new Mustard store. More on that after this video. In the midst of the Cold War,

冷戰時期， 兩架MiG-25匆忙地沿著蘇聯的邊界線企圖攔截威脅

two Mig-25s race to intercept a threat along the Soviet border. They're the

他們是世上最快的攔截機， 如果真的非常用力催下去的話

fastest interceptors ever built, and if they really push their engines, they can

還可以誇張地加速到3.2馬赫， 但是這還不夠

reach an incredible Mach 3.2. But it's not enough. Because what they're chasing

因爲他們追逐的對象飛的比任何威脅更快更高

can outrun and out-climb any threat. A plane engineered to be invulnerable.

他是一架被造的無懈可擊的飛機

The Cold War locked the United States and Soviet Union into a tense a struggle

冷戰時期，美國和蘇聯爲了確保對全球的影響及控制而 陷入緊張的鬥爭之中

for global influence and control. Both sides poured enormous resources into

雙方在軍事科技上都投入了龐大的資源

military technologies. But getting an upper hand means knowing your opponent's

但想要佔上風就表示你需要知道對手的下一步

next move. And in the 1950s, little was known about facilities deep within the

而在1950年代，美國對於蘇聯深處的情況知之甚少

Soviet Union. An extensive network of radar stations, surface-to-air missile

一個由大範圍的雷達站、地對空導彈和空軍基地組成的網路將美國阻擋在外

sites, and interceptor air bases kept the Americans away. Until 1956, when U-2

一直到1956年， U-2偵察機開始在蘇聯領空飛行

spy planes began flying over the Soviet Union. Neither fast nor stealthy, the U-2s had

既不快又不能匿蹤的U-2有一個關鍵的優點

one critical advantage. At 70,000 feet, they could fly above Soviet air defenses.

在21336公尺的高空， 他們可以飛越蘇聯的對空防禦

U.S. President Eisenhower was even assured, Soviet radars couldn't detect

甚至對美國總統艾森豪保證過，以這樣的高度，蘇聯的雷達無法偵測到U-2

the U-2 at such high altitudes. But it turns out, the Americans were wrong. The

但是事實證明，美國人錯了

Soviets had tracked the U-2 since day one, and it was only a matter of time before

蘇聯從一開始就追蹤得到U-2，

they'd be able to shoot one down. Simply flying high wasn't enough. Even before

要打下來也只是時間問題罷了

the U-2 began its surveillance missions, there were already plans underway to

只能飛得很高是不夠的

replace it. Because true impunity over Soviet airspace would need a combination

甚至在U-2開始偵查任務以前 就已經在著手進行替換計劃了

of incredible speed, altitude, and stealth. And this led the Americans to explore

要想真正的在蘇聯領空脫罪

some pretty radical spy plane concepts, like a ramjet powered aircraft that

需要一架集高速、高空及匿蹤能力於一身的飛機

would be deployed from the bottom of a supersonic B-58. But in 1959 the CIA

而這讓美國人研究了一些較為激進的偵察機概念

chose Lockheed to develop the next generation of spy plane.

例如從B-58的底部部署一架衝壓引擎飛行器

Meanwhile, the U-2 continued to fly over the Soviet Union. But not for very long,

但在1959年CIA選擇讓洛克希德開發次世代的偵察機

because in the spring of 1960, a Soviet surface-to-air missile finally managed

與此同時，U-2持續在飛越蘇聯領空。 但並沒有持續太久

to bring one down. The captured pilot and wreckage were paraded around the Soviet

因爲在1960年的春天，一枚蘇聯地對空導彈終於成功地擊落了一架U-2

Union used as proof of Western aggression. As tensions rose, now more

被俘虜的飛行員和殘骸在蘇聯各處遊街

than ever the US needed a replacement for the U-2.

作爲西方侵略的證據

And what Lockheed developed, would be unlike any aircraft ever built. A plane

隨著情況愈發緊張

that nearly 60 years after its first flight, remains the fastest air-breathing

美國比以往更迫切需要U-2的替代方案

jet to ever fly. Lockheed's highly-classified spy plane would be

而洛克希德所開發的是一架前所未有的飛機

known as the A-12. Originally used by the CIA for reconnaissance, the A-12 was also

一架從首次飛行後將近60年間直到如今都保持著最快速紀錄的噴氣式飛機

developed into an interceptor prototype, armed with air-to-air missiles, along

洛克希德將此高度保密偵察機命名為A-12

with a variant that could launch an unmanned reconnaissance drone. But it was

最初由CIA用來進行偵察任務

the SR-71 Blackbird, a variant developed for the Air Force that would go on to

A-12也衍生出搭載了空對空導彈的原型攔截機(YF-12)

serve for decades, while earlier versions were quickly retired. The Blackbird could

以及搭載無人偵查機的機型(M-21)

cruise at Mach 3.2 right near the edge of space, and do it for hours on end.

但是只有SR-71黑鳥這個為美國空軍開發的機種，成為持續服役了幾十年的機型

To achieve this, Lockheed's engineers had to innovate pretty much everything from

而其他早期機型都很早就退役了

scratch. To sustain such incredible speeds the SR-71 and its predecessors

黑鳥能持續數小時以3.2馬赫的速度在大氣層邊緣巡航

were powered by engines often described as turboramjets. Below Mach 2 they

爲了實現這個目標，差不多所有項目都得由洛克希德的工程師從頭開始研發

functioned like conventional after-burning jet engines. But above that,

為了保持如此高的速度，SR-71和早期機使用了渦輪衝壓引擎作爲動力源

they behaved more like ramjets, as an inlet cone adjusted to bypass air around

當速度低於2馬赫時它們就像傳統的後燃器一樣運作

the engine and directly into the afterburner. At mach 3.2 the SR-71's

但高於2馬赫時，他們作動的方式就變得比較接近衝壓引擎

exterior would heat up to beyond 500 degrees Fahrenheit, easily hot enough to

引擎使用進氣錐來調節吸入的空氣， 繞過引擎的渦輪直接進入後燃器

soften aircraft aluminum. Lockheed engineers used titanium for 92 percent

當速度提升到3.2馬赫時，SR-71的外部溫度將會達到攝氏260度以上

of the aircraft, and in the 1960s this required inventing entirely new

常用的航空鋁合金將被輕易地軟化

fabrication technologies. It's unusual shape did more than just spook UFO

洛克希德使用鈦打造92%的機身

enthusiasts, it helped reduce its radar signature as did its special black paint,

在1960年代，這需要研發全新的製造技術

which earned the SR-71 its Blackbird name.

SR-71不尋常的外觀不只能嚇壞UFO愛好者

The A-12 and SR-71 were first deployed over North Korea and Vietnam, where they

它還有助於減少雷達特徵

were unsuccessfully targeted by over 800 surface-to-air missiles. But the spy

使用的特殊黑色塗料也有同樣效果

plane never flew into Soviet airspace. At least not officially, because another

這讓SR-71贏得了黑鳥這一名號

shoot-down over the Soviet Union would be catastrophic.

A-12和SR-71首次部署在北韓及越南

So instead, the SR-71 flew along its borders, using its powerful side-looking

超過800次被地對空導彈鎖定失敗

radar and cameras to peer hundreds of miles into Soviet territory. And that

但是這偵察機從沒有進入過蘇聯的領空， 至少以官方的角度來説

frustrated the Soviets. In 1976, Viktor Belenko defected to the west, by escaping

因為若再次在蘇聯境内被擊落將導致災難性的後果

the Soviet Union in his Mig-25. He described the frustration of trying to

所以SR-71一直沿著蘇聯的邊界飛行

intercept Blackbirds. The MiG's were Mach 3 capable, but only for a few

依靠强大的側視雷達和相機 偵察蘇聯境内數百英里的情況

minutes at a time. Not for hours like the Blackbird. Nor could they climb to reach

這讓蘇聯人吃癟了

the SR-71's incredible altitude. Even their enormous R40 missiles lacked the

1976年，維克多·別連科藉由駕駛一架MiG-25叛逃至西方

guidance needed to strike the SR-71 head-on. For years, the Blackbirds were

他講述了攔截黑鳥的失敗經驗

practically invulnerable. They could out fly and out-climb any threat. But by the

MiG-25可加速至3馬赫， 但是只能持續數分鐘，不像黑鳥能夠持續數小時

1980s, Mig-31s were roaming the skies, equipped with sophisticated radar

也不能爬升到SR-71的飛行高度

and long-range R33 missiles. They posed a legitimate threat, as did a new

就連裝備的龐大R40飛彈， 也缺乏與SR-71正面交鋒能力

generation of Soviet surface-to-air missiles. But the greatest threat to the

數年以來，黑鳥實在是天下無敵， 他們能夠飛得比任何威脅更快更高

Blackbird wasn't an enemy missile or jet. It was itself. No Blackbird was ever lost

但是到了1980年代，MiG-31帶著精密雷達系統

on a mission, but more than a third of the 50 built were destroyed in accidents.

與長程的R33飛彈現身於空中

One literally disintegrated around its pilots. They were also enormously

他們和蘇聯的新世代地對空導彈成爲了實際的威脅

expensive to operate. Each one siphoning about 300 million dollars a year out of

但是黑鳥最大的威脅不是敵人的導彈或戰機， 而是他自己

America's defense budget. A fleet of special aerial refuelers and a small army

沒有任何一架黑鳥在任務中被擊落

of support and maintenance staff were needed just to keep these planes mission

但是50架中卻有超過三分之一在事故中毀損

ready. And advances in spy satellites aerial drones and the SR-71 s inability

有一架就如同字面意義上的從飛行員身邊解體了

to deliver surveillance data in real time, diminished some of the plane's

維持運作的成本同樣高的驚人

utility. Add to that, politics and infighting for defense budgets and by

每架黑鳥每年的運作都要從美國的國防預算中撥出大約3億美元

the late 1980s, the SR-71's days were numbered.

爲了維持黑鳥的任務出動， 需要一隻特殊的空中加油機隊和一小批支援以及後勤人員隊伍

They were officially retired in 1998, with two sent to NASA for testing. The

加之間諜衛星和無人機的進步， 以及SR-71不能即時提供偵查資料，

technology behind the A-12 and SR-71 is now well over fifty years old. Yet

降低了他的功效

somehow these incredible planes still speak to us. Not about the past, but

加上政治因素和國防預算拉扯的干預

the future. Leaving us with a sense of wonder unlike any other in aviation

1980年代時，SR-71的時間已經不多了

history. A few months ago, I launched my Mustard site with SquareSpace. It was fun,

他們於1998年正式退役，其中兩架被送去NASA測試

easy, and I did it literally in a few hours. But now it's time to take it to

A-12和SR-71的技術已有五十多年的歷史

the next level. Using SquareSpace's incredibly easy and intuitive e-commerce

然而這些令人驚豔的飛機仍然在訴說著什麼

features, I just launched the Mustard online store. With SquareSpace's seamless

非關往昔，乃在未來

integration with Prtintiful, it took me only a few hours to get up and running.

讓我們感受到一絲在航空史上不同於他人的驚奇

Be sure to check out the store, and let me know if you have any requests for

幾個月前，我上綫了和SquareSpace合作的Mustard站點(廣告)

Mustard swag. From start to finish, using SquareSpace has been incredibly seamless,

它很簡易但也很有趣，我製作他也就花了幾個小時(廣告)

intuitive, and fast. Whether you're a photographer, blogger Youtuber, or run a

但是現在它該進化了， 得益於SquareSpace非常簡單直觀的電子商務功能(廣告)

small business, make your next move with SquareSpace's all-in-one platform. Start

我剛剛上綫了Mustard的綫上商店(廣告)

building your website for free at squarespace.com/mustard, and when

得益於SquareSpace與Prtintiful的無縫銜接，我只花了幾個鐘頭就弄好了(廣告)

you're ready to launch your website, use the code Mustard for 10% off your

記得去逛一逛我的商店，您如果對Mustard Swag有任何要求，請告訴我(廣告)

first purchase.

使用SquareSpace，全程體驗良好、無縫、直觀、高效(廣告)