Incredible simulation shows what the SR-71's speed would look like flying at ground level
Published on Aug 21, 2025 at 12:36 PM (UTC+4)
by Molly Davidson
Last updated on Aug 21, 2025 at 3:30 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Emma Matthews
The SR-71 Blackbird is the fastest manned aircraft ever built and set a world record in the ’70s, for traveling from London to New York in just 1:54:56. Nearly half a century later, those numbers still stand untouched.
Now, a new simulation imagines what that kind of speed would look like. Posted by Airplane Mode, the clip takes the Mach 3 monster out of its usual comfort zone and drops it down over New York, San Francisco, and Sydney.
At that speed, the jet barely stays in frame – a blink, a roar, and it’s gone. And that checks out because the velocity it travels at means the Blackbird can take one full lap around Earth in 11 hours and 30 minutes.
The Blackbird may be retired, but one look at this simulation and you get it: this machine wasn’t just ahead of its time, it’s still ahead of ours.
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Molly Davidson is a Junior Content Writer at Supercar Blondie. Based in Melbourne, she holds a double Bachelor’s degree in Arts/Law from Swinburne University and a Master’s of Writing and Publishing from RMIT. Molly has contributed to a range of magazines and journals, developing a strong interest in lifestyle and car news content. When she’s not writing, she’s spending quality time with her rescue English staffy, Boof.
