In the mid 80’s, I was at Avial in Burbank, California to witness a test of a freshly rebuilt Allison 501 engine. Sitting to one side on a stand was a strange looking engine. When I asked, they told me it was an engine from an SR-71, and was one of two they were rebuilding. They weren’t allowed to let me see the one in the shop, but they were happy to give me a close up look at the one on the test stand. They even let me watch as they ran it in the test cell. It was one of the best workdays I ever had. Very, very cool.

Dear Animagraffs, you're right, there can never be "too much material online" when it comes to the subject of the SR-71 Blackbird. And even if this field of study was indeed saturated, there would still be room for your beautiful illustrations and clear concise explanations because there is no channel - on the whole of the internet - that can deliver what you bring to the table. The professional teaching material (created with profits in mind) wouldnt have a chance of delivering the clarity that you do. Bravo, again, on such beautiful work that it feels like a crime to watch it for free. Im not in a position to pay for what its worth, so please consider this small token to be just a thought gesture of my appreciation.

This video is damn near as impressive as the SR-71 itself. This is an absolutely superb production.