Lockheed’s A-12 jet celebrates anniversary of first flight

Laura Sturza

BURBANK -- The 40th anniversary of the first flight of a spy-plane

designed and built at Lockheed’s top-secret Skunkworks facility will be

celebrated at events in Palmdale today.

Test pilot Louis Schalk took the plane on its maiden flight from a

secluded desert test site April 26, 1962. The A-12 Blackbird was the

prototype for the SR-71. It remains on display at the Blackbird Airpark.

Scheduled to attend the event are Schalk, Bob Gilliland and Jim

Eastham, first flight pilots on the A-12, SR-71, and YF-12 respectively.

The event is from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. today at the Blackbird Airpark on

the corner of 25th Street East and Avenue P in Palmdale. Admission is

free.