The Photographer
Ken Hackman, United States Air Force
Via
http://ChamorroBible.org/gpw/gpw-20060917.htm (medium, large)
Posted on 04/30/2013 5:22:57 AM PDT by EnjoyingLife
The Photographer
Ken Hackman, United States Air Force
Via
http://ChamorroBible.org/gpw/gpw-20060917.htm (medium, large)
Amazing aircraft!
Over 50 years old and if it was built today folks would be saying how amazing it is.
I had the privilege of being a Mission Programmer for the Sr-71 for 4 years in the late 80’s. I lived on a hill in base housing that overlooked the flight line and used to love to sit on the porch a night when they were doing engine burnoffs after returning from missions. You could here and see the raw power of that beautiful aircraft.
Watching one take off is an experience that never grows old and is never forgotten.
Surely one of the most superlative aircraft ever to fly.
Unfortunately all those years in the Air Force apparently did nothing to enhance my “speeling” ability. :-)
Where did George Bush fit on that one when he flew to Iran to negotiate the release of the hostages?
/sarc
In the back seat, of course. After all, the SR-71 IS a two-seater.
I am envious.
Have never seen the Blackbird on takeoff or landing.
Met a Ham Op who was part of the support crew, was interesting to hear him talk about the special sump in the hanger for leaked fuel and some of the problems with maintaining it.
But I was privilaged enough to see and feel (the vibration) night take-off of the B1-B’s at Dyess. I taught night classes there for a couple of weeks during 2 summers a while back. AMAZING, AWESOME, POWERFUL Stuff.
USAF had originally designated the plane as the RS-71..but when LBJ was giving a speech, he referred to it as the “SR-71” and that it was, from that day on..
We were at Kadena AFB, Okinawa from 1969-1972. We lived close to the flight line and I loved watching those birds
take off. And the noise! But I loved hearing it and seeing it.They were knicknamed The Habu 1 and 2. Beautiful aircraft.
Exactly what I was thinking. Still about the coolest plane ever built!
You're right. I'm still amazed by it.
I wasn't into model airplanes, like a lot of other kids, back in the day, but a photo of this plane sure made a big impression on me.
First flight as OXCART from Area 51. Yes. There really was secret stuff at Area 51.
“Mystery is, with its retirement, what is replacing it?”
Actually, the answer is a combination of unmanned drones and low-altitude mini-satellites. It is hard to stop UAVs, and even if you shoot one down, they are so cheap that it does not matter. Perhaps something like the Lockheed Martin RQ-170 Sentinel for areas with layered air defense, but I would bet Global Hawks fill a lot of the missions originally done by the SR-71.
For areas that are too hot for that, the military has a bunch of small mini-satellites that us a low orbit (100 to 130 nmi). These weigh less than 50 pounds (probably less than 10 pounds in some cases) and can be launched on very small boosters.
Not as hot or glamorous as the Blackbird, but reconnaissance is best done by inconspicuous vehicles.
George did not, but Barry Goldwater did.
http://www.brain-juice.com/cgi-bin/show_bio.cgi?p_id=170
Goldwater retired from the U.S. Air Force Reserve in 1967 as a major general. He had the honor of being the first non-rated test pilot to fly the U-2, SR-71 Blackbird and B-1.
The Pima museum has one if you happen to be in Tucson AZ.
Back in the day, sentries were posted around the thing and none could approach.
At Pima, you can touch it, I think.
http://www.pimaair.org/collection-detail.php?cid=160
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