SR-71 Blackbird flying again?

[Tugger]

I have heard through a reliable source that the Blackbird is operating sorties again out of the UK, from what I could glean from wikipedia, there were two retained by NASA, which I guess could be pulled into service by the USAF, trying to get any of the others out of their museums unnoticed might be a bit tricky.

Can anyone corroborate this speculatiuon ?

[AlienFTM]

Cannot find anything to confirm it. My search did lead me to this:

http://www.geocities.com/dansimpson99/sr71/

which opens:


LOCKHEED's SR-71 BLACKBIRD is one of the most spectacular aircraft ever built. As the world's fastest and highest flying air-breathing aircraft, it can cruise at speeds of more than mach 3.2 (more than three times the speed of sound). It holds numerous records, including a Los Angeles to Washington D.C. flight of 64 minutes, 19 seconds! A technical marvel, the Blackbird flys at an altitude of 85,000 feet (published figure), and some sources say reaches altitudes in excess of 100,000 feet.

I have tried but cannot put my hands on a site (because a recent rebuild of my machine has wiped history and stuff: it's almost certainly off a link from this page:

http://www.starfarer.net/captlock.html

somewhere) that refutes some of this (because it is written by Starfighter people).

The F104, they claim, remains faster than the SR-71 but cannot hold the airspeed record because its poor duration prevents it from completing the required course whilst setting an airspeed record. F104s passed out of US Military use a long time ago, but the demand to see Starfighters continues. Apparently SR-71 pilots get upset when F104 pilots walk up behind them and ask, "How does it feel to be flying the SECOND fastest aircraft in the show?"

Likewise, apparently, SR-71 crews would never admit to being bounced FROM ABOVE by F104 pilots.

Another link comments that the F22 Raptor beats the F104 on all counts, but only just in some cases, it was a government-funded project (unlike F104 that the government didn't want) and after all, it's had forty more years of technological advancement.

Yet another link suggests that the F104's poor Vietnam combat record was simply because when the F104 flew, the MiGs all went home to save their skins.

I wish I had the time to plough through all these links again - must do it sometime - some good reading.

[radiomike7]

Alien, I am not sure where your info is coming from, but I have always understood the Blackbird was capable of mach 3.2 or so, while the Starfighter maxed out at about 2.2:confused: Anyone else know better??

Mike

[AlienFTM]

I think it may be down to differing profiles at differing altitudes. I remember Morris used to boast (once a long time ago) that the Minor could do 100mph, 100mpg and cost under £100. It may have been true (if you squinted hard enough) but not all at once and extremely disingenuous. That's why nowadays the car manufacturers are obliged to quote such statistics in a strict set of circumstances.

Maybe the Starfighter speed quote excluded the SR-71 (it would be great if I could find my source again). Maybe the quote about the hich altitude intercept referred to an incident where the SR-71 crew assumed they were immune and just felt bad about being jumped.

[Tugger]

I think the Lightning was faster-slightly than the starfighter and certainly had a better ceiling, being able to buzz the U2 and out run Concorde (albeit a 'souped up' version)

[martylee]

Hmmm... I always hought that SR-71 was the fastest plane in the U.S. invetory. I also belive that I've seen figures saying that the F-15 was capable of Mach 2,5 and the F-14 Mach 2,34. I didn't even know that the F-104 was as fast as mach 2,2, isn't that the same as the F16? I guess it depends a lot on what height the speed is measured!?

But now after 5 posts without any photos I think this thread needs a couple of photos! :-)

http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w197/martylee74/126-2691_IMG.jpg
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w197/martylee74/IMG_0090.jpg

Marty

[Lord Burley]

SR-71 missions in the UK used to be flown by a de-tachment of the 9 SRW wing from Beale airforce base in California.They used to operate from Mildenhall,where as the smaller and slower and easily maintained(compared to the Blackbird)U2/TR1 used to be flown from RAF Alconbury.I doubt if you will ever see another Blackbird flight from the UK,as the maintainance costs involved with every sortie,were absolutley huge.

[ArtistsRifles]

So were the fuel costs!! Like Alien I lost a load of links in a rebuild a while ago but ISTR that the SR-71 was famed for leaking fuel like a colander on the ground due to loose joints etc. Once airborne however the friction of air over the skin closed all the gaps and no more leaks.

Only ever saw the Sr-71 flying once - over in the States - and it a a remarkable sight and sound.

Did you know there was an interceptor version as well?? I think it was called the YF-12A

[Lord Burley]

So were the fuel costs!! Like Alien I lost a load of links in a rebuild a while ago but ISTR that the SR-71 was famed for leaking fuel like a colander on the ground due to loose joints etc. Once airborne however the friction of air over the skin closed all the gaps and no more leaks.

Only ever saw the Sr-71 flying once - over in the States - and it a a remarkable sight and sound.

Did you know there was an interceptor version as well?? I think it was called the YF-12AI used to see them fly from Mildenhall on a regular basis:cool2:

[ArtistsRifles]

Did you see the (in)famous flaming take offs?? The fuel leaking out used to get ignited by the exhaust heat after the nose rotated and you got a a river of flame following the SR-71 down the runway and into the air.

[Lord Burley]

I have a picture some where taken at Mildenhall,of one of those famous flaming take offs.I've also got some pics of the crew suiting up at Mildenhall prior to a long range recon flight.Loads of pics buried,but i cant be bothered to delve.I must get around to sorting all this stuff out.

[Richard Grosvenor]

The best memory I will always have of a Blackbird was at Mildenhall Air-Fete years ago. It did a very slow fly past, and you could see how unstable she was at low speed, the pilot then did a very tight turn over the crowd which cut the fuel off to the engines and they shut down. As he fired them back up gallons of unburnt fuel ignited in a fire ball all over the plane. Luckily it didn't crash but it could have been very nasty. Someone a few feet from us was listening into the tower at the time, you really should have heard that!

I've only ever seen one picture of the incident, my uncle had it all lined up and his finger was on the shutter but in the shock of what was happening he just stood there watching it.

Regards
Richard

[Lord Burley]

The best memory I will always have of a Blackbird was at Mildenhall Air-Fete years ago. It did a very slow fly past, and you could see how unstable she was at low speed, the pilot then did a very tight turn over the crowd which cut the fuel off to the engines and they shut down. As he fired them back up gallons of unburnt fuel ignited in a fire ball all over the plane. Luckily it didn't crash but it could have been very nasty. Someone a few feet from us was listening into the tower at the time, you really should have heard that!

I've only ever seen one picture of the incident, my uncle had it all lined up and his finger was on the shutter but in the shock of what was happening he just stood there watching it.

Regards
RichardThat incident did in fact make the cover of fly past.I also saw the incident myself.If i remember rightly.It had taken off and done a large circuit,that followed down through suffolk in to essex,then through in to middlesex,before entering hampshire.The turn to the east was made over basingstoke before turning again up the east coast for a high speed run back to Mildenhall.

[Richard Farrant]

It did a very slow fly past, and you could see how unstable she was at low speed, the pilot then did a very tight turn over the crowd which cut the fuel off to the engines and they shut down. As he fired them back up gallons of unburnt fuel ignited in a fire ball all over the plane.


Richard,

That reminds me of something the Royal Australian Air Force F-111 pilots used to do on displays, they called it "dump and burn". They dumped fuel and it then ignited behind them, looked like a damned great blowlamp !

[abn deuce]

a clip of SR-71 flights
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N31eEXjNAUU&feature=related

[martylee]

Wow, That is something I've missed. Incredible aircrft! That lowpass was awesome.

Marty

[AlienFTM]

SR-71 missions in the UK used to be flown by a de-tachment of the 9 SRW wing from Beale airforce base in California.They used to operate from Mildenhall,where as the smaller and slower and easily maintained(compared to the Blackbird)U2/TR1 used to be flown from RAF Alconbury.I doubt if you will ever see another Blackbird flight from the UK,as the maintainance costs involved with every sortie,were absolutley huge.

My father-in-law lives pratically at the end of the runway at RAF Alconbury. Best I ever saw was in the late 80s, a pair of A10s took off in a noteworthy formation tight enough to make RAF aircrew proud. F-I-L and I then jumped into his car and set off to Peterborough. He was chemical adviser to Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue, so as usual he had his radio tuned in to the Fire Service Operations Net in case they called him out.

We had hardly got moving when a squawk came in for appliances to attend RAF Alconbury. ISTR that one of these two A10s had developed a problem and turned straight round to perform an emergancy landing, but fell off the runway and I think the undercarriage collapsed. In those Cold War days, there was great concern that the aircraft might be carrying a full weapons load.

Entirely coincidentally, the village was plunged into a powercut that afternoon and Mother-In-Law's plans for tea were scuppered. We took the unusual step of driving to a chippy in Huntingdon for fish suppers all round. We stood in the queue with the local news on the TV. Just as a report of the crash at the RAF base came on, a pair of Americans walked in in combats. Oh how they blushed and tried to shrink into a corner.

[Snapper]

Never saw an SR71, but remember seeing a TR-1 or U2 take off from Alconbury once. I was impressed. I was in to planes in a big way in those far off days.

[Tony B]

U2 had a second lease of life, they were used for high altitude meteorlogical reserch. There is a book about the RAF use of them, I'll try to remember the title.

[Lord Burley]

Are you sure its the U2/TR1?,and not the Canberra??.The Canbera served in both the RAF and USAFE(as the B47).In latter years the Canbera reverted to the recce and metrological role.Dont ever recall a U2/TR1 serving with the RAF.But i would like to be proved wrong.

[Tony B]

No was the U2 I think the book was called 'Dragon ladies ' or something similar. I'll try searching amazon for it.

[Tony B]

Got it: Dragon Lady: The Secret Life of the U2 by Chris Pocock published 1987.

[AlienFTM]

Are you sure its the U2/TR1?,and not the Canberra??.The Canbera served in both the RAF and USAFE(as the B47).In latter years the Canbera reverted to the recce and metrological role.Dont ever recall a U2/TR1 serving with the RAF.But i would like to be proved wrong.

Don't be fooled by the use of "U2/TR1" and "RAF Alconbury" in the same breath. Though RAF owned, the base was entirely USAF, a Tactical Reconaissance Wing IIRC. I remember the American pad brats tended to get upset by base signs proclaiming RAF Alconbury and regularly painted out RAF to replace with USAF.

As for Canberra and B47 ... I really thought B47 was the last American superbomber from Boeing before the BUFF, B52 = Big Ugly Fat Fellow(tidied up in case there are ladies present).

But there were Canberras about too, because I vaguely recall while I was in BAOR - must have been early 80s, one fell on an estate (Oxmoor IIRC) on the outskirts of Huntingdon just a couple of miles from Alconbury, and I did occasionally see them overhead when we were visiting.

[croc]

As for Canberra and B47 ... I really thought B47 was the last American superbomber from Boeing before the BUFF, B52 = Big Ugly Fat Fellow(tidied up in case there are ladies present).

American (licence built my Martin) Canberras were B57

[Lord Burley]

Don't be fooled by the use of "U2/TR1" and "RAF Alconbury" in the same breath. Though RAF owned, the base was entirely USAF, a Tactical Reconaissance Wing IIRC. I remember the American pad brats tended to get upset by base signs proclaiming RAF Alconbury and regularly painted out RAF to replace with USAF.

As for Canberra and B47 ... I really thought B47 was the last American superbomber from Boeing before the BUFF, B52 = Big Ugly Fat Fellow(tidied up in case there are ladies present).

But there were Canberras about too, because I vaguely recall while I was in BAOR - must have been early 80s, one fell on an estate (Oxmoor IIRC) on the outskirts of Huntingdon just a couple of miles from Alconbury, and I did occasionally see them overhead when we were visiting.Never fooled by the RAF signage on USAF bases,as they have a signed agreement with the crown,that whilst operating in the UK,you are in affect on American soverign soil.A point made clear,when my little girl had an accident at Lakenheath earlier in the year.

[Lord Burley]

American (licence built my Martin) Canberras were B57Sorry my mistake.I was out with a digit.You are correct.B57.

[ArtistsRifles]

Don't be fooled by the use of "U2/TR1" and "RAF Alconbury" in the same breath. Though RAF owned, the base was entirely USAF, a Tactical Reconaissance Wing IIRC. I remember the American pad brats tended to get upset by base signs proclaiming RAF Alconbury and regularly painted out RAF to replace with USAF.
<snipped>

Fear not!! We got our own back on occasion - at least one US Army base in Germany woke up on the morning following our departure late at night to find the Union Jack flying from it's flag poles -as permanently as we could make it - i.e. locking pins at the bottom of the pole and the hinge superglued, flag secured to top of pole, pole greased - that sort of thing. :rofl::rofl::rofl:

[Tony B]

Good Man!! Lackonheath did have MODPLOD on the perimiter, To keep the forigner's in. From nosing on the web, U2's are still flying recce over Afganistan though.

[Lord Burley]

Taken from the SR71 blog.The pilots storys.......................

One day, high above Arizona , we were monitoring the radio traffic of all the mortal airplanes below us. First, a Cessna pilot asked the air traffic controllers to check his ground speed. 'Ninety knots,' ATC replied. A Bonanza soon made the same request. 'One-twenty on the ground,' was the reply. To our surprise, a navy F-18 came over the radio with a ground speed check. I knew exactly what he was doing. Of course, he had a ground speed indicator in his cockpit, but he wanted to let all the bug-smashers in the valley know what real speed was 'Dusty 52, we show you at 620 on the ground,' ATC responded.

The situation was too ripe. I heard the click of Walt's mike button in the rear seat. In his most innocent voice, Walt startled the controller by asking for a ground speed check from 81,000 feet, clearly above controlled airspace. In a cool, professional voice, the controller replied, ' Aspen 20, I show you at 1,982 knots on the ground.'

Some great storys.More to follow.

[Lord Burley]

Some more from the same pilots blog...............

That was the very moment that I knew Walter and I had become a crew. Very professionally, and with no emotion, Walter spoke: “Los Angeles Center, Aspen 20, can you give us a ground speed check?” There was no hesitation, and the replay came as if was an everyday request. “Aspen 20, I show you at one thousand eight hundred and forty-two knots, across the ground.”

I think it was the forty-two knots that I liked the best, so accurate and proud was Center to deliver that information without hesitation, and you just knew he was smiling. But the precise point at which I knew that Walt and I were going to be really good friends for a long time was when he keyed the mic once again to say, in his most fighter-pilot-like voice: “Ah, Center, much thanks, we're showing closer to nineteen hundred on the money.” For a moment Walter was a god. And we finally heard a little crack in the armor of the Houston Center voice, when L.A. came back with, “Roger that Aspen. Your equipment is probably more accurate than ours. You boys have a good one.”

It all had lasted for just moments, but in that short, memorable sprint across the southwest, the Navy had been flamed, all mortal airplanes on freq were forced to bow before the King of Speed, and more importantly, Walter and I had crossed the threshold of being a crew. A fine day's work. We never heard another transmission on that frequency all the way to the coast. For just one day, it truly was fun being the fastest guys out there.

[gritineye]

Mischievous devils, but it had to be done! Great story

[ArtistsRifles]

This might appeal to devotees of the SR-71 :)

http://www.greatdanepromilitary.com/SR-71/index.htm

[Lord Burley]

Resurrection of an old thread.But i have just come across some old pics i took of a HABU from the 9th SRW leaving and arriving back at RAF Mildenhall back in 1988

Sorry for the quality of pics.It was a few years ago,and it was a crap camera.
But you get the idea...........................


http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l38/BLUETHUNDER_06/SR714.jpg


http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l38/BLUETHUNDER_06/SR71.jpg


http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l38/BLUETHUNDER_06/SR712.jpg


http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l38/BLUETHUNDER_06/SR713.jpg