Lockheed D-21 - Testing

The Lockheed D-21 was a Mach 3+ reconnaissance drone that began development in October 1962. Originally known by the Lockheed designation Q-12, it was intended to be launched off the back of the Lockheed A-12 for extra-long range flights and/or missions that were too dangerous for a manned vehicle. With a single Hycon high-resolution photographic camera, it was designed to fly over a pre-programmed location, and then drop the hatch containing the camera into the ocean, where it could be retrieved. The D-21 itself would then sel ...

Including:

• Lockheed D-21 - Design
• Lockheed D-21 - Testing
• Lockheed D-21 - Operational Use
• Lockheed D-21 - Trivia

Read more here: » Lockheed D-21: Encyclopedia - Lockheed D-21

The M-21/D-21 combination began captive flight-testing in December 1964, continuing through 1965. Aerodynamic covers that were in place over the intake and exhaust were removed after the first few tests, as it was unable to drop them at Mach 3 without damaging the M-21 and/or D-21. Increased drag caused by the removal was overcome by using the D-21's ramjet as a third engine. The first launch of the D-21 from the back of the M-21 occurred successfully on March 5, 1966, followed by two others on April 27 and June 16 of that year. The f ...

See also:

Lockheed D-21, Lockheed D-21 - Design, Lockheed D-21 - Testing, Lockheed D-21 - Operational Use, Lockheed D-21 - Trivia

Read more here: » Lockheed D-21: Encyclopedia II - Lockheed D-21 - Testing

The Q-12 design was finalized in October 1963. An air-launched vehicle, it was powered by a single Marquardt RJ43-MA-11 ramjet, and used key technology from the A-12 project, including titanium construction. Its double-delta wing was similar to the A-12's outer wing design. In late 1963, the project was named Tagboard and the Q-12 was re-designated D-21 while the A-12 became M-21 (D- for "daughter" and M- for "mother") to prevent confusion between Tagboard and the Blackbird fam ...

See also:

Lockheed D-21, Lockheed D-21 - Design, Lockheed D-21 - Testing, Lockheed D-21 - Operational Use, Lockheed D-21 - Trivia

Read more here: » Lockheed D-21: Encyclopedia II - Lockheed D-21 - Design

Four operational missions took place under the name SENIOR BOWL, from November 9, 1969 to March 20, 1971, all over the People's Republic of China to spy on the Lop Nor nuclear test site. Only two drones completed the flight, and system malfunctions prevented the recovery of the reconnaissance camera. Due to the poor level of success and the introduction of a new generation of photoreconnaissance satellites, ...

See also:

Lockheed D-21, Lockheed D-21 - Design, Lockheed D-21 - Testing, Lockheed D-21 - Operational Use, Lockheed D-21 - Trivia

Read more here: » Lockheed D-21: Encyclopedia II - Lockheed D-21 - Operational Use