SR71 Blackbird: Unbelievable engineering [engine]

SKORPI0

Lifer
Jan 18, 2000
18,482
2,418
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You should read 'Skunk Works' by Ben Rich.
This. Read that book when it came out 1996.

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Skunk Works: A Personal Memoir of My Years of Lockheed

complements this book that came out the same year.
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2Q==
SR-71 Revealed: The Inside Story
 

unokitty

Diamond Member
Jan 5, 2012
3,346
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0
jan06redsr71habu.jpg


Early 70s, I worked on a hill that overlooked Kadena AFB.

Occasionally, during the day, I'd be able to watch one of the SR-71s land.

Very occasionally at night they would turn off all of the runway lights. We always assumed that that is when a Blackbird took off...

Spooky, beautiful, bird... Youtube video Blackbird departs Kadena...

Uno
 

Paratus

Lifer
Jun 4, 2004
17,643
15,831
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I loved the part in the "Skunk Works" where they were trying to show the Air Force the A12/SR71 could make an effective interceptor.

They installed look-down shoot-down radar and a trapeze system to launch air-to-air missiles.

After launching the missiles at Mach 3+ they would fall 80,000ft accelerating the entire way until they hit their targets at Mach 6+. :eek:
 

Ferzerp

Diamond Member
Oct 12, 1999
6,438
107
106
Funny that they're acting like this is new info when it has been publically available for 20-30 years....
 

Schmide

Diamond Member
Mar 7, 2002
5,745
1,036
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The craziest thing about the SR 71 is the fuel leakage on the runway.

http://www.sr-71.org/blackbird/sr-71/

In order for the SR-71 to fly the worldwide missions, it has a special fleet of modified KC-135Q tankers for refueling. SR-71s run on JP-7 fuel, that fills the six large tanks in the fuselage. The component parts of the Blackbird fit very loosely together to allow for expansion at high temperatures. At rest on the ground, fuel leaks out constantly, since the tanks in the fuselage and wings only seal at operating temperatures. There is little danger of fire since the JP-7 fuel is very stable with an extremely high flash point.

Edit: You also get a finite number of afterburner ignites because of the catalyst needed to start the reaction. (~16)
 
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Blackjack200

Lifer
May 28, 2007
15,995
1,688
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Greatest plane ever built by a country mile. I absolutely loved those things when I was a kid.
 

crashtech

Lifer
Jan 4, 2013
10,695
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I've been an ardent admirer of these aircraft for many years. They represent a pinnacle of aviation prowess that is as yet unsurpassed in many regards, and as such still remain a timely topic of discussion.
 

zerocool84

Lifer
Nov 11, 2004
36,041
472
126
I've been an ardent admirer of these aircraft for many years. They represent a pinnacle of aviation prowess that is as yet unsurpassed in many regards, and as such still remain a timely topic of discussion.
And will likely not be passed at all because there's no need for a craft like that anymore.
 

DigDog

Lifer
Jun 3, 2011
14,647
3,010
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pfft. you think that is great technology? check this out:
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wroom wrooom. wrooompotpotptptopotpotpotpotptmeeeeeeeeee...
 

lsd

Golden Member
Sep 26, 2000
1,184
70
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I'll always admire the SR-71 and I believe it serves as the pinnacle of military aircraft. But I think had the XB-70 gone into production it would have matched the SR-71 in greatness.
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