SR71 Blackbird

[USAFSS-ColdWarrior]

Thanks, John; I kind of thought that might have been covered but wasn't so sure.

And thanks for not killing me, because I didn't get the grocery shopping done yet this week.

That whole program was a part of my life I cannot speak of in detail. I wouldn't WANT to kill you. It's just a requirement if I were to tell you.

 

[Another Ahab]

Posts #63, 64 & others are a good start, Rocky.

That WIKI link is always good reading.

John

That's horrible. I didn't realize a man was lost in the testing. My prayers for that family.

 

[HMMWV Nut]

Here's a picture I took of an SR-71 Blackbird at ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, MUSEUM OF AVIATION in Warner Robins ,GA .

 

[Guyfang]

Yes, the D-21 drone was some story! Sadly, Mr. Kelly, Chief Engineer of the A12/SR71 project at the Lockheed "Skunk Works" Plant in Palmdale, California, killed that project after the accident, due to the loss of life that occurred due to the drone impacting the M-21, (modified A-12).

The D-21 drone went on to other projects. It was dropped from B-52's to spy on China. The drone flew over China, and circled back over international water and dropped a package of film shot of the incursion of chinese air space. The package was supposed to be picked up by a specially modified C-130 Herky Bird, in mid air. The pickup was a no go. I believe this happened several times before the project was canceled. Many years later some eagle eyed plane spotter, saw several of the drones sitting at Davis Monthan AFB, (the bone yard) awaiting disposition. At this time, there are supposed to be at least two D-21 drones on display in the States.

 

[85CUCVtom]

I read the whole thread, the history of that aircraft is very interesting.

I can't believe how much a copy of the sled driver book goes for!!

 

[Another Ahab]

I read the whole thread, the history of that aircraft is very interesting.

I can't believe how much a copy of the sled driver book goes for!!

I have a daughter in high school, and if i told you what her Calculus textbook cost I'm telling you your heart would go into fibrillation:

- I'm not thinking the sled-driver book gets anywhere near it if that'll help you at all.

 

[zebedee]

I remember as a kid, going to that Mildenhall air show and seeing the SR-71 arrive and land. Rumour at the time was that doing the record for the fastest transatlantic crossing, it was going so fast that it overshot the UK and had to turn around over Sweden. I did get 'the T-shirt' but I have since grown to realise that those sort of navigational errors wouldn't have happened!


and I have also visited the Intrepid Carrier/Museum in NYC - their Blackbird is an A-12 not and SR 71..... which, from reading this thread, I have found out that there is quite a difference!

 

[Another Ahab]

I remember as a kid, going to that Mildenhall air show and seeing the SR-71 arrive and land. Rumour at the time was that doing the record for the fastest transatlantic crossing, it was going so fast that it overshot the UK and had to turn around over Sweden. I did get 'the T-shirt' but I have since grown to realise that those sort of navigational errors wouldn't have happened!

There is the story of the trans-continental trip across the U.S. coast-to-coast and I think it was an hour or something.

I guess I could do the math, but well you know....

 

[camnite]

the a-12 in Birmingham Alabama is the fastest jet-powered airframe known, reaching 3.47 mach and flew at a height of 101,000 feet. thing is, these aren't records because the CIA wouldn't let their aircraft be recorded for security reasons. the aircraft was so high that you could stir the stick and the plane wouldn't react. the plane had to slow down before it could descend into thicker air. it takes 120 miles to turn around, as the plane can't bank over 45 degrees, or pull g's over 4.

 

[Guyfang]

I talked with a guy in the Hill AFB museum who said that the A-12 was faster then the SR-71. Much faster. One of the big differences between the two birds was that the Blackbird is a two seater. The A-12 was only the pilot, and the space where the WISO sits in the Blackbird, was taken up by a HUGE Kodak camera, with film "cassette". The camera was supposed to be "unreal". Pictures that were simply magic. Still, the camera was much less weight then the WISO and all the assorted things needed to protect and keep him in one piece should things go wrong. Hence the speed difference.

 

[camnite]

could fly 10,000 feet higher cruising too. reason the sr-71 was so good was they learned all the lessons on the a-12. btw, the first president who knew about the blackbirds was George H. W. Bush, who was director of the cia at the time.

 

[USAFSS-ColdWarrior]

World's fastest jet crew reunites with SR-71 spy plane

World's fastest jet crew reunites with SR-71 spy plane

http://www.cnn.com/2016/07/28/aviat...-reunites-anniversary-speed-record/index.html

Carry on.

 

[B3.3T]

could fly 10,000 feet higher cruising too. reason the sr-71 was so good was they learned all the lessons on the a-12. btw, the first president who knew about the blackbirds was George H. W. Bush, who was director of the cia at the time.

That's not quite true. President Johnson was the first to publically mention the RS-71, which he mistakenly called the SR-71 and the name was changed. That was 1965. Bush was CIA director in 1976.

 

[Another Ahab]

All I know about it is that it could fly fast...real fast.

 

[Jericho]

Some other interesting facts, The engine oil tank was gold plated and the oil was XD2 (Had to be accounted for, rather than just disposed of ) when I worked them At Mildenhall , we did iso insps and minor mait, engine changes line work ect DET 4 . I was the project manager for the construction of the first flow thru "full AB run certified hangar at MHZ" (hush house)before I left Major maintainence was done at the primary DET , THe turbine shaft would be so "STUCK" when you wanted to pull it they actually had a special tool consisting of a torch on a shaft to run down the shaft and cut it off to get it off. The engines were kept on the spare line BAGGED right NEXT TO C- 130E ,T 56-7A TURBOJET ENGINE SPARES. when GUYS USED TO COME IN LOOKING FOR THE SUPER SECRET ENGINES WE USED TO POINT TO THE Tt 56 SPARELINE AND SANDWICHED BETWEEN THEM AND SOME j 57 59 w AND tF -33 SPARES THEY SAT, no one ever looked at them LOL, THe only person you didn't want to be was the TEF or TEP man , (chemical oxidizer used to propagate fuel lite off, combusted on exposure to air) look it up you will get a chuckle. Good jet , AF was sad to see them go, it was the beginning of the end, They did return to flight briefly after the gulf war, some stood up for duty and were never given a single noteworthy tasking, POLITICS, then they were slowly bled to death and sent packing again, Best part working them was NEVER having to get funding approval for parts ! I saw my first one in 1976 and last worked one in 1986, Was an easy way to get back overseas with that SEI (special Equipment /Engine Identifier) Guys would say, "NO way your getting an assignment, I would go to assignments and be back in a few hours with soft orders back to Mildenhall . LMAO all the way .

 

[Guyfang]

Should you ever be in Utah, take a side trip to Roy Utah, Hill AFB. There is the "Junk Yard Dog". A SR-71C, two seater, trainer. Its made up of a wrecked SR-71 and part of a static display/testing A-12.

 

[Terrh]

On the top speed subject.. Any airplane ever to get to its certified speed has to be tested beyond that speed. Mach 3.5 or 3.6 during envelope testing, especially in the age of computers being less powerful than an ipod, was necessary. I'd be surprised if none hadn't gone at least that fast briefly.

Another surprising thing is the Russians have a plane that will go nearly as fast - and looks far more conventional. The MIG 25.


I also often wonder if the B1 isn't much faster than we've been told. It's got twice as much power as the sr71 but only officially goes Mach 1.2 somehow.....

 

[Guyfang]

The Russians tried several times to pursue the SR-71 and the A-12, with the MIG-25. They were not even in the same league. Each time, the MIG-25 completely burnt out it engine, to no avail.

According to some people, who are in the know, the A-12 is significantly faster then the SR-71. And flew quite a bit higher. Why these kind of things are still secret, is beyond me.

 

[swbradley1]

I just spent a few hours at the National Museum of The United State Air Force yesterday and saw both birds there.

Also saw my favorites, the XB-70 and the YF-23.

 

[Another Ahab]

I just spent a few hours at the National Museum of The United State Air Force yesterday and saw both birds there.

Also saw my favorites, the XB-70 and the YF-23.

That one I had to look up:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northrop_YF-23
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