The story of Belmont 86, the SR-71 that made an emergency landing in Norway after spying over Murmansk - The Aviation Geek Club

1. Take off from Beale AFB, California USA 21:47 hrs -with 45,000 Ibs of fuel-, and climb to 26,000 feet/Mach 0.9 then meet up with the first Tanker at Mach 0.7, 20 minutes away above Idaho.

Once done, climb to 71,000 feet/Mach 3.0 , cruise climb at 200 feet/minute crossing over the United States into Canada...

2. Once in Canada meet up with the second Tanker above Goose Bay.

Climb/accelerate for the run across the North Atlantic Ocean heading for Norway...

3. Once off the Norwegian Coast, meet up with a third Tanker.

Climb/accelerate whilst heading North East, then East along the Norwegian Coast.

4. Increase speed to Mach 3.25 to penetrate the Soviet air defense region around Murmansk.

(The Goal at Murmansk is to complete a 30 degree angle 89NM right hand turn without crossing the 12NM Soviet Coast boundary)

5. On the return leg back to Beale AFB, refuel again West of Norway... except due to a 'left-engine oil supply low-quantity red warning light',  divert to Bodo Airport, Norway instead.

(The Blackbird touched down at 13:12 -Norwegian hrs. A 6 hr 24 flight, rather than the 10.5hr that was planned)

Tips:

*Most take off's were with 40,000 Ibs of fuel (1/2 a tank).

*Brake release to 78,000 feet/Mach 3.0 took less than 14 minutes.

*Air to air refueling took about 15 minutes...

*A typical descend/deceleration from 78,000 feet at Mach 3.0 down to 25,000 feet/Mach 0.9 took about 9 minutes.

The distance covered was 165NM. The Tanker would be 40NM ahead.