I was wondering what the fastest plane is and how fast it goes?

Fr_Chuck

What is the world's fastest airplane?

The X-43 reached Mach 9.8 but it was an unmanned flight.
The X-15 reached Mach 6.72, but it is a rocket powered aircraft.

The Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird, which made it's first flight on December 22, 1964, is still considered to be the world's fastest airplane reaching Mach 3.2 or 2,193.167 MPH in July 1976.

The Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird holds many speed records including flying from New York to London, covering 3,461.53 miles in 1 hour 54 minutes and 56.4 seconds, averaging 1,806.95 MPH.


NOVA Online | Faster Than Sound | Speed Machines

The Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird is, to date, the fastest airplane ever to streak across the sky, even though it's more than 30 years old. Capable of speeds over 2200 miles per hour -- that's more than three times the speed of sound -- the SR-71 can fly at altitudes above 80,000 feet. What does it feel like to travel at Mach 3, 15 miles above the earth? Pilots report that, with no view out the window, there's an eerie sensation of motionlessness when cruising in the Blackbird.

To fly safely in this harsh, low-pressure environment pilots must wear a full-pressure suit for protection. Even though the temperature outside the aircraft hovers around -70 degrees F, the sheer friction of flying at Mach 3 heats the leading edges of the SR-71 to 800 degrees F. To help withstand this kinetic heat, the Blackbird's airframe is built almost entirely of titanium and is finished in a special heat-emitting black paint, which helps to cool the aircraft and gives it its nickname.

The SR-71 can operate for about an hour at top speed before it needs refueling -- a feat that can be accomplished in mid-air with a special tanker aircraft. The Blackbird is powered by two Pratt and Whitney J-58 axial-flow turbojets with afterburners, each producing about 34,000 pounds of thrust. Studies have shown that when the aircraft is cruising at Mach 3 or above only about 25 percent of the total thrust is produced by the engines themselves. The balance is produced by the unique design of the engine inlet and housing, which is equipped with special afterburners.

The two-seat SR-71 was developed in the early 1960s by the U.S. Air Force as a strategic reconnaissance aircraft. The first flight of an SR-71 was in 1964 at a classified location in Nevada. The aircraft's first operational "sortie" was flown out of Okinawa, Japan in 1968. Most of the SR-71 fleet has now been retired, except for two Blackbirds currently on loan to NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center where the aircraft are being used as "test beds" for high altitude research.

Nordichunk

# Plane Top Speed Max. Altitude
1. X-43 (Unmanned) Mach 9.8 110,000 feet
2. X-15 Mach 6.72 354,200 feet
The X-15 is the fastest manned aircraft in the world.
3. SR-71 Blackbird (YF-12) Mach 3.2+ 85,000+ feet
The SR-71 Blackbird is the fastest airplane in the world.
4. MiG-25R Foxbat-B Mach 3.2 123,524 feet
4. X-2 Mach 3.2 126,200 feet
5. XB-70 Valkyrie Mach 3.1 77,350 feet
6. MiG-31 Foxhound Mach 2.83 67,600 feet
7. MiG-25 Foxbat (Ye-155) Mach 2.8 118,900 feet
8. F-15 Eagle Mach 2.5 60,000 feet
8. F-111 Aardvark Mach 2.5 60,000+ feet
9. X-1 Mach 2.435 90,440 feet
10. Su-24 Fencer Mach 2.4 57,400 feet
11. Tu-144 Charger Mach 2.35 59,055 feet
11. MiG-23 Flogger Mach 2.35 60,700 feet
11. Su-27 Flanker Mach 2.35 59,055 feet
12. F-14A Tomcat Mach 2.34 58,000+ feet
13. F-106 Delta Dart Mach 2.31 57,000 feet
14. IAI Kfir Mach 2.3 75,000 feet
14. English Electric Lightning Mach 2.3 60,000 feet
14. MiG-29 Fulcrum Mach 2.3 59,060 feet
14. F-107 Ultra Sabre Mach 2.3 48,000 feet
15. Tornado ADV Mach 2.2 69,997 feet
15. F-4 Phantom Mach 2.2 62,250 feet
15. Mirage 2000 Mach 2.2 59,055 feet
15. F-104 Starfighter Mach 2.2 58,000 feet
(120,800 feet NF-104A)
15. B-58 Hustler Mach 2.2 64,800 feet
16. F-105 Thunderchief Mach 2.1 52,000 feet
16. A-5 Vigilante Mach 2.1 52,100 feet
17. Su-22 Mach 2.09 59,055 feet
18. Tu-160 Blackjack Mach 2.05 49,200 feet
18. MiG-21 Fishbed Mach 2.05 50,000 feet
18. Concorde Mach 2.05 60,000 feet
19. D558-2 Skyrocket Mach 2.005 83,235 feet
20. YF-23 Black Widow II Mach 2 (AB) 65,000 feet
20. F-20 Tigershark Mach 2+ 55,000 feet
20. YF-17 Cobra Mach 2+ 50,000 feet
21. Saab JAS 39 Gripen Mach 2 50,000 feet
21. F-16 Fighting Falcon Mach 2 50,000+ feet
21. Saab 37 Viggen Mach 2 60,039 feet
21. Saab 35 Draken Mach 2 65,600 feet
22. Tu-22M Backfire Mach 1.88 43,635 feet
22. F-14B/D Tomcat Mach 1.88 53,000+ feet
23. Su-34 Mach 1.8 45,890 feet
23. F/A-18E/F Super Hornet Mach 1.8 50,000+ feet
23. F-22 Raptor Mach 1.8 (AB) 50,000 feet
24. XF-104 Starfighter Mach 1.79 58,000 feet
25. F-8 Crusader Mach 1.72 58,000 feet
26. F-101B Voodoo Mach 1.66 52,100 feet
27. X-29 FSW Mach 1.6 50,000 feet
28. Tu-22 Blinder Mach 1.52 48,228 feet
28. XF8U-1 Crusader Mach 1.52 58,000 feet
29. SEPECAT Jaguar Mach 1.5 45,930 feet
30. F-5 Freedom Fighter Mach 1.4 50,700 feet
31. F-100 Super Sabre Mach 1.3 51,000 feet
32. X-31 EFMI Mach 1.28 40,000 feet
33. B-1b Lancer Mach 1.25 50,000+ feet
34. F-102 Delta Dagger Mach 1.23 55,000 feet
35. T-38 Talon Mach 1.22 55,000+ feet
36. XF-90 Mach 1.1 39,000 feet
37. MiG-17 Fresco Mach 1.05 52,366 feet
38. F-86 Sabre Mach 1.04 50,800 feet
39. F-117 Nighthawk High Subsonic 45,000 feet
40. AV-8B Harrier II Mach 0.98 41,700+ feet
41. F-94 Starfire Mach 0.97 51,800 feet
42. A-6 Intruder Mach 0.94 42,400 feet
43. Saab 32 Lansen Mach 0.93 52,500 feet
44. F-80 Shooting Star Mach 0.88 46,800 feet
45. BAe Nimrod 2000 Mach 0.87 42,000 feet
46. B-52 Stratofortress Mach 0.86 55,000 feet
47. U-2 Dragon Lady Mach 0.8 90,000 feet
48. C-5 Galaxy Mach 0.79 35,750 feet
49. C-141 Starlifter Mach 0.77 41,600 feet
49. C-17 Globemaster III Mach 0.77 45,000 feet
50. Westland Lynx Mach 0.3 10,600+ feet
The Lynx is the fastest helicopter in the world.

SpaceRatt

The fastest plane ever built was the Sr71 "Blackbird". It could fly at Mach 3 plus (over 2000 miles per hour) and had a service ceiling above 80,000 feet.

The SR71 was retired back in the 90's.

It can be argued that the fastest airplane was the X-15, which flew at over Mach 6, but this was actually a rocket that was launched from an airplane, and glided to a landing.
I don't know what the fastest plane flying is today.

aeronaut

I believe the fastest is the SR-71. Even though it is no longer in service, the maximum speed is, I believe, still classified. The Air Force admits to Mach 3.

Stratmando

Service ceiling for Blackbird is 80K+. The Mig 26r Foxbat at 123K+.
Wonder the actual ceiling of the SR 71?

aeronaut

By flying the SR-71, the pilots were authorized to wear USAF Astronaut Wings. I don't know what altitude that required, but it's pretty high. SR-71 pilots said they could see the curvature of the earth in flight and the sky was black.