Got this in a box of "junk" at an auction- 12th TAC Black Birds lighter

[tracey]

I thought it was pretty cool. I have tried researching it a little bit, but get conflicting info. I even called a couple of Airforce veterans and they werent sure. Cant decide if the Black Birds were from Vietnam era or Korean War. I went ahead and put it on ebay, but I think I should have come here first for some info. Anyway it says 12th TAC ALone! Unarmed! Unafraid? Anyway, I LOVE those so called "junk" boxes nobody else bids on. It is exciting to dig to the bottom!

[Gypsy Heart]

korean war

[ivan salis]

the U2 and later SR 71 " black birds" were totally unarmed spy planes--- the origional "stealth planes" -- frances powers was shot down over russia in 1961 in aU-2 "black bird" plane ----------( later onthe president screwed up once in a press confrance calling the RS 71 "a SR 71" --- so instead of correcting the president-- they changed the "military name" to "cover" his goof to SR - 71--- the US GOVT thought the U-2s and SR 71's were unhittible due to the extreme high levels and great speeds they flew at -- they were flown by cia trained pilots --the first one (U- 2 that is) were used in 1956 according to records (the SR 71 was made and used later on ---it was the U-2's replacement was first used in 1961 until 1989 )-- was there a name on the lighter? there were needless to say not too many of these "spy plane" type pilots around --- the plane on the lighter is the eariler U2 plane design by the way--- the project was very hush hush --even alot of normal air force folks knew very little about it --- Ivan (spooky) Salis

[gollum]

the U2 and later SR 71 " black birds" were spy planes the origional "stealth planes" -- frances powers was shot down over russia in 1961 in a RS 71 "black bird" plane ( the president screwed up calling it a SR 71 during a press conferance so-- they changed the name to "cover" his goof to SR - 71--- the US GOVT thought the U-2s and SR 71's were unhittible due to the extreme high level they flew at -- they were flown by cia trained pilots --the first one were used in 1956 according to records -- was there a name on the lighter? there were needless to say not too many of these "spy plane" type pilots around --- Ivan

Hey Ivan,

You got your spy planes a little mixed up. Powers was shot down over the Soviet Union while flying the subsonic U-2 Spy Plane. The only protection that plane had was a 70,000 foot max flying altitude, plus all-weather capability.

No Blackbird (SR-71) was ever lost for any reason (much less enemy fire). Not only was the SR-71 the fastest plane on Earth (New York to Los Angeles in 3hrs 47mins 39secs, and New York to London in 1hr 55mins 32secs). It also had a max altitude of 80,000 feet, and could fly at speeds in excess of 4,000 MPH.

Here's a secret about the Blackbird. If you removed the photographic equipment from the bay, you could mount a rotating bomb rack that could accommodate 8 thermonuclear weapons.

Also, the SR71 Blackbird was designed beginning in 1959, and first flown in 1961. It stayed in service until it was decommissioned in 1989.

Best-Mike

[ivan salis]

fixed my goof - should have been U-2 for powers you are correct -- on the 1956 date it was for the U 2 in service not testing-- note at the beginning I said -- the U 2 and "later" SR 71 -- maybe I should have been more "exact" on the SR 71 ---1961 to 1989 -- one hellva plane --

[tracey]

Wow! That is some very interesting information. Since it was Hush-hush, no wonder the Air Force fellows werent too sure about it. I thank all of you for this information!

[acevillav]

Junk boxes RULE ! They are usualy big time sleepers in there. I would also check out boxes of books. People are always using cool or valuable stuff as book marks. I have found money old post cards just to name a few. Sometime you get a vauable book to boot. Keep searching treasure awaits those who are looking for it amigo!

AceVillav

[scrounger d detector collector]

i used to go to the satelite beach fla. area.and these were flying around alot.talk about loud.mid 1980s

[sniffer]

a little update, they only built 30 SR 71 black birds, currently only 4 are left in flying condition, and still are listed as being the fastest airplane ever built, also the only aircraft that is a more closely guarded secret is the Harrier jumpjet

[wayne1956]

I was stationed in Okinawa, Japan in the USMC from 87 - 88. The Air Force use to fly the SR71 out of Kadena, and a couple of times I got a chance to watch it take off (use to look for lost golf balls near the Kadena golf course, the hanger the plane flew from was about a half mile or so away, below the area I was looking for the golf balls). Naturally the take off times were classified, I was just in the right place at the right time. Only thing I can say is it was an awesome sight watching it take off!!!!

[lamplighter36]

Tracey,
maybe too late, as you might have sold it on ebay. anyways, to keep you from going down the skunk works/SR-71 path, your lighter is one from a RB-66 squadron i believe. i have attached some info and 2 links.

my guess is built in the late 50's with operation as an unarmed command and control/recconaisance aircraft in Vietnam.

some searching should yield more info, good luck. ill buy it if you havent sold it. PM me.

thanks,
thomas

http://b66.info/
http://www.globalsecurity.org/intell/systems/rb-66b.htm

While the bulk of the B/RB-66 contingent was earmarked
for TAC, the Air Force originally wanted some of the
delivered aircraft to be deployed overseas immediately.
Slippage of the program changed this planning. Still,
the 12th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, at Itami,
Japan, a unit of the Pacific Air Forces (PACAF), received
its RB-66Bs in late 1956, at about the same time that TAC
activated 2 additional RB-66B squadrons. The United States
Air Forces in Europe (USAFE), however, did not get any of
the new aircraft until the fall of 1957. The 2 RB-66B
squadrons, first assigned to the USAFE's 66th Wing, were
later transferred to the 10th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing,
another USAFE unit.

[ivan salis]

the plane on the lighter is a U2 model plane the earlier forerunner to the SR 71 -- thus its not a SR 71 on the lighter --- both were highly hush hush projects ---

[lamplighter36]

Sorry Ivan, but to keep Tracey honest I have to disagree. The picture depicted on the lighter has a much different engine
(2 - underwing) placement than the U-2 (single engine internally).

if you look at pictures of the B-66 (or its Navy cousin the A-3) you can see a near perfect match to the picture on the lighter. There is also a fair amount of data on the net that points ot B-66's being used in the 12th TAC recon. wing.

incedentally, in the movie "Bat 21" Co. Hamb. was shot down in one of these.

hope this helps...it sure is a great lighter.
-thomas

attached is a pic of the B-66 in a near exact pose (yet opposing) to the artwork on the lighter. see what you think....

[HotRodder]

The plane on the lighter is an A3D by Douglas Aircraft in California of which I logged lots of hours in while in U.S.Navy and After getting out of the service went to work modifying them for Douglas. Airforce all so had a version of this plane as well and I beleive it was the B-66. We got our first A3D in 1957.

[Shortstack]

Here is the patch as found on the website, http://www.USAFPatches.com

[JME in Maine]

sorry guys have to correct you on the years of service and how many sr71's were built

The SR-71 was unofficially named the Blackbird, and called the Habu by its crews. Clarence "Kelly" Johnson was responsible for many of the design's advanced concepts. A defensive feature of the aircraft was its high speed and operating altitude, whereby, if a surface-to-air missile launch were detected, standard evasive action was simply to accelerate. The SR-71 line was in service from 1964 to 1998, with 12 of the 32 aircraft being destroyed in accidents, though none were lost to enemy action

[supergenius]

Just like me, Clarence "Kelly" Johnson was a graduate of Flint Junior College (now Mott Community College) in Flint, MI, then of University of Michigan in Ann Arbor where he got his aero engineering degree. This was long before becoming head of LockMart's skunkworks. A brilliant engineer and businessman, he was responsible for some of the most innovative aircraft programs this country or the world has ever seen.

[stefen]

Skunkworks later to become a part of Sverdrup...and eventually Jacobs Facilities...