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SR-71 Blackbird - Interesting Story

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I think it did a Rome, NY to Nellis, CA in less than that back in '72. :shocked:
 
Absolutely fantastic bird.
 
Our local Air Force museum has a Blackbird in its collection. I really need to go one of these days.
 
I once heard a story that sitting on the tarmac, the SR-71 would leak fuel because at speed the seams would expand and buckle if there weren't gaps left for expansion. Any truth or total urban legend??
 
Peter;
I've also heard that.Don't know if it is true, but makes an interesting story. Would like to know if any of the fly guys could inform us.

Dave
 
Silverghost said:
I once heard a story that sitting on the tarmac, the SR-71 would leak fuel because at speed the seams would expand and buckle if there weren't gaps left for expansion. Any truth or total urban legend??
Click to expand...

Found this on Wikipedia, which references C.L. Johnson's book "Kelly: More Than My Share of it All":


<span style="font-style: italic">To allow for thermal expansion at the high operational temperatures the fuselage panels were manufactured to fit only loosely on the ground. Proper alignment was only achieved when the airframe warmed up due to air resistance at high speeds, causing the airframe to expand several inches. Because of this, and the lack of a fuel sealing system that could handle the extreme temperatures, the aircraft would leak JP-7 jet fuel onto the runway before it took off. The aircraft would quickly make a short sprint, meant to warm up the airframe, and was then refueled in the air before departing on its mission. Cooling was carried out by cycling fuel behind the titanium surfaces at the front of the wings (chines). On landing after a mission the canopy temperature was over 300 °C (572 °F), too hot to approach. Non-fibrous asbestos with high heat tolerance was used in high-temperature areas.</span>

There was one sitting outside in Huntsville, AL and the thing that stood out the most to me was the fact that it seemed much smaller than how I had pictured it growing up. Absolutely beautiful plane, though.
 
$425 for the Sled Driver book is a little over priced for me, but what a wonderful story. What a great aircraft! Must be a wonderful feeling to be a part of it's history.
 
I saw one sitting in a hanger after our tanker landed (hopped a ride from Clark) in Okinawa in '69. Lots of guards around it. A beautiful bird.
 
When I was stationed in Japan, we used to go down and watch it take off from Kadena AFB. When it would come home in the afternoon, you could see the sun gleaming off the camera bays as it banked in.

Great bird for sure.
 
For those of you near the NY City/Metro area, you can go to the Intrepid Museum in the NYC harbor (actually, it's a floating WW II aircraft carrier) and touch a Blackbird.

The one on the Intrepid is really an A12 (the previous model of this bird). Neat!

2708695976_bc431bcc9c.jpg
 
I remember seeing a Mustang LX coupe for sale
awhile back.It was the same spec as the CHP used here.
It was originally owned by the Air Force as a chase
vehicle for the Blackbirds.It was all original.
They would follow the Blackbirds to observe them on takeoff.

- Doug
 
For as long as I can remember, I have loved the Blackbird. That fact that it first flew 46 years ago (before I was born) and still holds many speed records is a testament to the genious of Kelly Johnson.
 
There's a Blackbird on static display at the Space & Rocket Center museum here in Huntsville.
 
AngliaGT said:
I remember seeing a Mustang LX coupe for sale
awhile back.It was the same spec as the CHP used here.
It was originally owned by the Air Force as a chase
vehicle for the Blackbirds.It was all original.
They would follow the Blackbirds to observe them on takeoff.

- Doug
Click to expand...


I believe the Mustangs were to follow the U2's down the runway, so they could be talked down to the ground by another pilot. This is necessary owing to the facts that the U2 had an extremely narrow landing gear track, and that the pilot cannot see the horizon for landing.

I actually had the chance to get up close and personal to one at Beale AFB, they had an SR-71 and a M-21. Funny thing was the M-21 never flew on the SR-71, only on the A-12. One thing that amazed me about the SR-71 is that we were told that the tires were only good for two landings.
 
U2's drop the wingtip "casters" on takeoff. It needed a "chase vehicle" (usually a Chevy El Camino) to tip the wing into on landing. Driving those was a choice job in the Air Force.
 
Sorry - my mistake.Thanks for catching that.
I've seen the SR-71 in the photo in San Diego,
while visiting our oldest Son,who was stationed
there briefly.Also saw the one in Huntsville,AL,
after visiting Tony.Cool planes!

- Doug
 
"The Blackbird had outrun nearly 4,000 missiles, not once taking a scratch from enemy fire."

Nice Bragging rights :laugh:
 
Shane said:
...which references C.L. Johnson's book "Kelly: More Than My Share of it All"...
Click to expand...
Great book, should be <span style="font-style: italic">mandatory</span> reading for <span style="font-style: italic">all</span> engineering students. Sadly, I think it’s out of print.


PAUL161 said:
$425 for the Sled Driver book is a little over priced for me, but what a wonderful story. ....
Click to expand...
:shocked: Eeek! Glad I bought the first edition back when.


PC.
 
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