I love that... Now there's none of them flying, it sometimes feels like the human race has reached it's zenith and is now slowly going backwards....
Blackbird
Worth reading the book "Sled Driver" by the same SR-71 pilot, if you liked the article...
I'll be buying that, the SR71 was a magnificent piece of engineering designed to do one thing well, go fast I love that...
Now there's none of them flying, it sometimes feels like the human race has reached it's zenith and is now slowly going backwards....
The book is excellent - explains how difficult it was to fly (they often banged their heads against the cockpit side when one of the engines partially stalled!).
the plane was based in mildenhall where i live.
i knew a lot of the flight crew.
on take off the sound was awesome.
I regularly used to fly an SR71 to work, but the fuel costs was enormous. I have now got a Passat Diesel estate and find the fuel bill much more reasonable. Although the journey is a little longer.
a mile a second?! glasgow to london in 5 minutes?! 
You can stand next to and touch one in new York, they have used an aircraft carrier as a floating museum.
If you are interested in the blackbird try Reading the book 'skunk works' (by Ben James I think) written by the guy that ran the bit of
lockheed that built it and the u2 and the stealth fighter. Really interesting book about how they engineered such an amazing machine.
There's a SR-71 at Duxford - you can walk right up to it.
quote:
Originally posted by UncleFista
Now there's none of them flying, it sometimes feels like the human race has reached it's zenith and is now slowly going backwards....
But don't worry - all we need is Cold War 2: The West vs. China! Then we'll be back on the moon before you can say 'Neil
Armstrong', on to Mars in time for tea, a new and improved Blackbird, nano-robots, cyborgs, jet packs, hover cars... you name it! Bound to
happen.
I was in Libya whilst they were making their flyover.
"several agonizingly long seconds" .. indeed..
quote:
Originally posted by DanP
You can stand next to and touch one in new York, they have used an aircraft carrier as a floating museum.
If you are interested in the blackbird try Reading the book 'skunk works' (by Ben James I think) written by the guy that ran the bit of lockheed that built it and the u2 and the stealth fighter. Really interesting book about how they engineered such an amazing machine.
There is olso one in an aircraft museum in Kalamazoo Michigan (Airzoo) with one of the engines on a stand beside it.
quote:
Originally posted by deltron63
the plane was based in mildenhall where i live.
i knew a lot of the flight crew.
on take off the sound was awesome.
