SR-71

John Szalay added these comments in the current discussion du
jour ...

You'd know, I imagine, but I've heard that a few of these can
be put back into service reasonably quickly if neither
satellites nor UAV can do a special job.

Not anymore, the last 2, were given to NASA, and for a while
they were
kept for research flights, when the project ended they are
kept in flyable storage, but a short time ago, they too were
sent to museums,

the days for the Blackbird, free in the sky are over..

Thanks, John. Well, one urban legend put to rest. So, for the
foreseeable future until Aurora becomes reality (if ever) the
Blackbird's speed record will stand.

Redirect question: is it at all possible when special aircraft are
given to major museums that they can be kept in reasonable flying
condition sort of analogous to the way even really old Navy ships
in mothballs can be recommissioned?

--
HP, aka Jerry

"The enemy of my enemy is my friend, the enemy of my friend is my
enemy, but the friend of my enemy is also my enemy" - variant of
Middle East Maxim

John Szalay added these comments in the current discussion du jour
....

Attachment decoded: HEADON.JPG

This is a good view of the Blackbird showing Kelly Johnson's genius
in that it's shape is clearly a very early form of stealth
technology, but more along the lines of the B-2 rather than the
very angular F-117.

--
HP, aka Jerry

"The enemy of my enemy is my friend, the enemy of my friend is my
enemy, but the friend of my enemy is also my enemy" - variant of
Middle East Maxim

"HEMI-Powered" wrote in n
Redirect question: is it at all possible when special aircraft are
given to major museums that they can be kept in reasonable flying
condition sort of analogous to the way even really old Navy ships
in mothballs can be recommissioned?


Nice thought, but not really practical, who has the budget ?

Seals dry out, tires dryrot, wiring degrades.


the last operational SR-71 last flew in 1999 for NASA, and it sits
outdoors as a gateguard at Dryden now.

Last two..

http://www.sr-71.org/photogallery/blackbird/17980/

http://www.sr-71.org/photogallery/blackbird/17956/


Related

http://www.nasa.gov/centers/dryden/n...006/06-30.html

John Szalay added these comments in the current discussion du
jour ...

Redirect question: is it at all possible when special
aircraft are given to major museums that they can be kept in
reasonable flying condition sort of analogous to the way even
really old Navy ships in mothballs can be recommissioned?


Nice thought, but not really practical, who has the budget ?

Seals dry out, tires dryrot, wiring degrades.

Very, very true. Even when in fully flyable condition the fuel
tank seals leaked on the ground because Lockheed factored in
titanium expansion at the speeds the Blackbird was intended to
fly and needed room the fuel tank joints and seals.

the last operational SR-71 last flew in 1999 for NASA, and it
sits outdoors as a gateguard at Dryden now.

Last two..

http://www.sr-71.org/photogallery/blackbird/17980/

http://www.sr-71.org/photogallery/blackbird/17956/


Related

http://www.nasa.gov/centers/dryden/n...ses/2006/06-30
.html

Thanks muchly for all the great info, John. Beating a horse
simply to death here, I have at least a rudimentary idea of what
it might take to return an old museum relic back into Mach 3+
flying condition but isn't that also true of, say, one of the
last WWII battleships or even smaller vessels that have been
almost completely rebuilt on the inside with the except of the
really large systems?

Back to aircraft, it is said that the Buff will still be flying
past 2040, making it nearly 100 years since it's maiden flight.
Of course, except for the basic airframe, there ain't much left
of the old girl from the 1950s or even much later. But, again, I
vaguely recall reading about Blackbirds requiring over
$50,000/hour to fly over 20 years ago, so the cost of restoring
one would be truly staggering. Does make you wonder, though, what
the modern Skunk Works isn't showing us yet.

Have a good one!

--
HP, aka Jerry

"The enemy of my enemy is my friend, the enemy of my friend is my
enemy, but the friend of my enemy is also my enemy" - variant of
Middle East Maxim

HEMI-Powered wrote:
John Szalay added these comments in the current discussion du jour
...

Attachment decoded: HEADON.JPG

This is a good view of the Blackbird showing Kelly Johnson's genius
in that it's shape is clearly a very early form of stealth
technology, but more along the lines of the B-2 rather than the
very angular F-117.


Aside of the community of aviation enthusiasts, I don't think that Kelly
Johnson and the Skunkworks get anywhere near enough recognition for the
amazing work they did.

Charlie

Charlie added these comments in the current discussion du jour
....

This is a good view of the Blackbird showing Kelly Johnson's
genius in that it's shape is clearly a very early form of
stealth technology, but more along the lines of the B-2
rather than the very angular F-117.

Aside of the community of aviation enthusiasts, I don't think
that Kelly Johnson and the Skunkworks get anywhere near enough
recognition for the amazing work they did.

I'd certainly agree with that! Lots of stuff the Skunk Works put
out, though, was at least partially classified for all the
important stuff.

I'm really rusty on the chronology for the U-2 and SR-71, but I
vaguely recall that the Blackbird was started about the day after
Francis Gary Powers got shot down in 1960. A quick Google reveals
that the engine design was started in 1957 and Lockheed signed the
contract to build the first planes in December, 1962. Maiden flight
was in December, 1964.

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

--
HP, aka Jerry

"The enemy of my enemy is my friend, the enemy of my friend is my
enemy, but the friend of my enemy is also my enemy" - variant of
Middle East Maxim

On Thu, 18 Sep 2008 09:19:36 -0500, John Szalay
wrote:

Does anybody know where these were taken? (not Beale or Burbank)
------------------------------------------

John Szalay
42:


begin 644 PARKED1.JPG

Attachment decoded: PARKED1.JPG
`
end




Back when white walls were still cool! ;-)