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- 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.
- Its design inspired future spy planes like the SR-71 — as well as the name of Elon Musk's son.
The Lockheed A-12 was an iconic US spy plane that despite its short-life set records and cast a long legacy.