JQB-47E 53-4256 was involved in the top-secret project Kedlock.
This post includes an interesting photo of JQB-47E 53-4256, which was stored at Davis Monthan AFB on August 20, 1968, after having served with the 3214th Operational Maintenance Squadron (OMS) at Eglin Air Force Base (AFB). The YF-12 kill markings on the aircraft’s nose indicate three missions against (project) Kedlock.
In March 1960, before the initial A-12 prototype was delivered, Lockheed and the USAF discussed developing an interceptor variant of the A-12. Under Project Kedlock, the interceptor was designed as the AF-12. It was equipped with three AIM-47 missile launch bays and a Hughes ASG-18 pulse-Doppler radar system. A second crew position, located just behind the cockpit, accommodated a Fire Control Officer (FCO) to operate the missile launch system.
In August 1963, the first YF-12 of three took to the air. The first and third YF-12s broke multiple records in May 1965, including the records for speed (2,070.101 mph) and altitude (80,257.65 feet). Col. Robert L. “Fox” Stephens, pilot, and Lt. Col. Daniel Andre, fire control officer, were awarded the 1965 Thompson Trophy for setting a speed record during their flight.
Long before they reached the United States, the aircraft’s goal was to intercept new Soviet supersonic bombers. Although the Air Force had planned for a fleet of up to 100 aircraft, during 1963–1964 only three were built and delivered. As a cost-cutting effort, Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara canceled Kedlock in early 1968; the aircraft was never used in combat.
CIA was involved with the project only in helping write “black” contracts and in giving up three A-12 airframes. The F-111 replaced the YF-12A, which was entirely funded by the Air Force. One of the aircraft was transformed into a trainer for the SR-71 program, while the other two were donated to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) for research purposes.
According to Monthan Memories, “there were 7 test shots from YF-12A interceptors; one-shot downed a sister QB-47E drone over the Pt. Mugu/Pacific Missile test range. The B-47 has a photo nose, and was one of only a few RB-47s built stock for the photo mission… a source also said that there was arresting gear behind the fuselage wheels for drone recovery. The odd under-wing apparatus is part of a target measuring device to tell how close a missile passed by the drone.”
Photo by Neil Aird via Monthan Memories