SR- 71/ Blackbird lore

Richard Caldwell wrote:

As long as you guys are swapping lies about the Blackbird, would someone
please recount the story of the SR-71 that suffered a flamout just this side
of Africa on its way back to the east coast. As I understand it, that makes
the SR-71 the record holder for long-distance gliding (as in un-powered
flight). Of course, it could be just another whopper, but I've never gotten
the "real poop" on that particular incident.

Richard Caldwell

IIRC: That was a U-2 and he flamed out near Bermuda..
huge difference in the glide ratio of SR-71 & U-2

Subject: SR- 71/ Blackbird lore
From: John
Date: 7/23/2003 9:01 PM Central Daylight Time
Message-id:

Richard Caldwell wrote:

As long as you guys are swapping lies about the Blackbird, would someone
please recount the story of the SR-71 that suffered a flamout just this
side
of Africa on its way back to the east coast. As I understand it, that
makes
the SR-71 the record holder for long-distance gliding (as in un-powered
flight). Of course, it could be just another whopper, but I've never
gotten
the "real poop" on that particular incident.

Richard Caldwell

IIRC: That was a U-2 and he flamed out near Bermuda..
huge difference in the glide ratio of SR-71 & U-2



Yep. Like the difference between a lead-covered high drag rock and a feather.
Ed
"Those who have long enjoyed such privileges as we enjoy forget in time that
men have died to win them."

Franklin D. Roosevelt, Address for Bill of Rights Day
15 Dec 1941

(Delete text after dot com for e-mail reply.)

huge difference in the glide ratio of SR-71 & U-2

Yep. Like the difference between a lead-covered high drag rock and a feather.

Well, in view of its speed, I doubt the SR-71 had high drag. I'd like
to hear what Mary Shafer has to say about that.

And "lead-covered...rock" seems to imply you think weight affects
glide ratio. It does not.

A U-2 constructed of lead would have the same glide ratio as one
constructed of balsa wood. It would glide faster, but just as far.

vince norris

From: vincent p. norris


And "lead-covered...rock" seems to imply you think weight affects
glide ratio. It does not.

A U-2 constructed of lead would have the same glide ratio as one
constructed of balsa wood. It would glide faster, but just as far.
vince norris

Say what?
Dave

A U-2 constructed of lead would have the same glide ratio as one
constructed of balsa wood. It would glide faster, but just as far.
vince norris

Say what?
Dave

Um, I think there's be a slight difference in wing loading which just might
have a minor affect on glide ratio. Translation: the lead U-2 would glide like
a bowling ball.

Dan, U. S. Air Force, retired

On 28 Jul 2003 20:43:34 GMT, (B2431) wrote:

A U-2 constructed of lead would have the same glide ratio as one
constructed of balsa wood. It would glide faster, but just as far.
vince norris

Say what?
Dave

Um, I think there's be a slight difference in wing loading which just might
have a minor affect on glide ratio. Translation: the lead U-2 would glide like
a bowling ball.

Dan, U. S. Air Force, retired

What a wonderful question. Glider pilots often add water ballast, 200
- 300 lbs I think, to their gliders to increase airspeed at a GIVEN
glide angle, thus improving the glider's penetration through the air
at that glide angle. The extra weight does not alter the glide angle
(except for very small improvements due to higher Reynolds numbers at
the higher airspeed). The glider's descent rate is increased by the
extra weight, but the airspeed is also equivalently increased so the
glide angle remains (pretty nearly) constant, glide angle being a
factor of only lift and drag, weight not even being in the
calculation.

As for a lead U-2 vs a balsa wood U-2, the lead U-2 would certainly
glide as long as its wing loading was such that its wing could supply
sufficient lift to sustain equilibrium in steady flight. The "catch"
here is probably the inclination to picture the lead U-2 and the balsa
U-2 as the same size. In such a case, if the lead U-2 were the same
size as the gliding balsa U-2 I expect the lead one would do as you
so delightfully describe, and glide "like a bowling ball".