SR_71

The SR-71 is the fastest manned aircraft ever produced and  part of my job in Vietnam was the tracking of military aircraft.  A video of the blackbird, which the ST-71 was known as reminded me of his incident.  I knew I was tracking a blackbird because it was moving so quickly it was the only plane it could be.  The plane entered North Vietnamese airspace from the southeastern corner of N>V< and flew across the width of the country then headed due north and then exited in the northeastern part of the country.  In only took a few minutes for the blackbird to make the trip.
  When the SR-71 first entered the country the N. Vietnamese launched a MiG 23 from their northern most airbase.  The MiG fly as fast straight up as it could and then fired all it's missiles.   It was like a hail Mary pass in football and like most hail Mary passes, this attempt to shoot down the blackbird failed too but it was the closest the enemy ever came to hitting the plane.
  I actually had the pleasure of viewing one of these beauties close up  while traveling through Okinawa.  I do believe this aircraft has been retired from active service.