Here are some comments on an aviation video I have.  I've
         taken the liberty of rating each video with 4 stars being the
         best.

         ****  SR-71 BLACKBIRD The Secret Vigil
               Aviation Week Video
               (c) 1989
               (approx 1 hour)

         This may be the best video available on the Blackbird!  Very
         good footage of the planes as well as the preperation of the
         crew and the aircraft for the flights.  Video contains a
         brief review of the U-2 and other planes developed by the
         "Skunk Works".  The A-12 and YF-12 are also mentioned.
         Contains an interesting discussion of the J-58 engine which
         runs like a ramjet at high speed.  Photographic capability
         is reported as being good enough to count the shoe laces from
         pictures taken at 80,000'!  Brief glimpses of the cockpit and
         intrument panels are included (one shot shows an altimeter
         reading of 75,100 and still climbing).  Former MiG-25 pilot
         Viktor Belenko talks about the Soviet impressions of the
         Blackbird and their dismay that they could not shoot it down
         with anything they had.  My impression of the Blackbird is
         that it has to be flown and operated by crews that are
         extremely detail oriented and who will follow the flight plan
         to the letter.  No hot-dogging or joyriding allowed!  Perhaps
         the only part of the film I feel they could have left out are
         some short "commercials".  However if the production of
         videos like this one require funding by companies that want
         their name mentioned, then I can't complain.  If I could
         afford to buy only one video on this plane, this is the one I
         would buy!