The Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird’s METAL tires!

YouTube / Air Zoo

Not Cheap At All

Have you ever wondered what the SR-71’s tires looked like? 

According to Erin from Air Zoo, its front tires look a little bit just like your average regular tires. At the back, however, are two pairs of three BFGoodrich tires. 

The first thing you’ll notice is the color. Unlike the front, the back tires are silver. This is because they were mixed with rubber with powdered aluminum to give them more strength and protect them from intense temperatures. 

SR-71s land quite a bit faster than regular jets, so the tires are not inflated with a nitrogen-oxygen mix but with pure nitrogen gas to prevent accidents (like explosions) that are likely to occur in such scenarios. 

In addition, these tires are pumped up to 415 psi – a massive leap from the usual 32 psi you’d use in your tires. 

However, the tires were only good for about fifteen landings. When it’s time to change them, it would usually cost about $2,300 per tire!