Title: Pilot Recounts Tales of SR-71 Blackbird Source:
[None] URL Source:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpVT5Lr0BbI Published:Jul 18, 2013 Author:Lockheed Martin Post Date:2015-07-04 18:13:04 by Justified Keywords:None Views:2149 Comments:19
I was a an air traffic control specialist at Chicago center, that required a secret clearance.
Nobody knew the top speed or top altitude capabilities of the SR-71. The pilots received astronaut credentials because of the altitude it flew at. It was the last project of lead engineer Kelly Johnson. Pilots wore special G compensating flight suits and were relegated to special diets to deal with cockpit temperature which ran 140 degrees. Whenever it was desired to set a new speed record they had but to advance the throttle another quarter of an inch. It requored hours after the plane landed before the TiMetal frame cooled down to permit servicing. During its last flight from March air force base in California to Washinton to be retired at the Smithonian institution, the SR-71 crossed the country in 58 minutes.
I has the pleasure of watching one on Radar take off from Rapids City South Dakota and execute a 180 climbing right turn that was completed over Pawnee Kansas pulling four Gs all the way.
I watched one take off from Kadena AFB on Okinawa in the 60's,and that sure was a loud MoFo.
Didn't make quite as much noise as a whole flight of B-52's loaded up with full loads of bombs and having to take off under full military power,but it was amazingly loud for a single aircraft.
The B-52 flight was noise you could feel in your bones. I swear I could even feel the ground vigrate.
I know some people claim none were ever based in VN,but I could swear I saw one parked in the "black bird" compound at Ton Sha Knut AFB in Saigon once in 68 or 69. My memory ain't what it used to be since I had the stroke,though.
Didn't make quite as much noise as a whole flight of B-52's loaded up with full loads of bombs and having to take off under full military power,but it was amazingly loud for a single aircraft.
I was at the other end of the runway where they locked their brakes and built up power before rolling.
They were so heavy due to the bombs they were carrying that I swear I could see the wings flapping up and down as they hit imperfections in the runway.
If there is anything louder than a flight of those things taking off,I never want to hear it.
They used to practice that "Alert scramble" scenario all the time when I was stationed at K.I. Sawyer. Used to wake me up all the time in the middle of the night doing that.
Noticed all the BUFFS in the film clip were "Tall Tails", either A or B models.
