SR71 Blackbird

[kendelrio]

OK, when are they going up on GL, and nobody had better outbid me.......

 

[oifvet]

I don't know. But, when they do. You can bet they'll go fast!

 

[kendelrio]

I don't know. But, when they do. You can bet they'll go fast!

 

[steelandcanvas]

Saw this thread come up again, and it got me to thinkin', somewhere in my shop is a Blackbird Flag I bought at a yard sale. After a little searchin', I found it and took a photo of it to share with the Guys

 

[oifvet]

Looks like a good avatar.

 

[steelandcanvas]

Yeah it does, however I like my present one. You're welcome to it oifvet!

 

[Blacksmoke]

Thanks for the story & thanks to all of you that serve & have served. Got to see a few Blackbirds at air shows & it has always been one of my favorites.

 

[ssgtwright-usmc]

Great story! Even when my eyes were getting sore I couldnt stop reading!!!!!!

 

[jimk]

Interesting stuff on the engine.

Pratt & Whitney J58 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

80% ram jet / 20% turbojet at hi-speed.

 

[jpcj-7]

WOW! Thank you for your service to our country and for sharing some amazing stories!

 

[Speddmon]

I've always loved the Blackbird, that story makes it seem more like a person than a plane. Just goes to prove that when it counts America can still engineer the best.

 

[jwaller]

Don't know if they still use it, but as you can see, those pics were all dated in the 1990's. The night-time afterburner test was dated 1998. That's one of my favorites. That's a strong airframe and strong cables!

to the best of my knowledge the last 2 SR-71's were retired by NASA in 1999.

The museum in Richmond, Va has one on display. they also have the power cart used to star the engines on the ground. FYI It's 2 chevy 454's tied end to end and a 90deg drive shaft that goes up into the aircraft.

 

[USAFSS-ColdWarrior]

Surviving a Mach 3+ In-Flight Break Up...

Reviving an old thread with a recently published article:

http://www.barthworks.com/aviation/sr71breakup.htm

WOW - What a story.

 

[phil2968]

FYI It's 2 chevy 454's ...

The original start carts had Buick Nailhead's in them. That just adds to the cool factor of these planes.

 

[Another Ahab]

Count me in: Subscribed

 

[B3.3T]

gentalmen,
i may have to recant my last statemant, i know for a fact, i read an artcle from the washington post online, that the had a blackbird
on permant display at lanley, va/CIA. but darn if i can find any proof.

It is an A-12 on display at headquarters and it is certainly still there, as of last month.

 

[B3.3T]

I might add, some of you are confusing the SR-71 Blackbird with the A-12 Oxcart. Of course similar, but indeed different planes with different missions and characteristics as well as history. Much of the A-12 program remains classified.

 

[USAFSS-ColdWarrior]

Let's not forget the D-21 Drone that rode atop the SR-71 for launch and penetration into "no man's land" ......

 

[Piper Cub]

Major Shul's book is well worth the price! If you see him when he's selling them at an airshow, there's a pretty big discount (atleast there was when I bought my signed copy). At Plant 42 in Palmdale there's an outdoor museum that has TWO SR71's and an F117 (among many others) parked looking out at the road. Here's a picture I found online:

 

[Shoprat 19th Engr]

Yea I knew a Pilot Named Vito Andragna ( hope i spelled his last name right ) he was fling the F111 that took the pics of the bombs dropping on the planes at the airport