The Saga of the SR-71 and the Pacific Coast Air Museum

by Dave Pinsky, Colonel (Ret.) USAF
Former Commander, 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, Beale AFB, CA
Executive Director, Pacific Coast Air Museum

As many of you know, the SR-71 was developed for the U.S.Air Force as a reconnaissance aircraft more than 30 years ago. SR-71s were the world's fastest and highest-flying production aircraft. The aircraft could fly at speeds of more than 2,200 miles per hour (Mach 3+, or more than three times the speed of sound) and at altitudes of over 85,000 feet. The SR-71 still holds most of the world's speed and altitude records.

And as many of you know, the Pacific Coast Air Museum now has three major components from an SR-71 "Blackbird" on display, right now, at the museum a nose, a rudder and an engine spike. We also have an Astro Navigational System (ANS) Guidance Group, two nose tires mounted on wheels (one tire is brand new and never used) and two main gear tires (the ones with the silver colored sides that were filled with nitrogen) mounted on wheels. And we are currently engaged in conversations that I hope will result in our getting an SR-71 J-58 engine.

Several people have asked how we managed to get this stuff, when it was secret for so long, and when we tried and were told "no" so many times. When I related the long saga, several suggested that I write it down for posterity, so here goes.

The saga started about two years ago, just after I became Executive Director. Most everyone knows that in a previous life I was Wing Commander of the 9th Wing at Beale Air Force Base. One of my responsibilities was the worldwide SR-71 program, and because of that, I got to fly the SR-71, as well as the U-2,  T-38 and KC-135 (and I actually worked too!).

Almost two years ago I heard from a friend that SR-71 engines (J-58) were becoming available for Air Museums. So I thought how cool it would be to get one for our Pacific Coast Air Museum. I was sure I could do that. Little did I know the journey that thought would take me on!

I heard that the Castle Museum had just received a J-58 engine so I called down there and talked to the Executive Director. He told me they got theirs on loan from the Air Force Museum. He also told me that there were warehouses full of SR-71 parts at Barstow, CA, under the control of NASA. A little checking revealed that was true, and that the fellow in charge of storing and disposing of all this stuff was none other that retired USAF SMSgt Mike Relja. Mike was in charge of the maintenance NCOs for me when I was at Beale, I knew him pretty well, and see Mike at the Blackbird Reunions we have every other year at the Nugget in Sparks, near Reno.

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