An Ode To "The Blackbird"

[Minstrel]

An Ode To "The Blackbird"

In 1968 (1967?) a SR-71 made an emergency landing at Grand Forks AFB (ND), and was "parked" between two B-52 hangers close to the N/S road that paralled the base runway. The aircraft was completely visible to anyone using the road. Immediately after landing, GFAFB security established machine gun "nests" close to the plane. The two man crew could not exit the plane until a C-130 arrived from Edwards AFB with the ground support equipment and aircraft technicians to evacuate the crew and "fix" whatever the problem(s) were. Of course, everyone on the base came to see the SR-71 and security had to control traffic. After the "fixes" were accomplished (two days?), the SR-71 exited the base heading north. A few minutes later it returned at a very low altitude at tremendous speed in a fly by. It was awesome and was probably witnessed by about everyone on the base.



Eye candy for people who like airplanes...



Grab your beverage and relax for a few minutes of awesome beauty. The SR-71 was the creation of Kelly Johnson, Lockheed, Eisenhower and the Air Force. It was envisioned in the '50s, first flew in the early '60s, retired in the '80s, briefly brought back in the '90s.



In all, 13 units of the single seat A-12 were built, and 32 of the Pilot + Recon two seat SR-71 units were built. Five A-12 were lost, one is stored. Twelve two seaters were lost. The remaining 27 are on display around the USA . The closest is at Atwater , the old Castle AFBmuseum at Merced with 50 other classic warplanes. You probably have a better opportunity of viewing the one in San Diego . Ask me and I'll tell you where the others are. NY, OR, OH, DC, etc. I can find most answers to most questions. Just ask. Start with the 2000+ mph, the 80,000 feet + altitude. More if you wish.



So enjoy. One more thing... The author of the captions to the picture in this video made one misstatement, due to youth. The U-2 Recon aircraft was created in 1955, flew operationally in 1956. Kelly thought the USSR would shoot it down in 18 months. Lucky us, it flew until Gary Powers was downed on 1 May 1960.



But Kelly Johnson already had the go-ahead from Ike for the A-12. It first flew in 1962, JFK kept the manufacture of it active. No one told LBJ, 'cause everyone knew he would spill the secret. He wasn't told till the week after JFK left us. And sure enough, LBJ gave out the secret in a matter of months.



Anyhow, the most interesting, most exciting five years of my life were spent in the program, as a KC-135 refueling pilot. Where the Blackbird went, we went. You will see several refuelings in the following.



Enjoy...



Click here to view the slideshow:



http://www.greatdanepromilitary.com/SR-71/index.htm

 

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[mark.]

Re: An Ode To "The Blackbird"

I believe there is a Blackbird at the WPAFB museum in Dayton Ohio..............see ya mark

 

[allen_idaho]

Re: An Ode To "The Blackbird"

I was always a bit disappointed in the SR-71. Here you have the fastest aircraft ever built. Billions of dollars in research, development, and equipment costs. The least they could have done was made a version with a bomb bay door and the capacity for at least one nuclear warhead.

THEN I woudn't have thought it was such a waste of money. It could have been the fastest nuclear bomber ever built. But no. It just wasn't meant to be.