Some SR-71 Eye Candy for aviation fans

[MikeMcCoy]

Whovever developed this must have assumed everyone was a slow reader but other than that, it is definitely worth watching.

The slideshow:


http://www.greatdanepromilitary.com/SR-71/index.htm

[Uncle Cracker]

Thanks for sharing this. The man has every right to be proud. His is a great testimony to what, in my humble, amateur opinion was one of the greatest engineering achievements of our time. What Kelly Johnson and the boys at SkunkWorks did was to not only break, but utterly destroy, practically every operational limitation in aviation technology. This plane was said to be 20 years ahead of its time, but I think maybe fifty years is more accurate. In a technology where any small advancement is tangible, this thing left anything and everything we knew far behind.

One of my favorite facts about the Blackbird was how, in order to achieve the proper fitment of the skin at high speeds and high temps, the panels were left loose, with notable gaps in seams at sea level, that were so pronounced, the plane literally leaked fuel in copious amounts all over the place through the seams, and could not be left fueled while on the ground, nor land with anything left in the tanks, and could not be "gassed up" until literally moments before a mission. Too cool.

[DUD]

The Blackbird is an awesome airplane, I tracked one on Ground Radar in the 60's, and

the only reason I caught Him, He was descending to land, had to have Him squak for Me.

Bill

[pierhogunn]

such an awesome airplane now, I can't even begin to imagine what rolls out of hidden hangers in the dark of the night these days

[Mr__Bill]

Hmmmm, La to DC in 64 minutes. I think we have a winner in CabinetMan's how fast contest.

Thanks for sharing, something to think about when people start talking about how better engineered and manufactured goods from overseas are.


Bill

[Uncle Cracker]

...something to think about when people start talking about how better engineered and manufactured goods from overseas are.

Agreed, but we cannot lose sight of the fact that we were in a period of great and critical threat from our Cold War foes, and on a virtually unlimited budget. Makes a difference... progress costs. Private enterprise (particularly in our current situation) is not afforded that luxury.

[BobSch]

Yea though I fly through the Valley of the Shadow of Death, I shall fear no evil.

For I am at 80,000 feet and climbing.

[lrogers]

Makes you wonder if there really is an "Aurora" since they decided to retire the Blackbird.

[MikeMcCoy]

He was descending to land, had to have Him squak for Me.

Bill

I didn't know you were a controller also.

[buckeye95]

I read where they did some material studies on the titanium alloys used in the skin since these planes experienced stresses over the years unlike any other aircraft (spacecraft have, I'm sure, but the space shuttle doesn't fly every day!).

Turns out that the metal skin basically annealed every time the plane had a mission, as it was heated at high speed and cooled down again, which actually strengthened the skin.

The metal on the Blackbird was actually stronger the day it retired then the day it rolled off the assembly line. Incredible.

What a proud achievement for our country.

Pete

[LinuxRandal]

I remember a story from my father, who was out at Edgerton in the early 60's at the missle base. They had just repaired and recalibrated the radar, when they turned it on and saw this object, traveling across the screen at (don't remember the exact number) speed. Nothing they knew traveled that speed, and they had orders to call it in. They were told that their equipment was malfunctioning, to which they replied with everything they just did, and said, "no sir, it isn't our equipment". The reply was "soldier, you do NOT see that blip on the screen, do you understand?"

[Tom Slick]

That plane was an amazing marvel of engineering. I've read a book on the SR-71 and its flights/programs and Ben Rich's book "Skunkworks", I recommend Skunkworks to any avaition buff. I was also stationed at Edwards AFB when it was brought out of retirement for 2 years then retired again. It was normal to see the blackbird around the flight line. It even taxies faster than a normal plane.
Interesting facts:
It was originally developed for the CIA and was called the A-12
A fighter and bomber version was developed but never used.
The plane it was designed to replace, the U-2, is still in service and has been modernized.
The CIA was smuggling titanium out of the USSR to build planes to spy on the ruskies.
The flight time is limited by the amount of times the engines can be restarted. When the plane passes through a certain speed one of the engines always "flames out" the limit on restarts is because the fuel is lit by a chemical reaction and there is only so much of that chemical on board.
It burns a unique fuel, JP-7, that cannot be lit on fire with a spark or flame.
The fastest woman aircraft pilot in the world was a SR-71 pilot for NASA.


Side note:
I am considering getting hired at the skunkworks next year. Its location isn't great but the projects are.

[Uncle Cracker]

Side note:
I am considering getting hired at the skunkworks next year. Its location isn't great but the projects are.

Wouldn't that be a scream...

[jackellis]

I think it's also quite remarkable that the airplane was conceived in 1962 and became operational in only four years. Today it seems like the time line from concept to operational status is at least a decade, and the costs are enormous.

There's a Blackbird on display at the Pima Air and Space Museum in Tuscon, adjacent to Davis Monthan Air Force Base and the "boneyard". If you're ever out that way, a visit is well worth the time.

On my first visit, they were prepping A-10s for duty abroad and test flying them over the area.

[DUD]

Mike

I was a scope dope, and I was on duty in S.C. at Shaw AFB when He came thru, He

had some kind of trouble and was descending. Bill