What a wonderful country this was when Presidents worried about titanium for airplanes for defense instead of titanium for golf clubs for longer drives.
One of the guides told the following story:
The US didn't have sufficient quantities of titanium to build these airplanes so the CIA set up a dummy trading company in South America. This company made contact with a Russian company that had titanium and the finished materials for the project came from the USSR via Brazil.
The M-21 was a two-seater with the extra seat designated for the drone launch officer. The drones were to be flown over territory “too hot” for the Blackbird. It is believed the drone system was never used. Only two M-21 birds were built.
“What a wonderful country this was when Presidents worried about titanium for airplanes for defense instead of titanium for golf clubs for longer drives.”
You win the entire Internet today for this comment.
I did have a pang of regret for the country that built it that is no more.
*sigh*. And when they kept things secret, like this, until it was ready. I’ve long marveled at this aircraft...still the coolest aircraft ever built, imo. Seeing how many aircraft were developed and produced during the past in such a short time. What is the rate now...1 new design to production (maybe) every 10-20 years?