Adelbert "Buz" Carpenter

Cold War, Vietnam War

Adelbert “Buz” Carpenter is renowned for his distinguished career as an SR-71 Blackbird pilot and instructor. Born in Oakland, California, Carpenter graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1967 and completed pilot training at Williams Air Force Base, Arizona. His early service included flying C-141 airlift missions worldwide and flying RF-4C reconnaissance missions during the Vietnam War, amassing over 150 combat hours.

Buz began flying the SR-71 in 1975 after a rigorous selection process that included an astronaut physical and extensive training, ultimately becoming one of only 85 pilots ever to fly the legendary aircraft.

Over his career, he flew more than 65 operational SR-71 missions, accumulating 777 hours in the Blackbird and later serving as an instructor pilot. Carpenter’s missions took him across the globe, gathering critical intelligence during the Cold War at speeds and altitudes unmatched by any other aircraft.

Beyond the SR-71, Carpenter’s Air Force career included roles as a squadron and wing commander, Pentagon “Black World” programmer overseeing projects like the F-117, B-2, and F-22, and staff officer flying the U-2.  He retired as a colonel in 1995.

Since retirement, Carpenter has dedicated himself to aviation education and public outreach. He serves as a docent at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, sharing his experiences and inspiring new generations of aviators and enthusiasts.

In 2017, he was inducted into the Virginia Aviation Hall of Fame.

Our interview was conducted at the Cold War Museum.  For more information, go to their website at https://coldwar.org

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