Brian:

The SR-71 supposedly had about the same fuel economy as a Boeing 727. Not all that good by modern standards, but that 727 used to be the most common aircraft in use (or was it the 737?). Anyway, 80 min at nearly three times the speed of sound is a LONG way! A coworker of mine some years back worked on the DEW line radar stations as a nurse, and heard the controllers giving clearance for an SR-71 to land in Kansas City as it went overhead in northern Canda....

Probably a trans-polar run over the Soviet Union from Iran, that was the typical flight pattern in those days.

Peter

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1972 220D ?? miles
1988 300E 200,012
1987 300D Turbo killed 9/25/07, 275,000 miles
1985 Volvo 740 GLE Turobodiesel 218,000
1972 280 SE 4.5 165, 000 - It runs!