The SR-71 Pure Awesomeness

[cowslinger64]

http://thebrigade.com/2015/02/04/27-interesting-things-about-the-sr-71-blackbird-34-hq-photos/

What magnificent aircraft. I was stationed at RAF Mildenhall in the 80s. We had 4 of these planes. My wartime/war games duty was RRR-Rapid Runway Repair. So we'd put our chemical warfare gear on and lay around in the grass near the runway.. More than once the SR would practice taking off and landing, the final one they would fully deploy the parachutes to stop. We had C-5s too, KC-135s... and our sister base a few miles away had the F-111s that took out Gaddafi..which happened the month after I left.

But the SR will always be the most amazing aircraft to me, and I've got some cool memories of it.

 

[JohnnySavage]

http://thebrigade.com/2015/02/04/27-interesting-things-about-the-sr-71-blackbird-34-hq-photos/

What magnificent aircraft. I was stationed at RAF Mildenhall in the 80s. We had 4 of these planes. My wartime/war games duty was RRR-Rapid Runway Repair. So we'd put our chemical warfare gear on and lay around in the grass near the runway.. More than once the SR would practice taking off and landing, the final one they would fully deploy the parachutes to stop. We had C-5s too, KC-135s... and our sister base a few miles away had the F-111s that took out Gaddafi..which happened the month after I left.

But the SR will always be the most amazing aircraft to me, and I've got some cool memories of it.

I went through there in about 1988 and saw one land. Sky, runway, hanger in about 30 seconds.

 

[cowslinger64]

I went through there in about 1988 and saw one land. Sky, runway, hanger in about 30 seconds.

Mildenhall was a transient base, so typically you'd fly in there unless you were going on to Germany instead.

Watching them take off to go for duty was really cool. The KC's would take off a good while before they did... and when the SR took off, it'd head nearly straight up and on occasion you'd hear the boom. Awesome!

 

[1sickbastard]

http://thebrigade.com/2015/02/04/27-interesting-things-about-the-sr-71-blackbird-34-hq-photos/

What magnificent aircraft. I was stationed at RAF Mildenhall in the 80s. We had 4 of these planes. My wartime/war games duty was RRR-Rapid Runway Repair. So we'd put our chemical warfare gear on and lay around in the grass near the runway.. More than once the SR would practice taking off and landing, the final one they would fully deploy the parachutes to stop. We had C-5s too, KC-135s... and our sister base a few miles away had the F-111s that took out Gaddafi..which happened the month after I left.

But the SR will always be the most amazing aircraft to me, and I've got some cool memories of it.

I visited the Pima Air & Space museum in Tucson. There is one on display there. for that matter, there are loads of uber-cool aircraft there. The ticket price also included a bus tour through the Motham AFB boneyard, so you can get sorta close to groovy stuff like B1-B Lancers and the last intact F/A-111 Ardvarks still extent.
I paid a bit extra to include a tour of a Titan missile silo.

If you're a aircraft geek and ever get to Tucson, the Pima Air Museum is totally worth it.

 

[Harrypalm]

Back in the late 80's we were on vacation in western South Dakota. Interstate 90 runs near the end of the runway at Ellsworth AFB. As we were driving along the freeway a B1-b took off over our heads and climbed sharply into the sky. Impressive. I would have loved to have seen an SR71 in flight.

 

[cowslinger64]

I visited the Pima Air & Space museum in Tucson. There is one on display there. for that matter, there are loads of uber-cool aircraft there. The ticket price also included a bus tour through the Motham AFB boneyard, so you can get sorta close to groovy stuff like B1-B Lancers and the last intact F/A-111 Ardvarks still extent.
I paid a bit extra to include a tour of a Titan missile silo.

If you're a aircraft geek and ever get to Tucson, the Pima Air Museum is totally worth it.

That sounds really cool. I'm not sure I ever will, but that would certainly interest me.

I was pretty fortunate in that Mildenhall had the biggest air show on the planet, or at least that's what we were told. We'd get aircraft from all over the world on display.. and they always had the Blue Angels, Thunderbirds or Snowbirds....but the best of them all were The Red Arrows..

 

[cowslinger64]

Back in the late 80's we were on vacation in western South Dakota. Interstate 90 runs near the end of the runway at Ellsworth AFB. As we were driving along the freeway a B1-b took off over our heads and climbed sharply into the sky. Impressive. I would have loved to have seen an SR71 in flight.

It was definitely something to behold.. it's always amazed me the technology that was available back then..It was much more advanced than I would have guessed way back when.

 

[Killswitch]

http://www.sr71.net/Airplanes/Random_SR-71/SR71-02A.JPG

 

[Killswitch]

Looks like it was built by Professor Fate!

lol

 

[RobDownSouth]

I had a corporate apt. once on the main approach to Dulles Airport in Virginia. I was leaving to go to work one morning and thought I was gonna die....A C-5B (Saudi Air Force, camo color) came right overhead at me and it was so freakin' BIG and so LOW I thought...no way is that gonna make the runway.

 

[1sickbastard]

That sounds really cool. I'm not sure I ever will, but that would certainly interest me.

I was pretty fortunate in that Mildenhall had the biggest air show on the planet, or at least that's what we were told. We'd get aircraft from all over the world on display.. and they always had the Blue Angels, Thunderbirds or Snowbirds....but the best of them all were The Red Arrows..

Once while driving through Nevada, about 50 miles or so from Fallon AFB, there was a wing of A-10's running live fire exercises that I could watch from the highway.
So I pulled over and watched from the highway.

Nevada State trooper pulls up and asks me what was up. I told him and right afterwards 2 Warthogs went by with the 30mm cannons blazing, followed by a bombing run. We hung out and watched the show until it was over, about 20 minutes before they expended the rest of their ordinance.

 

[JohnnySavage]

I had a corporate apt. once on the main approach to Dulles Airport in Virginia. I was leaving to go to work one morning and thought I was gonna die....A C-5B (Saudi Air Force, camo color) came right overhead at me and it was so freakin' BIG and so LOW I thought...no way is that gonna make the runway.

They have an SR71 at the air and space museum at Dulles. I haven't been there because... it's Virginia and I don't have a Confederate flag to put in my car, but I'd like to go sometime.

 

[cowslinger64]

I had a corporate apt. once on the main approach to Dulles Airport in Virginia. I was leaving to go to work one morning and thought I was gonna die....A C-5B (Saudi Air Force, camo color) came right overhead at me and it was so freakin' BIG and so LOW I thought...no way is that gonna make the runway.

Those things are massive! I was told that when those things would take off, that other planes would have to wait to take off cause they'd mess up the air so bad..

 

[cowslinger64]

Once while driving through Nevada, about 50 miles or so from Fallon AFB, there was a wing of A-10's running live fire exercises that I could watch from the highway.
So I pulled over and watched from the highway.

Nevada State trooper pulls up and asks me what was up. I told him and right afterwards 2 Warthogs went by with the 30mm cannons blazing, followed by a bombing run. We hung out and watched the show until it was over, about 20 minutes before they expended the rest of their ordinance.

One of those war games times, out on the grass near the runway... we laid in the sun and watched some planes practicing up in the sky.. I believe they were A-10s but I'm not positive of that.. totally cool to watch tho.

 

[Killswitch]

One of my customers owns a Mig 29.

 

[1sickbastard]

I had a corporate apt. once on the main approach to Dulles Airport in Virginia. I was leaving to go to work one morning and thought I was gonna die....A C-5B (Saudi Air Force, camo color) came right overhead at me and it was so freakin' BIG and so LOW I thought...no way is that gonna make the runway.

Back inna day, the Space Shuttle transport would stop here @ Bergstrom AFB on the way from Edwards to kennedy space port. That was a pretty cool sight. Occasionally, a B-52 would come in as well. Talk about fucking massive!

One of those war games times, out on the grass near the runway... we laid in the sun and watched some planes practicing up in the sky.. I believe they were A-10s but I'm not positive of that.. totally cool to watch tho.

Trust me, there is no plane that looks like the A-10
http://breakingdefense.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2013/12/A-10-from-below.jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4f/188th_FW_A-10_Warthog_fires_Maverick_in_training.jpg
And the sound of that cannon going off is unmistakable.

 

[Que]

I visited the Pima Air & Space museum in Tucson. There is one on display there. for that matter, there are loads of uber-cool aircraft there. The ticket price also included a bus tour through the Motham AFB boneyard, so you can get sorta close to groovy stuff like B1-B Lancers and the last intact F/A-111 Ardvarks still extent.
I paid a bit extra to include a tour of a Titan missile silo.

If you're a aircraft geek and ever get to Tucson, the Pima Air Museum is totally worth it.

I took the kids there once several years ago. I vaguely knew the SR-71 had been decommissioned. We rounded a corner and there it was, you could walk right up and lay your hands on it.

Because of the scrapyards around Davis-Monthan I am regularly on that zigzag NE of the base. You see a lot of really cool mothballed stuff.

 

[1sickbastard]

I took the kids there once several years ago. I vaguely knew the SR-71 had been decommissioned. We rounded a corner and there it was, you could walk right up and lay your hands on it.

Because of the scrapyards around Davis-Monthan I am regularly on that zigzag NE of the base. You see a lot of really cool mothballed stuff.

Honestly, I thought the two coolest planes in that museum were the B-47 Stratojet and a A-26 Invader (though I had hoped they had a B-26 Marauder).

I would have loved to see a A-1 Skyraider, but I'm not sure if there are any of those airframes still extant.

Tucson is a decently cool town, except of course, during the summer. Lots to like there; a dark skies lighting (I love astronomy and stargazing) great cal-mex food, lots of lovely ladies, Mt Lemon, etc...

 

[snugglestruggle]

All fine aircraft but my love is reserved for the aircraft of Confederate Air force Ghost Squadron.

http://www.commemorativeairforce.org/airplanes/ghost-squadron

 

[Colonel Hogan]

http://thebrigade.com/2015/02/04/27-interesting-things-about-the-sr-71-blackbird-34-hq-photos/

What magnificent aircraft. I was stationed at RAF Mildenhall in the 80s. We had 4 of these planes. My wartime/war games duty was RRR-Rapid Runway Repair. So we'd put our chemical warfare gear on and lay around in the grass near the runway.. More than once the SR would practice taking off and landing, the final one they would fully deploy the parachutes to stop. We had C-5s too, KC-135s... and our sister base a few miles away had the F-111s that took out Gaddafi..which happened the month after I left.

But the SR will always be the most amazing aircraft to me, and I've got some cool memories of it.

I have a few questions about those photos. Don't know if you can help.

Photos 3 & 4. I assume somewhere in the SR-71’s flight test data is the shortest recorded diameter of a full, 180-degree turn at top speed. But maybe not considering the plane was obviously not designed to make tight turns. Still, it would be an interesting data point. I would guess one could probably hold an entire air show within the actual ground track of such a maneuver.

Photo 8. Why Buick Wildcats? Other GM (or Ford) products wouldn’t work?

Photo 14. I always wondered how stuff got from Skunkworks to Nevada!

Photo 17. Why married? Married guys have more “lying practice” than singles? That was certainly true for me when I was married, but I’ve been far more emotionally stable as a single than I have while married. Just sayin’.

Photo 21. I would assume the first test flight December, 1964 take off was at Area 51. And yet it looks like there is a “community,” non-military-base-looking “skyline” five or six miles behind the building in the immediate background. What gives?

Photo 24. I’m not understanding how a below-freezing cabin temp helps a pilot cope with 450-degree air temps upon ejection.

Photos 5, 20, 28, 32. I am guessing these photos were included as the only four civilians known to have been giving unofficial joy rides while the aircraft was still technically classified.

 

[imalickin]

I was in the Air Force...I guarded them all.

At one time or another. In one place or another.

 

[BotanyBoy]

http://thebrigade.com/2015/02/04/27-interesting-things-about-the-sr-71-blackbird-34-hq-photos/

What magnificent aircraft. I was stationed at RAF Mildenhall in the 80s. We had 4 of these planes. My wartime/war games duty was RRR-Rapid Runway Repair. So we'd put our chemical warfare gear on and lay around in the grass near the runway.. More than once the SR would practice taking off and landing, the final one they would fully deploy the parachutes to stop. We had C-5s too, KC-135s... and our sister base a few miles away had the F-111s that took out Gaddafi..which happened the month after I left.

But the SR will always be the most amazing aircraft to me, and I've got some cool memories of it.

My old man used to fly Aardvarks, then nighthawks. Like many of his colleges after he left the AF he went to work for General Dynamics, later Lockheed and helped develop the avionics for the Raptors.

I remember going to work with him...getting to burn time in the simulators and always had the illist VIP access at air shows. I got to sit in and climb around on them all. A-10's...F-15's, 16'S 18's and 20's. F106 and F111's and no one ever said shit about it because no big deal...bit it was the COOLEST for me. *Edited b/c I left out the F20!! How could I forget the ol' tiger....

AKA teh mig 28LOL
http://fasab.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/top-gun-pretendy-mig-28.jpg

Did you know, has a problem with its inverted flight tank? It won't do a negative G pushover..... the latest intelligence tells us that the most it will do is one negative G.

Well the word on the grapevine is it will do a 4 G negative pushover no problem.....


Except for the Blackbird and the Nighthawk....not even being big birds kid got me a peak at those so the mystique behind those two fueled my imagination for years. And thus a fondness for them likely rivaled only by the Tomcat because 80's kid, Top Gun duh...it's what all the cool kids fly!

My old man still hates that movie LOL

Back inna day, the Space Shuttle transport would stop here @ Bergstrom AFB on the way from Edwards to kennedy space port. That was a pretty cool sight. Occasionally, a B-52 would come in as well. Talk about fucking massive!

I regret never going to see a shuttle launch =(

And yea B-52's are impressive bird aren't they? My sister and I used to ride our bikes down to the end of the runways as close as the fence would let us (prob 2-300 meters away from the actual strip. Still close enough for some Falcons or Eagles balling the fuck out full afterburner to shake parts of your innards you didn't know you had. I remember the B-52's being just about as loud but somehow so much smoother...yet significantly more imposing as they cam in/took off. I mean it just looked like it was going to swallow you up from a mile away.

And the sound of that cannon going off is unmistakable.

I have never in my life been so fucking thankful to hear such a horrific sound....and may gawd have mercy on anyone's soul who stuck on the ground without an F16 handy AND has an A10 on their ass because they are for serious ultra uber omega fucked. Glad they are ours...what an incredible piece of hardware built for it's role SO fucking well, we pretty much just stopped right there as far as a fixed wing aircraft for an air-ground support role designs go. It set the standard, that's still around so far....I mean F16's and F/A-18 supers are more than capable of doing most of it but they simply don't carry the same level of ordinance.

All the stealth and cool guy shit is great for precision strikes and all that shit....

But when you absolutely positively HAVE to have some hang time to mercilessly pound the shit out of enemy ground units?

A-10 Wharthog.....
http://confessionsfromageekmind.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/samuel-l-jackson-jackie-brown.jpg
Accept no substitutes.

 

[1sickbastard]

I have a few questions about those photos. Don't know if you can help.

Photos 3 & 4. I assume somewhere in the SR-71’s flight test data is the shortest recorded diameter of a full, 180-degree turn at top speed. But maybe not considering the plane was obviously not designed to make tight turns. Still, it would be an interesting data point. I would guess one could probably hold an entire air show within the actual ground track of such a maneuver.
Yah, at Mach 3.4, a 180 degree turn would encompass a pretty large area. Sharp turns at top speed would shred the airframe.
Photo 8. Why Buick Wildcats? Other GM (or Ford) products wouldn’t work?
A variety of engine starting operations were available throughout the life of the A-12, F-12 and SR-71 aircraft, including: A twin chamber mono-fuel starter, attached to the engine only for starting, an AG330 starter cart, with two Buick Wildcat V8 internal combustion engines driving a common output, spinning the J58 to 3,200 rpm before the turbojet could self-sustain.that was a C&P from wikipedia. Basically, it's saying that spinning up the J58 engine is like staring a race car, you need an external engine/powersource. The Buick Wildcats was probably because that's what someone had on hand that just happened to be easy to hook up and provided the necessary power
Photo 14. I always wondered how stuff got from Skunkworks to Nevada!

Photo 17. Why married? Married guys have more “lying practice” than singles? That was certainly true for me when I was married, but I’ve been far more emotionally stable as a single than I have while married. Just sayin’.
It was the Cold War. Married men were assumed to be more immune to a possible seductress, plus they would have far more to lose (their families) if they were compromised. Remember that at this time, being divorced was a social stigma and unwed mothers might have just as well been street-walking whores
Photo 21. I would assume the first test flight December, 1964 take off was at Area 51. And yet it looks like there is a “community,” non-military-base-looking “skyline” five or six miles behind the building in the immediate background. What gives?
The "Official" first flight was in Palmdale Ca. from the airport which also held some of Lockheed's facilities, not from Groom Lake AFB in Nevada
Photo 24. I’m not understanding how a below-freezing cabin temp helps a pilot cope with 450-degree air temps upon ejection.
I got nothing. I do know the testing for pilot survivability was extensive and that engineers do NOT add systems unless they are both useful and necessary, at least on airframes where weight is factor
Photos 5, 20, 28, 32. I am guessing these photos were included as the only four civilians known to have been giving unofficial joy rides while the aircraft was still technically classified.

No comment to the last point.

 

[1sickbastard]

AKA teh mig 28LOL
http://fasab.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/top-gun-pretendy-mig-28.jpg

Did you know, has a problem with its inverted flight tank, it won't do a negative G pushover the latest intelligence tells us that the most it will do is one negative G?

Well a little secret has it will do a 4 G negative pushover.....
I've always liked the F-5 and it's variants. The stogie old brass in the AF never really appreciated it's size, maneuverability and especially it's flexibility as a low cost weapons platform.


I have never in my life been so fucking thankful to hear such a horrific sound....and may gawd have mercy on anyone's soul who stuck on the ground without an F16 handy AND has an A10 on their ass because they are for serious ultra uber omega fucked. Glad they are ours...what an incredible piece of hardware built for it's role SO fucking well, we pretty much just stopped right there as far as a fixed wing aircraft for an air-ground support role designs go. It set the standard, that's still around so far....I mean F16's and F/A-18 supers are more than capable of doing most of it but they simply don't carry the same level of ordinance.
I think the only really comparable CAS platform was the WW2 designed A-1 Skyraider. While the A-1 was a prop plane that was just a hair to late for WW2, it shared a lot of the same characteristics: Rugged, durable, designed for CAS AND survivability, could lift more ordinance by weight than the fully fueled airframe, had exceptional endurance and could loiter over a battlespace for HOURS. It was also CV capable, something the A-10 isn't. It is one of the few airframes there was a push to put back into production some 20 years after the last one rolled off the production line, and was only retired because the surviving airframes literally wore out.
http://www.wingsoverwaukesha.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/A-1H_Skyraider.jpg
If I was a pilot, however, I think I'd much rather fly the Warthog

All the stealth and cool guy shit is great for precision strikes and all that shit....

But when you absolutely positively HAVE to have some hang time to mercilessly pound the shit out of enemy ground units?

A-10 Wharthog.....
http://confessionsfromageekmind.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/samuel-l-jackson-jackie-brown.jpg
Accept no substitutes.

Well, there is always the AC-130 Spectre
http://www.tangodowngaming.com/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/ac_130_spectre.jpg
It's a pretty damn competent CAS platform and not a bad substitute, if one just had no other option.

I love the A10, but the mission for which it was designed (killing Warsaw Pact tanks, AFV's & APC's) a bit different than what the AC130's (and the AC47 which proceeded them) were designed for. Part of why I like the Spooky's & Spectre's are because those were totally improvised platforms by troops in the field, or combat base.

 

[Unattached77]

I have a few questions about those photos. Don't know if you can help.

Photos 3 & 4. I assume somewhere in the SR-71’s flight test data is the shortest recorded diameter of a full, 180-degree turn at top speed. But maybe not considering the plane was obviously not designed to make tight turns. Still, it would be an interesting data point. I would guess one could probably hold an entire air show within the actual ground track of such a maneuver.

Photo 8. Why Buick Wildcats? Other GM (or Ford) products wouldn’t work?

Photo 14. I always wondered how stuff got from Skunkworks to Nevada!

Photo 17. Why married? Married guys have more “lying practice” than singles? That was certainly true for me when I was married, but I’ve been far more emotionally stable as a single than I have while married. Just sayin’.

Photo 21. I would assume the first test flight December, 1964 take off was at Area 51. And yet it looks like there is a “community,” non-military-base-looking “skyline” five or six miles behind the building in the immediate background. What gives?

Photo 24. I’m not understanding how a below-freezing cabin temp helps a pilot cope with 450-degree air temps upon ejection.

Photos 5, 20, 28, 32. I am guessing these photos were included as the only four civilians known to have been giving unofficial joy rides while the aircraft was still technically classified.

I might be able to answer some of these questions.
photo3-4, and turning. At Mach 3.25 and 85K feet, you can't turn well for several reasons. 1, you are going 33 miles per minute, that is flat out hauling ass. 2, the g forces at that speed in a high bank are very very high, it will break up. 3, the air is very thin, and because of it its easy to stall the inside wing (often an issue with the U2, the inside wing is at stall speed and the outside wing is at max speed. Its known as coffin corner since if you blow it , things come apart.) The other issue with the SR was the potential for the inside engine to suffer something called an unstart. Basicly the supersonic shock wave is expelled from the front of the engine causing a sudden loss of thrust and often a flameout. They could happen at anytime, but in a turn could be catastrophic. The Unstarts were very violent, and would cause a very sudden yaw to the side that unstarted. This could lead to the other engine doing the same thing due to disrupted airflow. In the early days there was no computer control of the inlet spikes so the issue was very very common. By the mid 80s they were rare.

Photo 8 Why Buick Wildcats? Because they were working with Micky Thompson with them. Later big block chevys were used. It takes a HUGE amount of power to spool each engine up, and each start cart had a pair of full race built Wildcats or big blocks working in tandem to spool the engines up to about 3K rpm where they could be lit.

Photo 14, Yes, the A12s were trucked from Burbank to Area 51. They built them in Burbank, then took them apart, truked them to Groom Lake and reassembled them there. Late on, I think the SRs were just flown out of Burbank to Beale.

P 17, Why married, they thought that being married was enough to keep someone from defecting or something along those lines. This requirement was later dropped I think
P21. THe first flight was from Edwards, the SR-71 wasn't a black program like the A12, it was out in the open. That is why the YF12 program was brought to Edwards just before.
P24, the cockpit wasn't cold, it was HOT. Like 400 degrees on the surface of the windshield. The way they would eat food was to place it next to the windshield for a couple minutes, flip it and wait another couple minutes then eat it (through a straw) The A/C system was very clever as it took air passing over the inlet spikes for the engines and rerouted it to areas that needed to be cooled such as the camera bays and the cockpit.

As for civilians, there were a few. The only woman to fly in an SR was part of the NASA crew in the 80s, Marta Bohn Mayer was her name I think. Her husband was also one of the NASA crew.