quote:

Originally posted by FishOn:
I've always loved that story. We have a Blackbird here in Seattle at the Boeing Museum of Flight (amazing museum) and I go to look at it once a year.

At which, apparently, Maj. Shul gave a presentation this last weekend. My wife's coworker was going on about it this morning. Wished I had known, I would liked to have gone.

Just watched the whole speech. That was awesome. I loved the pictures. Coolest plane ever made.

I remember going to Dulles to see it on it's last flight as a kid with my grandpa. I got to skip school that day

Watched the whole video the last couple nights. What a cool, interesting guy. Really is a hell of a story teller. Didn't think I'd actually watch it all thinking of someone talking for an hour might drag on, but he was funny and humble and interesting. Great watch, just wish I could afford his $500 book so I could read it and see his photography.

Did experience an SR-71 at Edwards Air Show when I was a bit younger, they did a sonic boom and we got to check out the plane. Pretty freaking sweet, but I was too young to appreciate it.

There is a YF-12A at the Kalamazoo Air Museum

And there’s an A-12 on static display outside the Aerospace Museum in Balboa Park, San Diego. I’ve seen it many times. The A-12 was slightly faster than the SR-71 and could fly slightly higher, because it had a one-man crew instead of a two-man crew, and was about 5’ shorter, making it lighter.

http://roadrunnersinternationale.com/a-12s.html

quote:

Originally posted by Pipe Smoker:
And there’s an A-12 on static display outside the Aerospace Museum in Balboa Park, San Diego. I’ve seen it many times. The A-12 was slightly faster than the SR-71 and could fly slightly higher, because it had a one-man crew instead of a two-man crew, and was about 5’ shorter, making it lighter.

http://roadrunnersinternationale.com/a-12s.html

Well shit I must've seen this thing and not really knew what it was. I've been there a few times, didn't and don't know anything about the A12. I shall check this out!

quote:

Originally posted by newtoSig765:
"...a 12-year-old grabbed the mike..." ...and I lost it! I'll have to explain my outburst of laughter to my girlfriend, but she won't understand.

I put this on yesterday to listen to as I was driving home from work, and the people next to me at a stoplight thought I was crazy because I broke out laughing hysterically at this point in the story. It is indeed a great story. I'm going to listen to the entire story tomorrow when I'm off.

quote:

Originally posted by SigSauerP226:

quote:

Originally posted by Pipe Smoker:
And there’s an A-12 on static display outside the Aerospace Museum in Balboa Park, San Diego. I’ve seen it many times. The A-12 was slightly faster than the SR-71 and could fly slightly higher, because it had a one-man crew instead of a two-man crew, and was about 5’ shorter, making it lighter.

http://roadrunnersinternationale.com/a-12s.html

Well shit I must've seen this thing and not really knew what it was. I've been there a few times, didn't and don't know anything about the A12. I shall check this out!

X-15 could leave either in their dust, it could fly twice as fast and over three times as high. The pilots that went over 50 miles up even got astronaut wings.

It was basically a rocket with so little wings to land.

quote:

Originally posted by Skins2881:

quote:

Originally posted by SigSauerP226:

quote:

Originally posted by Pipe Smoker:
And there’s an A-12 on static display outside the Aerospace Museum in Balboa Park, San Diego. I’ve seen it many times. The A-12 was slightly faster than the SR-71 and could fly slightly higher, because it had a one-man crew instead of a two-man crew, and was about 5’ shorter, making it lighter.

http://roadrunnersinternationale.com/a-12s.html

Well shit I must've seen this thing and not really knew what it was. I've been there a few times, didn't and don't know anything about the A12. I shall check this out!

X-15 could leave either in their dust, it could fly twice as fast and over three times as high. The pilots that went over 50 miles up even got astronaut wings.

It was basically a rocket with so little wings to land.

Is it still considered a jet? Or is it a space craft? Idk how they differentiate between the two, or if there is a line in the sky... That's pretty awesome though!

The X-15 is a rocket plane, and while it goes real fast and way high, starting your own engines, take off, land and shutting down, adds an element that the other does not.

They are apples and oranges.

But neither dismissing any awesomeness of each.

quote:

Originally posted by P220 Smudge:

quote:

Originally posted by FishOn:
I've always loved that story. We have a Blackbird here in Seattle at the Boeing Museum of Flight (amazing museum) and I go to look at it once a year.

At which, apparently, Maj. Shul gave a presentation this last weekend. My wife's coworker was going on about it this morning. Wished I had known, I would liked to have gone.

Me too! I did not know that. The Blackbird is the most wicked plane ever made. I love it. I am sure some day we'll have something better, but nothing will ever compare to the SR-71. It was so cutting edge. The leaking fuel showed how hard our engineers pushed the technology. I mean who else would have tolerated leaking fuel, to max out the speed? Fantastic.

quote:

Originally posted by FishOn:
... I mean who else would have tolerated leaking fuel, to max out the speed? Fantastic.

A twelve year old?

quote:

Originally posted by sigmonkey:

quote:

Originally posted by FishOn:
... I mean who else would have tolerated leaking fuel, to max out the speed? Fantastic.

A twelve year old?

They got hot when at speed and as a result, the fuel cells expand and stop the leaks.

quote:

Originally posted by LS1 GTO:

quote:

Originally posted by sigmonkey:

quote:

Originally posted by FishOn:
... I mean who else would have tolerated leaking fuel, to max out the speed? Fantastic.

A twelve year old?

They got hot when at speed and as a result, the fuel cells expand and stop the leaks.

Yes I knew that. But to push the engineering that far is really something.