The first member of the Blackbird family to go on display, 60-0935 is the last surviving YF-12A. It is seen here in the NMUSAF’s Research & Development Gallery, underneath the XB-70 Valkyrie, and adjacent to the North American X-15A-2.
Slowing Mach 3 airflow to speeds of around Mach 0.4 for ingestion by the J58 engine was the job of the Blackbird’s inlet spikes, which moved as necessary to keep the shockwave in the proper position; at cruise speed, the cone was moved several feet aft of the takeoff position.
YF-12 reading:
Edwards Air Force Base: Open House at the USAF Flight Test Center 1957-1966: A Photo Chronicle of Aircraft Displayed Coverage includes several pages of YF-12A photos
“USAF Stresses YF-12A Interceptor Role” Aviation Week & Space Technology October 5, 1964 p.16-17 2 photos
“Lockheed YF-12A Flight Demonstration Reveals Design Details” Aviation Week & Space Technology October 12, 1964 p.30-33 15 photos
Photo: “USAF/Lockheed YF-12A” Aviation Week & Space Technology October 19, 1964 front cover
“Seven Tentative Flight Records Set by USAF/Lockheed YF-12As” Aviation Week & Space Technology May 10, 1965 p.33
Photo: “Forward Delta of YF-12A Altered” Aviation Week & Space Technology May 17, 1965 p.67
Photo: “Lockheed YF-12A Details Shown” Aviation Week & Space Technology June 28, 1965 p.70
“Seven Tentative Flight Records Set by USAF/Lockheed YF-12As” Aviation Week & Space Technology May 10, 1965 p.33
Photo: “YF-12 flies NASA research mission with F-104 chase aircraft” Aviation Week & Space Technology August 3, 1970 front cover
Donald E. Fink “NASA YF-12A Proves Valuable Testbed” Aviation Week & Space Technology August 13, 1973 p.44-46
“YF-12s in Supersonic Research Program” Aviation Week & Space Technology August 20, 1973 p.17