Fantastic SR71 story
13 May 2007, 05:26 PM
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13 May 2007, 08:19 PM
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reminded me of this one from the SR-71 
Pilot: "Radar, Good Day, Airforce Blackbird, request 60,000 (feet)
Controller (amused): "Sir, if you can reach, you are cleared 60,000"
Pilot: "US Air Force Blackbird, leaving 80,000, decending to 60,000..."
Pilot: "Radar, Good Day, Airforce Blackbird, request 60,000 (feet)
Controller (amused): "Sir, if you can reach, you are cleared 60,000"
Pilot: "US Air Force Blackbird, leaving 80,000, decending to 60,000..."
13 May 2007, 09:09 PM
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Nice.
13 May 2007, 10:30 PM
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Amazon.com: Sled Driver : Flying the World's Fastest Jet: Books: Brian Shul
14 May 2007, 08:04 AM
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Great story!
I would kill to fly on one of those beasts. Flew Mach 2 in a chartered (Le Mans Trip) on Concorde in 1985 and am getting closer to justifying paying £6K for a whirl in a Mig 29 in Moscow area.
I would kill to fly on one of those beasts. Flew Mach 2 in a chartered (Le Mans Trip) on Concorde in 1985 and am getting closer to justifying paying £6K for a whirl in a Mig 29 in Moscow area.
14 May 2007, 12:21 PM
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It was certainly a very impressive aircraft and it is a pity they have put it out to grass. It flew so high that there was not a lot of oxygen left for the engines to run on so they used a very special fuel which made up for that.
We were at a display at Omaha AFB once and were introduced to the crew of a Blackbird who were friends with the colonel who was looking after our crew. We were allowed under the rope to have a close look although we were not allowed to look in the highly secret cockpits. The aircraft was made of interleaved sections so that it could expand when it got very hot at cruising speed. We were told not to let the fuel which continually drips out of the tanks when the fuselage is cold drip onto our clothes since that would destroy them! The tyres were coloured silver to help withstand the heat too.
The air intakes have a shock wave in front of them at cruising speed and it is controlled by a spike in front of the engine which is automatically moved forwards and back as required. This is pretty critical and the Navigator told me that if the spike controller got it wrong the engine would surge and flameout! When that happened at the high mach numbers it flew at the aircraft would yaw so violently that your head would hit the side of the canopy and would knock you dizzy despite the hard hat.
I used to love watching it takeoff especially with the diamond pattern shockwaves from the engines' exhausts. Apparently it handled like any other delta like the Vulcan or the Concord. The fuselage design was fascinating from the point of view of the aerodynamics.
The Navigator told me it took three States to make a turn when it was really travelling!
Like many others, I would have loved to get my hands on it
Les
We were at a display at Omaha AFB once and were introduced to the crew of a Blackbird who were friends with the colonel who was looking after our crew. We were allowed under the rope to have a close look although we were not allowed to look in the highly secret cockpits. The aircraft was made of interleaved sections so that it could expand when it got very hot at cruising speed. We were told not to let the fuel which continually drips out of the tanks when the fuselage is cold drip onto our clothes since that would destroy them! The tyres were coloured silver to help withstand the heat too.
The air intakes have a shock wave in front of them at cruising speed and it is controlled by a spike in front of the engine which is automatically moved forwards and back as required. This is pretty critical and the Navigator told me that if the spike controller got it wrong the engine would surge and flameout! When that happened at the high mach numbers it flew at the aircraft would yaw so violently that your head would hit the side of the canopy and would knock you dizzy despite the hard hat.
I used to love watching it takeoff especially with the diamond pattern shockwaves from the engines' exhausts. Apparently it handled like any other delta like the Vulcan or the Concord. The fuselage design was fascinating from the point of view of the aerodynamics.
The Navigator told me it took three States to make a turn when it was really travelling!
Like many others, I would have loved to get my hands on it
Les
14 May 2007, 01:20 PM
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Another amazing SR-71 story/memory.....(due to an Inlet unstart/surge as Les mentions above!)
Link to full story - SR-71 Break-Up
I attempted to tell Jim what was happening and to stay with the
airplane until we reached a lower speed and altitude. I didn't think
the chances of surviving an ejection at Mach 3.18 and 78,800 ft. were
very good. However, g-forces built up so rapidly that my words came
out garbled and unintelligible, as confirmed later by the cockpit
voice recorder.
The cumulative effects of system malfunctions, reduced longitudinal
stability, increased angle-of-attack in the turn, supersonic speed,
high altitude and other factors imposed forces on the airframe that
exceeded flight control authority and the Stability Augmentation
System's ability to restore control.
Everything seemed to unfold in slow motion. I learned later the time
from event onset to catastrophic departure from controlled flight was
only 2-3 sec. Still trying to communicate with Jim, I blacked out,
succumbing to extremely high g-forces. The SR-71 then literally
disintegrated around us.
airplane until we reached a lower speed and altitude. I didn't think
the chances of surviving an ejection at Mach 3.18 and 78,800 ft. were
very good. However, g-forces built up so rapidly that my words came
out garbled and unintelligible, as confirmed later by the cockpit
voice recorder.
The cumulative effects of system malfunctions, reduced longitudinal
stability, increased angle-of-attack in the turn, supersonic speed,
high altitude and other factors imposed forces on the airframe that
exceeded flight control authority and the Stability Augmentation
System's ability to restore control.
Everything seemed to unfold in slow motion. I learned later the time
from event onset to catastrophic departure from controlled flight was
only 2-3 sec. Still trying to communicate with Jim, I blacked out,
succumbing to extremely high g-forces. The SR-71 then literally
disintegrated around us.
Last edited by Nat; 14 May 2007 at 01:23 PM.
14 May 2007, 01:59 PM
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Link to full story - SR-71 Break-Up
Edit: hadn't read as far as the copilot's demise. Not so perfect, still an amazing story
Last edited by TopBanana; 14 May 2007 at 02:28 PM.
14 May 2007, 06:19 PM
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The air intakes have a shock wave in front of them at cruising speed and it is controlled by a spike in front of the engine which is automatically moved forwards and back as required. This is pretty critical and the Navigator told me that if the spike controller got it wrong the engine would surge and flameout! When that happened at the high mach numbers it flew at the aircraft would yaw so violently that your head would hit the side of the canopy and would knock you dizzy despite the hard hat.
Les
Les
Read this: Aerospaceweb.org | Ask Us - Turboramjet for an explanation of a the ramjet....
14 May 2007, 07:34 PM
#25
Also known as daz
Aah the fabled blackbird, ive done a shocking amount of reading on her and even got pilots sr71 for mx flight simulator i hope nasa sort out those pulse detonation engines now that will be worth watching
Last edited by hux309; 14 May 2007 at 08:00 PM.
15 May 2007, 11:13 AM
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Best part was its ability out outrun SAM's. By the time they were detected and a missile was launched it had gone out of range 
Leslie, I can't remember but I think it was TEB in the fuel that was a bit moody ? It certainly will eat stuff and cause damage to humans big time.
Leslie, I can't remember but I think it was TEB in the fuel that was a bit moody ? It certainly will eat stuff and cause damage to humans big time.
Last edited by what would scooby do; 15 May 2007 at 11:29 AM.
15 May 2007, 11:17 AM
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Aesome plane..... brings back memories of the mildenhall airshow that we used to go to.
Watching those things take off was truly memorable!
Then watching the plane do its display and make all the car alarms sound off!!!
Mike
Watching those things take off was truly memorable!
Then watching the plane do its display and make all the car alarms sound off!!!
Mike
15 May 2007, 11:37 AM
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another fantasic story is when they flew one over Hanoi during the Vietnam war, the sonic boom was to signal to the POW's that the USA was still there for them *sniffs*
