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An amazing yet sad story.
Steel Soldiers now has a few new forums, read more about it at: New Munitions Forums!
Excellent pic gallery, Tracer!View attachment 689220View attachment 689225 Some photos of the only remaining M-21 with a D-21 reconnaissance drone attached. Some of the pictures are from the Museum of Flight in Seattle. The D-21 was booster launched from the M-21, SR-71 or B-52 aircraft, and then recovered by parachute..
View attachment 689220View attachment 689221View attachment 689222View attachment 689223View attachment 689224View attachment 689225View attachment 689226View attachment 689227 Some photos of the only remaining M-21 with a D-21 reconnaissance drone attached. Some of the pictures are from the Museum of Flight in Seattle. The D-21 was booster launched from the M-21, SR-71 or B-52 aircraft, and then recovered by parachute. The mother craft could also activate a self destruct system on the drone should the drone malfunction. One drone was self destructed over China, and the remains are in a Chinese air museum.
D-21 - The Daughter ship - aka: Drone.
https://www.google.com/#q=d+day+debarkationInteresting stuff!
But nobody yet has figured out with certainty why the Normandy Landings were "D" Day yet, have they?
Interesting stuff!
But nobody yet has figured out with certainty why the Normandy Landings were "D" Day yet, have they?
Brother Ahab, this is the original Boeing Plant 1 built by William Boeing in 1916 (photo 1). The building was almost demolished in the 60s, but was saved, restored, and barged down river in 1975 to it's present location (photo 2,3,4,5), next to the Museum of Flight building. There were many Aircraft built at plant 1 over the years, included the Boeing P-26 peashooter, and the Boeing Clipper (photo 6). If you and the wife are ever in Seattle, the Museum of Flight is a must see, as well as the Seattle water front.........the restaurants there are amazing. PS Great craft beer too!Excellent pic gallery, Tracer!
That Seattle Flight Museum is some kind of impressive.
But then I'm guessing that it's sponsored by the Boeing Corporation, is that the story?
Here's a little info on the M-21.View attachment 689220View attachment 689221View attachment 689222View attachment 689223View attachment 689224View attachment 689225View attachment 689226View attachment 689227 Some photos of the only remaining M-21 with a D-21 reconnaissance drone attached. Some of the pictures are from the Museum of Flight in Seattle. The D-21 was booster launched from the M-21, SR-71 or B-52 aircraft, and then recovered by parachute. The mother craft could also activate a self destruct system on the drone should the drone malfunction. One drone was self destructed over China, and the remains are in a Chinese air museum.
Guyfang, I will assume that this accident is why the USAF began to launch the D-21 drone from a B-52 mother ship, and then equipping the D-21 with a rocket booster to achieve the correct speed and altitude, given the subsonic speed the B-52 mother ship. Also correct me if I'm wrong, I understand that the D-21 drone was used up in to the early 1980s.Here's a little info on the M-21.
The original project was called Operation Tagboard. Two A12, (tail number 69-640 and 69-641) aircraft were modified to carry a D-21 drone, (as seen in picture 5). Maiden flight was 22 Dec. 1964. The drone, (D-21) was also designed and built by Lockheed. It was also made of Titanium and composites like the entire Blackbird family. The drone was placed on a pylon, mounted on the back of the M-21. The "E" bay compartment, that normally held the huge camera that the A-12's carried was modified to accommodate the Launch Control Officer, (LCO). Flight testing was conducted, carrying the D-21 at ever increasing speeds and altitudes. At first the D-21 was given a ceramic cover, for and aft, to keep the air resistance down. But the first time the covers were deployed in a test, the damage to the drone was so great, that they were never used again. The primary aircraft used was 641 for testing, and 640 was used for chase and photo work. It was afterall, the only plane capable of keeping up! As testing went along, the drone was successfully launched on 3 July 1966. The third launch test, was conducted on 31 July, 1966, at Mach 3 +, at approx 72,000 feet, in aircraft 69-641, Piloted by Bill Parks, and the LCO position filled by Ray Torrick. The test area was approx. 300 miles west of Point Mugu, California, over open seas.
When the test was about to start, the LCO reported that the D-21 war receiving enough air, (Mach 3.2+) and released the drone with a burst of compressed air. The mission had been up till now flawless. From this point on, it went horribly wrong. Just as the drone started to lift away from the mother ship, the drone experienced an "Unstart". This caused the drone to slam back down into the pylon. The force of the drone hitting the pylon caused the aircraft to pitch-up. Bill Parks was unable to regain control of the aircraft. The immense pressure of air flow, (3.2 mach) on the aircraft Chine caused the aircraft to break apart. The forward section began to tumble out of control, the G force pinning the crew in the wreckage. The aircrew survival suits pressured up, but the crew could do nothing to escape the crew section as it plunged downward. At some point, Bill Parks managed to eject both himself and Ray Torricks out of the wreckage. Amazingly enough, both pilot and LCO survived the crash, and landing in the sea. But, sadly, Ray Torricks drowned. There has been much speculation as to why. One story was that he drowned in his suit, as it filled with water, and he was not able to remove his helmet. Another story told is that his floatation device was damaged, and forced his head under water. Bill Parks survived. He has survived more Mach3+ ejections then any man alive. This was not his only one.
Kelly Johnson was so upset by this loss of life, that he canceled the project. The link below, is a film narrated by Kelly Johnson that shows the breakup of 69-641 inflight.
https://youtu.be/GMyC2urCl_4?t=1
We have often read what is "officially" known as the LA SPEED STORY in these forums, magazines and other print media. It's been shared around many a campfire as well. But I have never, until now, heard the story told by the actual pilot (a woman no less) without editorial (or a drunken storyteller's) embellishment.... Simply the first-person "report" of actual event.
BTW: The audio is GREAT, and someone did a good job on the video presentation as well.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lg73GKm7GgI&feature=youtu.be
Carry on.