One of my favourite things in the world is this airplane. I cannot read enough or watch enough videos on it. Finally a dedicated thread.
The SR-71 in my opinion is the greatest achievement in aviation to date. Faster than a bullet out of a rifle, designed in the late 50's, first flown in the mid-60's as a single seater by the CIA as the A-12, and all done with a slide rule, pencil and paper, and built with what was essentially smuggled Russian Titanium. This Airplane needs its own biopic. When you look at how long the JSF program is taking, it is mind boggling, in that era, what they pulled off in such a short period of time. Kelly Johnson was without a doubt the greatest Airplane Engineer/Visionary in the history of aviation. I can only imagine what else Skunk Works designed, that we never saw.
I posted this is the aviation thread, but it definitely fits here. A former SR-71 pilot gives a cockpit tour:
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Remember that part of the mythos of area 51 is the Oxcart or a-!2 program.
We also need to remember that the A-12 was faster and could go to higher altitude then the SR-71, it wasn't used after the first year because the SR-71 had a better surveillance package.
I would assume its a sensor antennae, most of the other sensors and antennae are embedded in the body and used to bleed deflected radar radiation off as heat.
At least that's what I understand, but I could be completely wrong.
The SR-71 was a phenomenal aircraft. One that was probably 30 years ahead of its time. The ability to fly at Mach 3.2, in full afterburner for the entire flight. The skin of the aircraft would get red hot. The skin would expand so much in the air that while on ground during refuelling the aircraft would spew out fuel as the seals were too loose. The SR-71 had to takeoff get up to temp to seal up and then mid air refuel before heading out to the mission.
The closest operational aircraft in ability was the MiG 25 Foxbat, but that was a much cruder and less capable aircraft, if the afterburners on the MiG were used for any moderate length of time they would destroy the engine.
In terms of intelligence accomplishments (flights over the USSR, Cuba etc) the U-2 (another Skunkworks marvel) is a more decorated aircraft but in terms of performance the SR-71 is unmatched.
I remember seeing the M-21 in Seattle a few years ago, and it's just so cool how the Blackbird still looks like it's from the future. That and the Concorde I can never stop being amazed by.
SR-71 pilot interview
