On Tue, 3 Dec 2013 17:00:31 -0500, "Ralph Mowery"
wrote:


"nestork" wrote in message
...
Did you know that the SR71 Blackbird was originally intended to be
called the RS71 Blackbird. But, when President Johnson (I think it was)
held a briefing to explain the project to some Senators that controlled
the purse strings on black projects, he repeatedly called it the SR71
instead of the RS71.

So, they quickly changed the name of the plane from RS71 to SR71.


Did not know that.

I was thinking it started out to be a fighter but there was a sudden need
for the spy plane when the U2 was shot down.

Right you are. It came from a design for an interceptor, the YF12.
The original plane was intended to shoot down Soviet bombers.
Ballistic missiles shot those plans down.