One of America's premier spy planes, the SR-71 Blackbirds, had a final fling with the history books today, setting a transcontinental speed record before retiring to a museum home.

The black, dagger-shaped aircraft, which like the rest of the fleet is being retired by the Air Force because of budget cuts, flashed from coast to coast in 68 minutes 17 seconds, arriving at Dulles International Airport outside Washington to the cheers of hundreds of onlookers.

The old record was 3 hours 38 minutes, set in 1963 by a Boeing 707.

Refueling Over Pacific

The Blackbird took a running start, refueling over the Pacific Ocean at 60,000 feet before heading east from the California coastline and crossing its finish line near Salisbury, Md. The plane then refueled before cruising in to Dulles Airport.

The flight also set three other speed records certified by the National Aeronautic Association: 2,153.24 miles per hour between Los Angeles and Washington; 2,242.48 m.p.h. between St. Louis and Cincinnati, and 2,200.94 m.p.h. between Kansas City, Mo., and Washington. Sonic booms were reported in communities along the flight path as the plane completed its race across the continent.