How the A-12 went from the first US supersonic spy plane to inspiring the name of Elon Musk's child

Lauren FriasJan 16, 2024, 09:06 IST

The American spy plane Lockheed A-12 Oxcart taking off.Collection Bernard Crochet/Photo12/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

The Archangel-12, or A-12 for short, is considered to be America's first supersonic spy plane.
But the spy plane was retired after one year as its successor was already in development.

The Lockheed A-12 was an iconic US spy plane that despite its short-life set records and cast a long legacy.

Creating a 'very fast, very high-flying' reconnaissance aircraft

The American spy plane Lockheed A-12 Oxcart in flight.Collection Bernard Crochet/Photo12/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

Entrance to Area 51TIFO

An outside view of the A-12's cockpit.CIA

A protective pressure suit worn by A-12 pilots.CIA

The A-12 suit sleeves had emergency instructions for pilots to refer to upon ejection.CIA

The Lockheed A-12 looks over sits in front of Manhattan's skyline at the Intrepid Sea-Air-Space Museum.Michael Nagle/Getty Images

The SR-71 Blackbird.Judson Brohmer/USAF

The YF-12A at the NASA Flight Research Center.NASA/DVIDS

A Lockheed M-21 stealth reconnaissance plane in flight over the Mojave Desert.Museum of Flight Foundation/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images

Elon Musk and his son, X Æ A-12.Theo Wargo/Getty Images for TIME