Blair Bunting had poured over images of the SR-71 BlackBird and watched footage of it in flight on the History Channel numerous times, but he still felt unprepared for what he could only describe as a sense of awe the first time he saw it in person, while on assignment to photograph it along with two other aircraft at Beal Air Force Base. To many, the SR-71 is considered one of the great aeronautical achievements of all time. It flew higher and faster (top speed; 2,200 mph) as a strategic reconnaissance aircraft from 1966-1998, ten of those years in complete secrecy. But beyond all its amazing technical capabilities, it is also a work of art, conceived in the imagination of its creator, Clarence “Kelly” Johnson, long before “Star Wars.” As Blair told us, “To create the SR-71, one must first release everything that he knew about aircraft and embrace what ideas came when he dreamt as a child about space ships. The image that we captured of the rear of the aircraft shows us that the design fits better in a Star Wars movie, rather than an airplane hangar.”
Once Blair absorbed the size and scale of the Blackbird, he realized he had to rethink his photographic approach, somewhat. It also rained intermittently, which delayed shooting for a time. But these resulting images capture the essence of this powerful, mysterious force.