SR-71 Takeoff from Okinawa (FULL Afterburner)

[justforever96]

So if the footage isn't real, what is it then?

[BlackbirdSpecOps]

Postie 218, they're not always on full afterburner.....only when they're needed do they turn them on.

[justforever96]

@BlackbirdSpecOps That's not what I read. As far as I know they are always on full burner, except maybe at part throttle, for air to air refueling. As soon as you throttle up, the burners come on, and they stay on for the duration of the mission. You can't maintain those cruise speeds without them, and unless you're doing Mach 2.5, you're leaking fuel...like you said, it's built loosely. Most engines can't do afterburners for more than brief periods, not even counting the fuel supply.

[BlackbirdSpecOps]

@justforever96 That might be what you've read but I worked on them and that's not what happens.....it's not feasable to maintain full afterburner for long periods of time. It has to do with the ratio of air to fuel intake at high altitudes.

[SR71U2ube]

WHAO! THIS SOUNDS GREAT ON SOME GOOD SPEAKERS!!!

[tvgray1]

I was stationed at Kadena in77 and watched touck n gos by the blackbird= I took pictures but they were taken out of my hold baggage when I went back to the world-400 MMS rocks!!

Awsome

[IQ136]

Now THAT'S the way to take off!!!!! I'll bet you could land at Edwards in 3 hours!

[sdtkk44]

Been there, seen it. 9th SRW beale AFB, CA Vet.

[Postie218]

Pratt & Whitney J58 engines are always on "full afterburner".

[sdtkk44]

@Postie218 Technically, they're not. They are the first engine capable of sustained afterburner. There's a difference. I've been in KC-135 boompods when I was in the service and I assure you an SR is not employing ABs during this time.

[tranceaddict704]

The original A-12 was unpainted titanium

[tranceaddict704]

@freefall321 they were painted with a black paint that was a very early version of radar absorbing material

[JetMechMA]

I saw one take off once at Carswell AFB near Ft Worth Texas. The afterburners had a green tinge to them. It had a long takeoff roll like depicted in this animation, and it had a very steep climb-out at an incredible speed. It didn't climb straight up....or anywhere near it. Not like a fighter. But it did climb steeper than anything besides a fighter and at an incredible rate of speed.....it KEPT climbing too....out of sight.

[windjammer226]

was stationed at Camp McTures,for a year,use to see and hear them,truly beautiful airplane

[booksbenji]

Awesum takeoff, right to the heavens!!!!

[freefall321]

@zzirZSnipe I don't think it's even painted. Because of the intense heat generated when it's flying they couldn't come up with a paint that would say on one. They are really just black oxidized titanium. It's an incredible aircraft given that so many things on it were experimental and they weren't sure if it would work. They had a hard time with seals and fuel cells leaking all the time. I'm just glad that I got to see them up close and watch them take off and land in Kedena in the late 80's.

[BlackbirdSpecOps]

@freefall321 It's not oxidized titanium as titanium doesn't oxidize. There is a radar absorbing paint on the aircraft. The aircraft was purposely built loosely so that when it got to altitude it would expand and seal. The extreme temperatures dictated the top speed and materials used for the fuel ballasts.

[snowinri65]

I was stationed @ Kadena when we had 2 of them. To see them both take-off at night, side-by-side, is an image and experience the likes of which I have never ever seen again.

[muellersmonsters]

THAT's Nothing because it is SO FAR away. Get next to that Blackbird on the Runway and every Hair on your Body stands up!! I was with them for 4 Years at Beale as an SP and got Closer than Most ever wished they could go. They were our Babies..Night and Day! What a Rush! That rumble actually shook the Gound!!

[pipercub123456]

@muellersmonsters ..We use to call that takeoff rumble that shook the ground.."THE HAMMERS FROM HELL"

[beeroosterm]

Always wondered what 320,00 horsepower sounded like. Christ, but that thing was cooler than any other plane ever made!

[wvufanngarner]

was getting a ratty old car inspected just off the end of the air strip @Kadena in 87 while I was staioned at Camp Schawb with 1st Track and the Habu screamed off the runway toward China, full AB's and was gone in a matter of seconds. we knew it was there but hardly ever seen it. By the time it was far enough north to see it at Henoko...you couldn't see it just hear it

[jyamii1]

I got to see the Habu take off a few times on the way to school at Kadena Elementry in 1989.

[MotorCitySarge]

I've viewed that scene from 1977-1980 at Kadena. KC-135Q Crew Chief. Go Habu!! I only wihed we had video cameras then as all my pictures of tanking the Habu are on film and slides.

[TheJesusIrl]

I bet those are some cheap appartments/hotels near that Airbase, lol...

[ExploreDestination]

What a sound... I would love to see the original footage with that sound though! Good timing with the video though ;)

[Geraldolini]

I guess my life is complete....I have seen and heard the "Habu" take off from Kadena AB several times while stationed there in the early 70's. Too bad I never got any film or pictures. I loved it there. Some people called it the "Rock". I never did. It was "Oki" to me. Maybe I will return someday.

[BlackbirdSpecOps]

I see you found it again.

[OsanBlackCat5RS]

@BlackbirdSpecOps What do you mean???

[BlackbirdSpecOps]

@OsanBlackCat5RS I thought this was the video you were looking for.

[OsanBlackCat5RS]

@BlackbirdSpecOps Oh,Well it partly is but the footage here isnt real,the soind is original im sure you can tell,I like the entire video with the guys walking the final steps up to their cockpits,and it this just reminded me that in just a few days this will be 20 yrs ago to the date! i think the last Kadena Departure was Jan 7,1991 at 5:30 am JP time?

[oneonecee]

@OsanBlackCat5RS This date is correct, I left Minot N.D. as a high school SR to Okinawa. After I landed at Kadena my mom took me to the observation area for a "surprise", what I didn't realize at the time, I was watching for the first and last time in my life the awesome power of the SR-71.

[SR71U2ube]

@oneonecee I have a similar experience. I got to see the SR-71 for my first and last time at the 1997 Beale Open house.

[1028dtay]

@BlackbirdSpecOps

urm that's 240p we meet again lol