Tales of the Blackbird (SR-71)

[4Waters]

Incredible video...

Spec-fukin-tacular video, thanks for posting that

 

[rivrrts429]

Spec-fukin-tacular video, thanks for posting that

It was just posted a few weeks ago and I hadn’t watched it yet. So glad I did tonight. One of the best ones yet.

 

[4Waters]

It was just posted a few weeks ago and I hadn’t watched it yet. So glad I did tonight. One of the best ones yet.

For sure, they talked about several Skunk_Works planes and an F14 cameo . Slide rulers and paper only, I was shocked when the SR71 took off from London and landed in California 4 hours before it took off

 

[monkeyswrench]

That video has some of the best stills and clips I've seen...beautiful!

 

[monkeyswrench]

This popped up, and I thought it worthy of this thread. It's another longer video, but you can tell this guy is still in love with what he did!

 

[rivrrts429]

This popped up, and I thought it worthy of this thread. It's another longer video, but you can tell this guy is still in love with what he did!

It never gets old watching these videos of Americans building planes that will never be replicated while only using a slide rule. It’s a great example of how incredible the people of this country are and what they’re capable of with minimal resources.

Not much else is more American than that!

 

[rush1]

How to fly the sr71

 

[Shlbyntro]

Its been posted before, but I do love this story.

6min long

 

[rivrrts429]

Its been posted before, but I do love this story.

6min long

It never gets old telling these stories. As bad as the Cold War era was, or could’ve been, the leaps we made in technology in pursuit of defending our nation was incredible.

 

[Sandlord]

My wife sold the models of the A-12 and SR-71 (new in Box) as well a bunch of stuff from the Smithsonian and her fathers collection. (cards, notepads, toys). But I took possession of Sled Driver.

 

[monkeyswrench]

My wife sold the models of the A-12 and SR-71 (new in Box) as well a bunch of stuff from the Smithsonian and her fathers collection. (cards, notepads, toys). But I took possession of Sled Driver.
View attachment 1154548

Do you have any children or grandchildren to leave those too?
If not, I'd like to throw my hat in the ring

Very, very cool!

 

[Racing97]

Did they cover the starter carts for the SR71 being Buick 401's?

 

[4Waters]

Did they cover the starter carts for the SR71 being Buick 401's?

Yes they did

 

[monkeyswrench]

Did they cover the starter carts for the SR71 being Buick 401's?

The video in post #305, the guy said all the old school hot rod guys in the development phase thought the sound of the original starter carts with the Buicks was the best sound. He said when the switched out to 454's later it just wasn't the same.

 

[rivrrts429]

Unreal story of Kelly Johnson (SR 71 designer) and how SkunkWorks got it’s name. It’s long but really well explained.

 

[RogerThat99]

Unreal story of Kelly Johnson (SR 71 designer) and how SkunkWorks got it’s name. It’s long but really well explained.

I finally watched the video at the top of his page, and the Pratt & Whitney video. Both were great.

Next up will be the kelly johnson video.

I did read the Skunk Works book by Ben Rich. It was outstanding.

 

[4Waters]

Don't care if it is a vin, you can hear the second BBC on the pipes over the first engine running, the afterburners are awesome, it's like hitting a big unit

Do you think earth's rotation speed increased during this test?

 

[Sandlord]

Don't care if it is a vin, you can hear the second BBC on the pipes over the first engine running, the afterburners are awesome

Do you think earth's rotation speed increased during this test?

The engine test stands in Palmdale were a few hundred feet from my workstation. They were at site 2. I was at site 3.
They would fire it up after dark and gravel would land on our building. The day shift had to do a FOD walk in the AM.
The sound could be heard all over the Antelope Valley. Even from my home 17 miles away.

 

[j21black]

Maybe I read it in the book, but thought I saw a youtube somewhere about a flight over Libya that was pretty cool.

Anyone know if that was on youtube?

Edit: I haven't read it again yet, but believe this is the story I was referencing above..

The story of the SR-71 Blackbird that outran Gaddafi's SAMs during a BDA flight of Libya in support of Operation El Dorado Canyon - The Aviation Geek Club

The story of the SR-71 Blackbird that outran Gaddafi's SAMs during a BDA flight of Libya in support of Operation El Dorado Canyon

theaviationgeekclub.com

 

[MK1MOD0]

There was a video talking about how many missiles the SR-71 had actually outran. It wan quite a few. With
N.Korea firing a number of them.

 

[traquer]

Don't think this has been posted, this is the coolest afterburner video I've ever seen regardless of plane

 

[4Waters]

Don't think this has been posted, this is the coolest afterburner video I've ever seen regardless of plane

Pist 317, but it's worth another post for sure

 

[Sleek-Jet]

Don't care if it is a vin, you can hear the second BBC on the pipes over the first engine running, the afterburners are awesome, it's like hitting a big unit

Do you think earth's rotation speed increased during this test?

That isn't one BBC at full song, but two...

Starting the SR-71 Blackbird's J58 Engines - AG330 Start Cart

The AG-330 Start Cart orginally were Buick wildcat 401 cubic inch V-8 engines developing 400 horsepower. There were two Buick engines mounted tandem side by side with automatic transmissions. They were coupled together with a steel woven drive belt to drive a vertical shaft that was inserted...

www.thesr71blackbird.com

It would have been cool to hear the Buicks.

I mean, even starting this thing was all testosterone...

 

[4Waters]

That isn't one BBC at full song, but two...

Starting the SR-71 Blackbird's J58 Engines - AG330 Start Cart

The AG-330 Start Cart orginally were Buick wildcat 401 cubic inch V-8 engines developing 400 horsepower. There were two Buick engines mounted tandem side by side with automatic transmissions. They were coupled together with a steel woven drive belt to drive a vertical shaft that was inserted...

www.thesr71blackbird.com

It would have been cool to here the Buicks.

I mean, even starting this thing was all testosterone...

They started the J-58's one at a time

 

[Sleek-Jet]

They started the J-58's one at a time

There are two engines in each start cart.

 

[4Waters]

There are two engines in each start cart.

Really, learn something new everyday

 

[spectra3279]

Don't care if it is a vin, you can hear the second BBC on the pipes over the first engine running, the afterburners are awesome, it's like hitting a big unit

Do you think earth's rotation speed increased during this test?

That my friends is called fucking awesome.



Along with the sole cause of global warming

 

[DoughBallin14]

Not sure if this article has been added to this thread! Love everything about this plane and always read and re read this thread when it pops up!
https://theaviationgeekclub.com/fir...ation-so-that-kelly-johnson-wouldnt-find-out/

 

[4Waters]

Not sure if this article has been added to this thread! Love everything about this plane and always read and re read this thread when it pops up!
https://theaviationgeekclub.com/fir...ation-so-that-kelly-johnson-wouldnt-find-out/

And Bob Gilliland passed away on the proper day July 4th, a day of celebration

 

[Javajoe]

I was over a buddy’s house 20 years ago and his wife showed me a binder she received from the military / Lockheed when her dad passed away that was a history of all the test planes her dad flew. She never knew he was a SR71 test pilot along with some other Skunk Work Programs. One page in there was a bunch of newspaper clippings about an unidentified sound over the 395 in different areas reported by people. It revealed he did an extremely low run up the 395 so they could conduct radar readings. Like REALLY LOW. Lol. Pretty cool stuff.

 

[scottchbrite]

My daughters have an interest in aviation. My youngest (short one) wants to be a pilot and the oldest is interested in all things space. We had a daddy daughter day, so I took them to the March Air Museum. I drive by it all the time. I had no idea that an SR71 lived inside. It was awesome to see one in person.
Now we have to watch all these videos

 

[rivrrts429]

My daughters have an interest in aviation. My youngest (short one) wants to be a pilot and the oldest is interested in all things space. We had a daddy daughter day, so I took them to the March Air Museum. I drive by it all the time. I had no idea that an SR71 lived inside. It was awesome to see one in person.
Now we have to watch all these videos

View attachment 1184305

That’s awesome! My daughter (13) just asked me if I would be okay with her getting her pilots license. I didn’t show any emotion but was struggling to contain my excitement. It’s a worthy goal for anybody much less a teen.

 

[yz450mm]

My daughters have an interest in aviation. My youngest (short one) wants to be a pilot and the oldest is interested in all things space. We had a daddy daughter day, so I took them to the March Air Museum. I drive by it all the time. I had no idea that an SR71 lived inside. It was awesome to see one in person.
Now we have to watch all these videos

View attachment 1184305

If you haven't already, take them down to the USS Midway in San diego. If they like planes, that will be their disneyland. The main hanger deck has aircraft that they can sit in, as well as pretty advanced flight simulators that they can fly.

The flight deck has a ton more aircraft that they can explore, and being on an aircraft carrier is just such a cool experience for those of us that didn't serve.

 

[81Sprint]

Pima Air museum in Tucson has one, we went there last thanksgiving. Awesome machine to see in person, hell the whole place is amazing!

 

[monkeyswrench]

Pima Air museum in Tucson has one, we went there last thanksgiving. Awesome machine to see in person, hell the whole place is amazing!

They also have the mini-me drone next to it. Pima air museum is unreal if you're into this stuff.

 

[scottchbrite]

That’s awesome! My daughter (13) just asked me if I would be okay with her getting her pilots license. I didn’t show any emotion but was struggling to contain my excitement. It’s a worthy goal for anybody much less a teen.

I think you live in the 951 (may be wrong) but French Valley Airport has a pilot explorer program for age 14 on up. Our neighbors son is in it. Im sure other airports do similar. If our girls still show interest at 14, they’ll be in the program.

 

[rivrrts429]

I think you live in the 951 (may be wrong) but French Valley Airport has a pilot explorer program for age 14 on up. Our neighbors son is in it. Im sure other airports do similar. If our girls still show interest at 14, they’ll be in the program.

Yep, I’m not far from French Valley. My nephews got their licenses at FV. The bar/restaurant there is good for drinks while my kid is up in the sky with the instructor lol

 

[spectra3279]

They also have the mini-me drone next to it. Pima air museum is unreal if you're into this stuff.

That would be the yf12 then wouldn't it? Not the sr71

 

[monkeyswrench]

That would be the yf12 then wouldn't it? Not the sr71

I don't remember the designation on the drone thing...looks like a Klingon photon torpedo! It's sitting under the SR-71's left wing at Pima.

 

[4Waters]

It's a Lockheed D-21

 

[spectra3279]

I don't remember the designation on the drone thing...looks like a Klingon photon torpedo! It's sitting under the SR-71's left wing at Pima.

The designation is not the drone, it's the Cia version of the sr71. The drone was only ever designed for use on it, the yf12

The yf12 could fly higher and faster than the sr71. But not much higher or faster. But at those hights and speeds, does it really matter

 

[4Waters]

The designation is not the drone, it's the Cia version of the sr71. The drone was only ever designed for use on it, the yf12

The yf12 could fly higher and faster than the sr71. But not much higher or faster. But at those hights and speeds, does it really matter

Pic above is the SR71 with the D-21 attached. Here is a YF12, notice no chine all the way to the nose, it could be attached to either

Yes, the YF12 was slightly faster (Mach .15) and could fly slightly higher (10,000ft) well at least that's what they tell us, they admit to the SR71 flying mach 3.2 but say top speed is still classified as confirmed by my uncle.

 

[spectra3279]

Cool. Didn't think the drone was ever used on the Sr.

 

[Sleek-Jet]

The drone was used several times in real operations. On one of the last missions it never came back and both the AF and Lockheed determined that it most likely suffered a guidance failure and ran out of fuel, crashing somewhere in China. That was confirmed years later when an officer from China's intelligence service handed a CIA officer a piece of the airframe at a summit meeting. Sure enough, the wreckage was right where they though it would be.

The drone was also the cause of one of the airframe losses, crashing back into the Blackbird mother ship after launching. The program was abandoned not long after.

 

[bowtiejunkie]

It's a Lockheed D-21

View attachment 1184559 View attachment 1184560

The below picture of the Blackbird is 1 of 2 M-21 variants with two-seats developed as part of the A-12 program. The sole surviving M-21 airframe, with a D-21 drone mounted is on view at Museum of Flight in Seattle. No SR-71 variant was built to mount a D-21. Only the M-21 and later the B-52 as pictured being modified to launch a D-21.

I’ll post a couple pics I took at that museum about 20 years ago.

 

[Sleek-Jet]

The designation is not the drone, it's the Cia version of the sr71. The drone was only ever designed for use on it, the yf12

The yf12 could fly higher and faster than the sr71. But not much higher or faster. But at those hights and speeds, does it really matter

The A-12 is still the fastest and highest flying version (allegedly), but those records are under lock and key since they happened above nations we weren't supposed to be flying over.

 

[4Waters]

Cool. Didn't think the drone was ever used on the Sr.

Might be wrong, IDK

The below picture of the Blackbird is 1 of 2 M-21 variants with two-seats developed as part of the A-12 program. The sole surviving M-21 airframe, with a D-21 drone mounted is on view at Museum of Flight in Seattle. No SR-71 variant was built to mount a D-21. Only the M-21 and later the B-52 as pictured being modified to launch a D-21.

I’ll post a couple pics I took at that museum about 20 years ago.

Yeah that's just some internet research so could be wrong. Next time I see my uncle I'll have to ask

 

[4Waters]

Decided to stop by my buddies R/C shop and there is a Vietnam Veteran sitting here, served in the Airforce from 1960-67 and was assigned to the Dragonlady U2 program, cool dude for sure.

 

[Danger Dave]

Bill Weaver SR-71 Blackbird Breakup

Photos, stories, death obituaries, biographies recording legacy of CIA, Air Force, Army men and women work secret atomic, radar, satellite flights in the Nevada desert, Kadena, Okinawa, North Korea, Vietnam

roadrunnersinternationale.com

 

[4Waters]

Bill Weaver SR-71 Blackbird Breakup

Photos, stories, death obituaries, biographies recording legacy of CIA, Air Force, Army men and women work secret atomic, radar, satellite flights in the Nevada desert, Kadena, Okinawa, North Korea, Vietnam

roadrunnersinternationale.com

WOW!! Crazy story