SR-71 61-7968

Virginia Aviation Museum’s aircraft, USAF tail number 61-7968, set the endurance record on April 26, 1971. Majors Thomas B. Estes and Dewain C. Vick, flew 61-7968 over 15,000 miles in 10 hrs. 30 min. Non-Stop (Time includes aerial refueling at subsonic speeds). Awards for this flight include the 1971 Mackay Trophy for the "most meritorious flight of the year" and the 1972 Harmon Trophy for the "most outstanding international achievement in the art/science of aeronautics".