Blackbird Photo Tribute

[jawsf16]

Pretty cool photo collection of the SR-71/A-12. My physics professor in college was a Blackbird pilot. Pretty amazing stories. I distinctly remember him saying that at top speed over the western US it took them "at least three states" to turn a full 180... that is Ludicrous Speed!

http://sploid.gizmodo.com/rare-high-definition-photos-of-the-sr-71-blackbird-1670184930/+kcampbelldollaghan

 

[Big Shasta]

Awesome...I was fascinated with these when I was a kid. I had several models. Check out this story:

http://gizmodo.com/you-must-read-this-test-pilots-story-of-an-sr-71-disin-1539406395

Full story:

http://roadrunnersinternationale.com/weaver_sr71_bailout.html

 

[BlacklimitedS]

That was a great post. I always loved the look of the Blackbird. The tech it took to build this jet was decades ahead of it's time!

 

[jawsf16]

@Big Shasta That is a great story, too bad they both couldn't tell it. Thank you for sharing...

 

[txav8r]

What a cool machine. That is what the term, "smokin' hot" actually refers to.

 

[Seadeals]

By chance the National Geographic channel is currently airing a documentary about the A-12 (project oxcart) and Area 51.

 

[BlacklimitedS]

Just finished reading the second story. Amazing that he was flying a new SR.-71 in two weeks. Too bad they both were not flying together.

 

[Bruce]

We stopped at the Warner Robbins air museum in January. The SR-71 was Emma's favorite plane. She took home a die cast SR-71 from the gift shop. She will enjoy seeing the pictures and reading the stories.

 

[buckbuck]

What a story.
My brother works at the Skunk Works. He can never tell me anything and I don't press him. I just rest in the knowledge he is working to protect my family from having to learn Chinese.

 

[GTBRMC]

Incredible aircraft and incredible people in it and behind it. They were all titans in their fields.

 

[GTBRMC]

What a story.
My brother works at the Skunk Works. He can never tell me anything and I don't press him. I just rest in the knowledge he is working to protect my family from having to learn Chinese.

Yes, no matter how you slice it, learning Mandarin is a real bitch!

 

[Ronnie]

I'm watching he story on it on the national geographic channel now. They just finished the 3 day trip from Burbank through the grape vine. I thought them trucking the space shuttle a few miles to a museum was an incredible feat. These guys did it with 1960s equipment and moved it a lot further. Incidentally, there is one on a post mounted in front of the castle air museum in Madera, CA.

 

[jcyamaharider]

Defiantly my favorite plane of all time!! Hard to believe the design was initially started on a napkin.

 

[buckbuck]

I didn't realize over a thousand anti-air missiles were shot at them. I guess the Russians knew we were there but just couldn't get us.

 

[txav8r]

I don't know if SAM's can reach 60,000ft, especially back then, let alone 80,000-100,000ft! I have shot at geese that I had no way of hitting too! lol @jawsf16 , how high can a SAM accurately target an aircraft? Just the thought of being on the edge of space, and moving at those speeds is incredible. I have never been supersonic, but I have a friend that flew the SR-71, spent time in a pub a few times chatting with a BA guy that flew the Concord, and worked with a few guys that flew the space shuttle. Aside from the shuttle pilots, at those altitudes, speed is just not a visible thing, except on the indicators and how quickly you pass from one fix to another...but the biggest indicator of speed really is how many times you have to change from one radio frequency to another! lol Airplanes...once they get under your skin, they stick with you!

 

[GiddYupJoe]

Thanks for sharing @jawsf16. There is a SR-71 sitting in the R& D hanger at work about 600 yards from my office. Just like everyone else, this was one of the first model airplanes my dad and I built when I was a kid. Pretty nuts to be able to go look at it, among many others, anytime we want.

 

[GTBRMC]

Thanks for sharing @jawsf16. There is a SR-71 sitting in the R& D hanger at work about 600 yards from my office. Just like everyone else, this was one of the first model airplanes my dad and I built when I was a kid. Pretty nuts to be able to go look at it, among many others, anytime we want.

The US Air Force Museum at Wright Patt is one of the very best anywhere. My favorite there: the Valkyrie!

 

[jawsf16]

I don't know if SAM's can reach 60,000ft, especially back then, let alone 80,000-100,000ft!

Can't discuss classified ranges, but there a few SAMs that can reach up and get you. Powers was brought down by a SAM in his U-2... Likely most of those SR-71 engagements were nervous cold war operators that were defending the homeland, regardless of the PK. So at least when the Komrades find out that there was an aircraft overhead, they can say "we engaged the threat!"

 

[justason]

http://sploid.gizmodo.com/fascinating-photos-reveal-how-they-built-the-sr-71-blac-1683754944

similar story as the first: additional images

 

[RightStuff]

Another cool/funny SR-71 story, just figured I would throw it on here too:
http://www.reddit.com/r/SR71/comments/2dpmw7/the_sr71_speed_check_story/