These SR-71 Blackbirds

[Stu R]

My fiance's dad is ex-USAF and was lucky / talented enough to work on a lot of very special stuff.. Some of the stories he's got are incredible - I'll see if he doesn't mind me sharing a couple on here and answer some questions if folks are interested.

Incidentally, I live very close to this place - the stuff they've got is mind-blowing. http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/

[nutcase]

GALLARDOGUY said:

http://www.mainewomensrugby.com/cwaltham/143352475...

Sled Driver PDF for those who haven't already seen it.

Ah bugger- I was halfway through reading that and now the link's not working. Does anyone know another address it's hosted at all?

Thanks in advance! I didn't get a chance to print it off

[Stu R]

Cached version here: http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cac...

[nutcase]

Stu R said:

Cached version here: http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cac...

Legend, thanks!

[EskimoArapaho]

Really not sure it'll ever happen, but if there's enough money around for the necessary palms to be greased, there's a Mach 6 SR-72 in the pipeline: http://theaviationist.com/2013/11/01/sr-72-unveile...

[Eric Mc]

Unmanned, I would assume.

[MartG]

And ahs been pointed out in the past, there's no point making a stealthy aircraft that flies so fast that it is a huge IR emitter visible from a great distance to the right detectors

[Benni]

Stu R said:

Cached version here: http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cac...

Damn I was too slow, any other Chance ?

[Art0ir]

Eric Mc said:

However, this has not been done and the reasons are because there is no pressing need for such a design.

Really? Amongst the mountain of junk on UFO files released by the MOD in 2006, there were two explicit references that escaped the censor's pen mentioning USAF plans to develop manned Mach 4-5 vehicles and unmanned craft with Mach 8-12 capabilities.

[gwm]

EskimoArapaho said:

Really not sure it'll ever happen, but if there's enough money around for the necessary palms to be greased, there's a Mach 6 SR-72 in the pipeline: http://theaviationist.com/2013/11/01/sr-72-unveile...

Too cool.

Hope projects like this do get funding and progress things

[Hugo a Gogo]

Hugo a Gogo said:

I saw the Duxford one too recently, is it just me or does the nose area look a bit different, a bit more bulbous and not such a sharp edge?

finally downloaded Sled Driver, and in it he mentions changeable noses, for different recon tasks

mystery solved

[anonymous-user]

In the early 1980s the sr-71 fleet received a surveillance package update to the latest synthetic aperture radar and I believe this envolved making some new noses for the currently active airframes

[Tango13]

Max_Torque said:

In the early 1980s the sr-71 fleet received a surveillance package update to the latest synthetic aperture radar and I believe this envolved making some new noses for the currently active airframes

As I posted earlier in the thread the dimples in the nose were for Radar Warning Recievers, the noses were interchangeable but for different missions. There was a nose for Sideways Looking Radar but not SAR as far as i'm aware.

[rhinochopig]

Son of blackbird was announced this week. It's been rumoured for some time - Aurora, etc. - but now it's official.

http://www.extremetech.com/extreme/170463-lockheed...

[Eric Mc]

Art0ir said:

Eric Mc said:

However, this has not been done and the reasons are because there is no pressing need for such a design.

Really? Amongst the mountain of junk on UFO files released by the MOD in 2006, there were two explicit references that escaped the censor's pen mentioning USAF plans to develop manned Mach 4-5 vehicles and unmanned craft with Mach 8-12 capabilities.

These plans have existed for decades. It doesn't mean they will ever com,e to fruition

I'm sure the USAF would love unlimited funding to develop every single permutation of every possible aerodynamic device that they could possibly dream up. However, in the real world, budgets have to be balanced and the Air Force has to decide how the funding for new projects is allocated.

[Benni]

Benni said:

Damn I was too slow, any other Chance ?

I have found a copy, many thanks to PHers offering help.

[Dr JonboyG]

Was at Udvar-Hazy again this weekend, love seeing this beauty:

[Eric Mc]

Picked up this book at Scalemodelworld, Telford. This should provide a bit of insight into a previously little known operational use of the A-12 variant of these machines.



The picture on the cover is of a real event and does show that these aircraft were not completely immune from serious threat,. In this case the aircraft was damaged by shrapnel but made it back.
The artwork is by Adam Tooby, by the way, the chap who is now responsible for the art on new Airfix boxes.

[rufusruffcutt]

Dr JonboyG said:

Was at Udvar-Hazy again this weekend, love seeing this beauty:

Such a shame to see her fenced off like that, at Duxford you can get up close and personal with it.

[Hooli]

rufusruffcutt said:

Dr JonboyG said:

Was at Udvar-Hazy again this weekend, love seeing this beauty:

Such a shame to see her fenced off like that, at Duxford you can get up close and personal with it.

Damn good handbrake though