USAF Retro-Photo of the Day: An SR-71 Blackbird From The 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing

ChamorroBible.org ^ | February 1, 1982 | Ken Hackman, U.S. Air Force

[JRios1968]

25 minutes later, as people were leaving, they announced the Blackbird had just landed at Beale AFB...over 670 miles away. They had to have gone supersonic at some point.

The answer is "shortly after lighting the AB's". The Sled was wicked fast.

[SampleMan]

No. US Navy hull numbers are never changed unless a ship is converted to another class or renamed. Changing fleets does not change hull numbers.

Yea, not my point. The point was that IF the USN did change hull numbers, when ships changed fleets, then they would be getting changed mid-ocean, which was the enquiry in the post I was answering.

[SampleMan]

From my #50,”Yep, as would we, if we changed numbers between the 2nd fleet and 6th fleet, 3rd to 7th, 5th to 7th, etc.” The implication being that we don’t, BUT if we did...

We do however, change carrier air group and side numbers (not the buro numbers) on aircraft every time they are reassigned after depot level maintenance or other event. That is exactly what the Soviet mentality was for changing the hull numbers on their ships.

[doorgunner69]

The answer is "shortly after lighting the AB's".

From what I have read, the SR had a bit of trouble going supersonic from level flight, and had to do a shallow dive to exceed it. Do not know what altitude this would have been at, but I would guess fairly high.

Once past the barrier, the lower drag allowed it to operate in it's design regime and away it went as the engines started hitting their stride.

[Covenantor]

Thread needs more photos.

[Covenantor]

The burn is glorious.

[Covenantor]

[Despot of the Delta]

I would have loved to seen the AG 330 start carts spool up those 58’s

[Covenantor]

Best. Selfie. Ever.

[doorgunner69]

Nobody was evr flying wing (probably not) to see it, but wonder what the exhaust looked like when the J-58 was in full mach 3 "ramjet" bypass mode.

Another amazing thing about the airplane few dwell on other than us geeks: those incredible engines. How do you test stand full power an engine that only reaches full power over Mach 2?