SR-71 Performance

[eytonxav]

This is a nice big boy toy. Walt, you need one of these.
Gigantic R/C Jet Turbine Powered SR-71 Blackbird Showing Off it's Ultra Fast Flying Skills - [throt-l]

[ls99]

Truly impressive in the build and flying skills.

[dtbach]

When I was flying Navy A-6's back in the early 70's, an air controller told us an aircraft was flying through our elevation at our 11 O'clock position. About 5 seconds later he told us to ignore the warning as the aircraft was now well above our elevation. We looked and sure enough an SR-71 at about a 45 degree angle was streaking by far above us. It was an incredible sight.


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[braumeister]

As a weapons controller in the 1960s, I was used to F-101s, F-102s, F-106s, and the occasional F-4. Once I had the opportunity to control the interceptor version of the SR-71, which was called a YF-12A.

Beginning the intercept, I made contact with the pilot and had to give him about a 90 degree turn to achieve an intercept course with the target. By the time he finished the turn and got on the assigned heading, he had gone through three states. What fun!

Another great tidbit I remember from those days is that on occasion they had to file a normal flight plan and simply put down "VFR on top."

[For those not in the aviation biz, the FAA only concerns itself with the airspace up to 60,000 feet. Since that was a trivial altitude for an SR-71 to reach, they were just saying they would stay out of (i.e., above) the FAA's jurisdiction.]

[Ronstar]

Very impressive!


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[Ed_The_Gypsy]

"Yea, though I fly through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for I am at 50,000 feet and still climbing!"

If y'all want a real thrill, go to the Museum of Flight in Seattle and see an Oxcart up close. It will curl your hair just standing there.

And we are supposed to have better replacements these days.

Rock on.

[Walt34]

The R/C jets are impressive. On the same site is what purports to be the world's fastest R/C jet: The World's Fastest Remote Controlled Jet Gets Halfway to the Sound Barrier at 440 Mph! - [throt-l]

R/C airplanes that fast are incredibly difficult to fly because of the intense mental concentration required and that you always have to be mentally three or four maneuvers ahead of the airplane or you'll lose sight of it and crash.

I did have a couple of fast pattern airplanes (propeller driven) and my max flight time was about ten minutes for that reason.

At a club meeting just for grins we wondered if it would be possible to fly an R/C jet at supersonic speeds. The answer was a qualified "yes" but only if it was flown in a constant diameter circle around the pilot. If not, by the time it turned around sight would be lost and you'd lose it.

[Retch The Grate]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ed_The_Gypsy "Yea, though I fly through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for I am at 50,000 feet and still climbing!" If y'all want a real thrill, go to the Museum of Flight in Seattle and see an Oxcart up close. It will curl your hair just standing there. And we are supposed to have better replacements these days. Rock on.

The Museum of Flight's plane (an M-21 variant of the A-12 model) is gorgeous, and the engine on display is really fun to look at. Also, it has the D-21 drone, mounted, which is cool looking as well, though sadly the drones never really got used from any of the SR-71 family (they had an accident and it took out the only other M-21 built, ultimately they got launched from B-52s instead).

Really the whole Museum is great and worth the visit if you are in Seattle.

[ERhoosier]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ed_The_Gypsy "Yea, though I fly through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for I am at 50,000 feet and still climbing!" If y'all want a real thrill, go to the Museum of Flight in Seattle and see an Oxcart up close......

I prefer AF Museum in Dayton OH. It's is well worth the trip.

National Museum of the USAF - Home

You can see also the YF-12A interceptor version of the Blackbird. But it's in the controlled access area so need to plan ahead.
Factsheets : Lockheed YF-12A

[ampeep]

In the early 80's while at Kadena Air Base on Okinawa, I used to see the SR-71's doing touch & go's. They were the 'Habu" squadron, named after the Okinawan pit viper. Used to see the air crews wearing their trademark orange flight suits around the base. I wasn't very impressed at seeing this long, black aircraft going around & around.

Then one day, while playing tennis after work, I heard this tremendous roar coming from the flight line. It kept going on & on until finally I could see the twin afterburners of the SR-71 actually taking off on a mission. Could hear the roar keep going on & on as the aircraft steeply climbed. Was the most impressive thing I'd ever seen!!! (although a F-22 takeoff is a close second)

Was a sad day when they retired these impressive aircraft.