A nod to my favorite aircraft- The SR71

[RicInOR]

I knew an engineer for the plane, he passed away here in Beaverton, maybe 5 years ago. Old age.

His area was the ejection. (see link below; page 32)


Think about punching out at Mach

WWI, the Pilots would stand up and step out.
WW2, mostly the same.

What do you do at altitude where you can not breath, and falling with gravity is too long to hold your breath?


Charlie had nothing but admiration for Kelly Johnson.


Charlie's service in WW2 involved flying certain 4 engine air craft over Europe.

http://www.8thafhsoregon.com/archiv...aher/Veterans-Interview-of-TSgt-Gallagher.pdf

 

[Ura-Ki]

In all my 20 years in the Air Force, I only ever saw one fly once!
Part of our training/duty was to destroy any downed airframe to prevent capture of any thing top secret or better, the SR were the only airframe we were to concentrate on the engines with. It was normal to demo a cockpit and avionics package(s) but until the Raptor came along, we never worried about the engines of any other airframe. Those engines had special markings all over them specifically for destructive device placement and we had a special package of demo just for them. We would first plant thermite and then follow up with high energy charges so that we would create a molten puddle of engine, then spread it all over the area at high speed! The idea was to also destroy as much of the wing area with the engines as we could. Then we would do the front offices and avionics and any of the flight crews gear that remained! Pretty cool stuff! Then the F-117 and later the Raptor came along and we had a lot more work, basically destroy any part we couldn't remove and bring back! Because we had to know how to destroy them, we got to know all about them!!!

 

[WAYNO]

Many years ago...I had an instructor tell us that long before the SR-71 was known to the world, they tracked an aircraft at Mach 3. I don't remember if he had a military affiliation, or if he was a civilian in a tower. Anyway...There were enough witnesses to this, the Air Force had to tell them they must have all been mistaken.

 

[clearconscience]

I read a book years ago about a guy in Vietnam (not sure of if it's true) he said there was a group of CIA type guys under fire pinned down and no air support, the only thing in the area was a SR71 doing recon. It was night time so it came in low and fast blowing over the Enemy at full after burner and scared them so bad they retreated back into their tunnels.
I can't imagine the 3rd world commies hearing the rath of God thundering down, they must have thought the world was ending.

Like I said it was a book and who knows if it was true, but a bad arse story nonetheless

 

[Ura-Ki]

A little off topic, but if you wanna good read, THUD RIDGE is A great read! it' written by an F-105 driver in Name!

 

[Diamondback]

Bada**, but fiction. On the SR, speed is tied to altitude--to go faster you have to go up, to slow down you have to descend. Something about the particular aerodynamics... oh by the way, it has a 90-mile turn radius and glides like a manhole cover.

 

[Diamondback]

@Ura-Ki One of my profs flew Rhinos out of Thailand... I've been trying to convince him to write a book, either solo or with me assisting.

 

[Diamondback]

I'm gonna say there are several books you have to own if you call yourself an SR fan, otherwise you're just a poser.

• C.L. Johnson - Kelly: More Than My Share Of It All.
• Ben Rich: Skunk Works.
• ANYTHING by Col. Richard Graham.
• ANYTHING by Paul Crickmore.
• ANYTHING by Brian Shul.

 

[No_Regerts]

Bada**, but fiction. On the SR, speed is tied to altitude--to go faster you have to go up, to slow down you have to descend. Something about the particular aerodynamics... oh by the way, it has a 90-mile turn radius and glides like a manhole cover.

That makes this difficult:

 

[Diamondback]

I think bank angle is limited to around 20 degrees too.

 

[Ura-Ki]

Only bird in U.S. inventory that can turn and burn above 600 knots is the F-15! Can pull up to 6G at 650 knots with a normal load out! F-16 can almost hold 6g at 580 knots, about 40 knots more then any of the F-18s! Pretty good for 1960s tech in an airframe that didn't "Cheet" with moving aerodynamic aids like the others use! As good as Lockheed was at designing awesomeness, McDonald Douglas was king of fighter designs!

 

[Diamondback]

F-106'll still smoke a lawn-dart pretty regularly, though... and had F-12 gone operational, Kelly would have shown himself king of the fighter hill too.

Remember the P-38 and F-80? Those were his babies too...

 

[clearconscience]

That makes this difficult:

View attachment 406082

I just read this article. That's too funny, those guys are going to get their real twig and berries kicked in for that stunt though.

Still impressive

 

[No_Regerts]

I just read this article. That's too funny, those guys are going to get their real twig and berries kicked in for that stunt though.

Still impressive

 

[that guy]

Bada**, but fiction. On the SR, speed is tied to altitude--to go faster you have to go up, to slow down you have to descend. Something about the particular aerodynamics... oh by the way, it has a 90-mile turn radius and glides like a manhole cover.

I'm not saying that story is true, but a flyover 100 feet off the deck by any jet with afterburners going is gonna be VERY loud.

 

[Diamondback]

I'd laugh like hell if the jock who did it was female... I've met a few who were even more nuts than the guys.

 

[Ura-Ki]

F-106'll still smoke a lawn-dart pretty regularly, though... and had F-12 gone operational, Kelly would have shown himself king of the fighter hill too.

Remember the P-38 and F-80? Those were his babies too...

Never! Kelly was good, but his "fighters" really aren't that good! the only fighter he ever designd that really smoked was the 104 and then only when it was used as it should have been! It could actually out perform the F-16 in every thing but a turn and burn fight.
The Convair 106 should have been king of them all, but was never used properly! Many a pilot would use them to fly circles around the F-4s and the Salty boys in their toys! Sadly it was only ever used as a pure stand off interceptor with radar and ground control! It' formidable capabilities never put to use!

 

[Blindranger]

I got to meet Brian Shul at an air show at Beale AFB years ago; he was selling/signing his Sled Driver book. I couldn't talk my wife into letting me buy a copy for my Dad... I failed that day.

 

[EPS]

I read a book years ago about a guy in Vietnam (not sure of if it's true) he said there was a group of CIA type guys under fire pinned down and no air support, the only thing in the area was a SR71 doing recon. It was night time so it came in low and fast blowing over the Enemy at full after burner and scared them so bad they retreated back into their tunnels.
I can't imagine the 3rd world commies hearing the rath of God thundering down, they must have thought the world was ending.

Like I said it was a book and who knows if it was true, but a bad arse story nonetheless

Could be true I have been close to this plane when taking off its loud the engine's on this jet are giant

 

[EPS]

I'm not saying that story is true, but a flyover 100 feet off the deck by any jet with afterburners going is gonna be VERY loud.

This is true but the black bird jet engines are more than twice the size of a regular jet this jet was huge compared to a F14 tomcat more than twice the size