SR-71

Not sure if this has been mentioned in this thread, but this guy has built a working replica (R/C) of the Sled. It is worth the read of his progress if you get an hour or so.

GT

http://www.mmrca.org/lance/sledframe.html

 

Alright guys, went to Pima Air and Space today and got shots of 951. I wil put them in a gallery tomorrow and link it. Also got a shot of a D-21 at Monthan AFB aka the Boneyard.

 

Ok here's the gallery from Pima. I will put the ones from the boneyard at DavinMonthan AFB up tomorrow. That one has the D-21.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/tchphotography/sets/72157623099559751/

 

Looks great!! I do like how they have the SR-71 inside where it is properly protected. It looks simply majestic to me sitting there.

The rest of the photos really make me want to go and visit there....already thinking about it for this summer...hmmm.

I also agree with you that some of the planes sitting there are almost kind of sad as they are not in use at all.



PDG

 

Lifting body, anti-grav and hydrogen ram jets make the Blackbird look very obsolete which it very much is. Amazing plane and accomplishment in such a short time. The "skunk" works are very much alive and doing well so I have heard.

Cheers

 

Agree it is obsolete, however you are looking at advanced technology for its day; which was in the 1950's. That was close to 60 plus years ago. At the time, a technological wounder. I if there is an Aurora, or what ever they call it, imagine what they will say 60 years after it is disclosed. The same thing?

 

I was amazed to find out that Lockheed's first proposal for the aircraft, in 1958 or so, was rejected as not being stealthy enough. I didn't realize that they knew about stealth that long ago!

 

60-6930 is about 10 minutes from my house, I'll get some pictures of it for this thread. As to NNO's comment about using it as a commuter jet, the AF has said publicly that it costs $100k per hour to keep one in the air.

 

930 is an A-12 for those who dont know the tail numbers.

Also the $100k per hour is on the VERY low side. My sources put cost at between $250-500k per hour. The $100k may be in 1960s dollars though.

Just a little bit to add there...


PDG

 

As promised.
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Keeping in mind unless you arranged waaaaaaaaaaaaay ahead of time (and at substantial cost), you also needed special fuel - doesn't run on Jet-A.

 

Isn't the formula still a state secret?

 

Not really.

http://www.everyspec.com/MIL-SPECS/MIL+SPECS+(MIL-T)/download.php?spec=MIL-T-38219B.019112.PDF

More a trade secret than anything else.

 

Your source only has a 100% differential in costs. Is that total operating costs or direct operating costs? What was used to determine? Operating costs are in direct relation to hours flown. Your source must know how many hours each airframe flew to derive at that figure? Several agencies used the Sled and some of the funding was not on any budget list so an actual figure of operating costs if difficult to achieve. The spare parts inventory remained very large and was paid for. The biggest direct operating cost was fuel and tanker support.

What was amazing to see and hear was the start process. Initially Buick 426 cubic inch engines were used , with 4-barrel Carbs, Straight exhaust pipes created the sound of a Top Fuel Dragster. Nite starts were always amazing to witness.
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Thanks for the pictures and the info, New to me and very interesting !
Switches

 

Glad you enjoyed it. I am trying to post the de-classified AFM which is too big to upload. It would be interesting reading for those who want to know most everthing about her.


Cheers from Bishkek where it is snowing!

 

This version?

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

 

Thanks,

interesting read, especially the performance and emergency sections.

Cheers

 

I understand that the flash point of the fuel (JP-7?) was such that you could drop a lighted match into a puddle of the stuff on the ground and nothing would happen. In part that's why they needed the Buick engines to start the J58s up.

 

They had no apu for engine starting to save weight and had to rely on an external cart.

Nothing to do with the fuel.

"The original design was conceived by two Lockheed Skunk Works engineers who had prior race car engine knowledge. In the mid-1970's, the engines of the start carts was changed to Chevrolet LS-7 454's. The Chevrolet big block engines developed 465 horsepower each. Even so, for many years they were still referred to as the Buick's. In the '80's the AG-330 Start Carts were mothballed and in there place came a Pneumatic Air starting system for the SR-71's. It is true that the start carts were hard to maneuver around. Logistically, a recovery of a Blackbird at another base could be done easier with Pneumatic Air. Garrett Air Research installed the Pneumatic Air starting system in each of the hangers at Beale AFB to accommodate the SR-71 engine starts. The launches were never quite the same without the Buick's or the 454's. Credit should be given to those people that maintained the AG-330's in the 9th SRW Aerospace Ground Support Section. Along with maintaining all support equipment, they took great pride in maintaining the Start Carts tuned and in tip top condition. A job well done."

 

Correct. My uncle runs fuel out to San Clemente island for the Navy jets, and while not the same stuff used in the SR-71, it too has a high flash point that a lighted match won't ignite.

 

JP-8 is the same. You can drop a lit match in a barrel of the stuff and it won't ignite. It's the vapors that ignite.

The F-4 phantom needed an engine cart to start it's engine as well. A huffer cart, or -60 with an ecs adapter. Actually all jet engine have an option of using a huffer cart, or equivalent to start their engines in case their APU, or JFS is not operational.

 

In the late 80's I was driving my new SAAB turbo East of Aurora, Co. Sunroof open. Near Buckley AFB.

Suddenly, there was an ENORMOUS roar, afterburning Blackbird lifted off the runway and headed straight up with these huge plumes of flame behind it. I stopped in the middle of the road, as did everyone else and watched it through my sunroof.

It came around and did a flyby maybe 50 feet off the deck.

Never forget it.

 

Wonderful photos...just getting around to posting my comments. Thank you for sharing them here.

I really HATE the fact that I never got to see one fly. I have seen videos and virtually everything else associated with the Blackbirds, but never seen one fly. Guess I never will.


PDG

 

I would pay a lot of money to see what you saw.