Lockheed SR-71 Operations in Europe and the Middle East (Combat Aircraft) [Paperback]

Paul Crickmore (Author), Chris Davey (Illustrator)

Book Description

Series: Combat Aircraft | Publication Date: August 18, 2009

An icon of American military might during the Cold War (1946-1991), the Lockheed SR-71 'Blackbird' had covered itself in glory during the aircraft's debut in over-flights of North Vietnam and North Korea. When the US intelligence community realized that the aircraft could fly faster and higher than any Soviet fighter, and outrun most surface-to-air missiles, they instructed the United States Air Force to establish a European detachment of the aircraft.

In 1976, SR-71 Det 4 commenced operations from the Royal Air Force base at Middenhall in the United Kingdom. Its mission was to monitor Warsaw Pact troop movements along the Iron Curtain and photograph the various ports with access to the Batlic and Barents Seas that were home to the Soviet Union's nuclear submarine fleet. Despite the best efforts of the USSR, they were never able to intercept a 'Blackbird' in flight.

The SR-71 continued its success during several missions over Libya. After surprise military strikes against several targets in 1986, the SR-71s managed to fly over a sophisticated and fully-integrated defense system in order to take bomb assessment photos.

Written by an expert on SR-71 operations, this book picks up where Combat 76: Lockheed SR-71 Operations in the Far East left off.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Paul F. Crickmore's Lockheed SR-71 Operations in Europe and the Middle East provides a fine addition to the Osprey Combat Aircraft series, covering tensions around the deployment of the aircraft and its mission to monitor Warsaw pact troop movements and photograph ports." -The Bookwatch (December 2009)

"What makes this particular book such a great read is the depth of information provided on operations of the time. The accounts of the pilots and others involved (including those of pilots sent up to try and intercept the Blackbird) adds much to making this such a fascinating book. Add to that the great choice of photos and several pages of well drawn profiles and you have a book that I know you will enjoy." -Scott Van Aken, Modeling Madness / www.modelingmadness.com (February 2010)

About the Author

During his time as an air traffic controller at the London Air Traffic Control Centre, Paul Crickmore gained a unique introduction into SR-71 operations from RAF Mildenhall, Suffolk. He teamed up with Osprey to produced the first detailed book ever to be published on the subject. When additional information became available to him in 1990 following the initial shut down of SR-71 operations, Crickmore produced an even more detailed book, Lockheed SR-71 The Secret Missions Exposed - the standard reference work on the subject. The work was acclaimed by both the aviation press, Ben Rich (late president of the Skunk Works) and the crews that flew the SR-71. He is also the author of the first detailed book about the F-117 written in partnership with his wife Alison, published by Motorbooks International in 1999.

Product Details

• Paperback: 96 pages
• Publisher: Osprey Publishing; Original edition (August 18, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1846034183
• ISBN-13: 978-1846034183
• Product Dimensions: 7.3 x 0.3 x 9.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #469,275 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars vrooom, August 18, 2009

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A reader (New York City) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Lockheed SR-71 Operations in Europe and the Middle East (Combat Aircraft) (Paperback)

As I opened the package containing this book today, I found myself hoping that it would mention the missions that were flown over the Middle East from Griffiss Air Force Base in upstate New York. In fact I had been thinking the same thing when I ordered the book.

Most folks think that the first post-WWII combat mission to originate from and end in the lower 48 was a B-52 strike from Barksdale AFB to just outside of Iraq and back in 1991. But, in fact, there were a number of them flown over Cuba by Air Force and Navy fliers in 1961. And they were followed by a series of SR-71 missions from New York to the Middle East and back during the October War. Well, friends, not only were the Griffiss missions mentioned in Lockheed SR-71 Operations in Europe and the Middle East, there is an entire chapter on them! (B-52s from Wurtsmith AFB, Mich., attacked Iraq from there at the start of the first Gulf War. They recovered in Saudi Arabia.)

While this isn't Paul Crickmore's first book on the SR-71 (see, among others, the companion Lockheed SR-71 Operations in the Far East), it sure is a good one. Crickmore has even done original research on Soviet attempts to intercept SR-71s over the Baltic in the 1980s--including interviews with former Soviet pilots.

This book is probably not the last word on SR-71 operations, but it is the most current one. There are many photos in this fine, highly recommended book.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Osprey's fine guides to battles, wars and military history are top picks for any serious military library, December 13, 2009

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Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lockheed SR-71 Operations in Europe and the Middle East (Combat Aircraft) (Paperback)

Osprey's fine guides to battles, wars and military history are top picks for any serious military library. Rare photos and original artwork lends to the effort. Paul F. Crickmore's LOCKHEED SR-71 OPERATIONS IN EUROPE AND THE MIDDLE EAST provides a fine addition to the Osprey Combat Aircraft series, covering tensions around the deployment of the aircraft and its mission to monitor Warsaw pact troop movements and photograph ports.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Lockheed SR-71 Operations in Europe and the Middle East, March 7, 2011

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Karl Pople (Oldsmar, FL United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Lockheed SR-71 Operations in Europe and the Middle East (Combat Aircraft) (Paperback)

A VERY interesting book in the Osprey Library! I also purchased the companion book SR-71 Operations in the Far East and found it to be equally fascinating. I didn't think reading about spy ops would be so riveting. Alone, unarmed, usually on the edge of hostile foreign borders, these crews kept us and our allies safe for nearly forty years! And all done in an aircraft that is STILL years beyond it's time! A must read.