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U.S. Air Force Lockheed SR-71A Blackbird - Detachment 1, 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, Kadena Air Base, 1978 - 61-7967

From 1968 through to 1990 the 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron deployed a detachment of SR-71s to Kadena Air Base, on the Japanese island of Okinawa. During those 22 years, the Blackbirds and their crews of "Detachment 1" flew missions to Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, North Korea, the USSR and China. Without one single aircraft lost to enemy fire, the Blackbirds provided worldwide critical reconnaissance assessments to field commanders and the Pentagon. On one such mission during the Cold War, in December 1978, the SR-71A with serial number 61-7967 had engine problems during its return from a mission and had to make a landing at Osan Air Base in South Korea. Osan was home to the 9th SRW’s Detachment 2 which operated the U-2 Dragon Lady. Members of the local detachment’s crews used the maintenance time to redo the SR-71’s paint scheme, adding a zero behind the number 1 on its tail, adding the U-2 crews black cat emblem on the left stabilizer and even adding a price tag noting that the Blackbird was for sale for a mere 69 cents. The Lockheed technicians and the SR-71’s crew were reported to have been not all too happy with the humor the Dragon Lady crews displayed.
Property Value
Manufacturer Lockheed
Scale 1:200
Operator U.S. Air Force (USAF)
Category News, WINGS
Wings Type SR-71 Blackbird
Material metal
Color black
Wingspan 85 mm
Aircraft Registration 61-7967
Release Date News VI, November/December 2026
Information to product safety
Manufacturer and responsible person:

Herpa Miniaturmodelle GmbH
Leonrodstraße 46-47
90599 Dietenhofen
herpa@herpa.de / www.herpa.de


Warning:

Small scale and life-like model for adult collectors. Not suitable for children under 14 years!

From 1968 through to 1990 the 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron deployed a detachment of SR-71s to Kadena Air Base, on the Japanese island of Okinawa. During those 22 years, the Blackbirds and their crews of "Detachment 1" flew missions to Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, North Korea, the USSR and China. Without one single aircraft lost to enemy fire, the Blackbirds provided worldwide critical reconnaissance assessments to field commanders and the Pentagon. On one such mission during the Cold War, in December 1978, the SR-71A with serial number 61-7967 had engine problems during its return from a mission and had to make a landing at Osan Air Base in South Korea. Osan was home to the 9th SRW’s Detachment 2 which operated the U-2 Dragon Lady. Members of the local detachment’s crews used the maintenance time to redo the SR-71’s paint scheme, adding a zero behind the number 1 on its tail, adding the U-2 crews black cat emblem on the left stabilizer and even adding a price tag noting that the Blackbird was for sale for a mere 69 cents. The Lockheed technicians and the SR-71’s crew were reported to have been not all too happy with the humor the Dragon Lady crews displayed.
Property Value
Manufacturer Lockheed
Scale 1:200
Operator U.S. Air Force (USAF)
Category News, WINGS
Wings Type SR-71 Blackbird
Material metal
Color black
Wingspan 85 mm
Aircraft Registration 61-7967
Release Date News VI, November/December 2026