SR-71 Blackbird Refuling

The SR-71 Blackbird in flight video. This video is shot with the SR-71 flying at near minimum flight speed as there are few aircraft that could match the speed of SR-71, for more than a few minutes at best, even at it's lower end operation speeds. During the refueling sequence, note that near the end of the refueling cycle, the KC-135 appears to be nose down in flght attitude. This is because as the SR-71 nears fuel capacity, it must increase speed, so the KC-135 must go into a shallow dive with the throttles to the firewall, and fly at maximum operating speed, with the SR-71 wallowing around behind it at near minimum flight speed. I know an SR-71 pilot or two, and I have been told the true maximum speed of the aircraft was never actually reached, or at least that speed was never declassified and so is not stated. This aircraft is the source of the infamous $500 hammer. As usual, the claims of waste for buying hammers for $500 is made by people who don't know anything about what they are saying. The $500 hammer is made of Titanium, as is a lot of the SR-71, and because dis-similar metals cause corrosion on contact, a Titanium hammer was made to work on this aircraft. The same is said for those who comment of the "leaking" of fuel on the ground and at low altitude. The aircraft is designed to expand, due to friction with the atmosphere, as much as 1 foot in lenght at operational speeds and altitude. The fuel, JP-7 is only used on the SR-71 and is actually part of the heat sink, or heat absorption system for the aircraft. Pour JP-7 on a fire, and the fire will go out. It is actually genuis to design and incorporate airframe expansion and fuel supplies as a heat sink system. No other aircraft in history does this. Having seen it in flight, it is an amazing sight and a true modern marvel of engineering.
Thanks to UMG Music for allowing the use of thier copyrighted music

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Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• SR-71
• Blackbird
• Lockheed
• stealth
• US
• Air
• Force
• USAF
• Hi
• Speed
• awesome
• extreme
• flight
• aerial
• refueling
• sierra
• nevada
• mountains

[segatman]

I'm not an American but the USAF has some serious technology....

[beeroosterm]

Actually, I found the answer to the speed vs. fueling issue. It turns out that the speed problem between the KC-135 and the SR-71 is not a matter of stalling the -71 per se, rather, without afterburning the -71 may become power limited at higher refueling altitudes as maximum fuel load is approached - and either a "toboggan" technique (1000 feet per minute dive) or one afterburner must be lit to keep things flowing until a full tank is achieved.

[ForestKrud]

Awesome Vid, takes me right back. Wish I could make out the tail number on the Q-model, I crewed 58-0095 in the late 70s. Took some pictures with a 110 Instamatic that look like stills from these clips. Thanks for the trip down memory lane.

[Vinnygil]

planes having sex 

[JumpStartPause]

one beautiful aircraft.

[RushProbeSix]

Is there any more beautiful an expression of flight today? I think not. This decades-old aircraft has no modern-day equal. At least not one that's known to the public... ;o)

[Baller4lifeeeee]

@velocity896 annnnnnnd i dont give a shit.

First of all, stop taking shit so seriously lol "your attempt at witty comeback is sad because 1 2 3 4..." shut the fuck up and stop tryna be a keyboard warrior.

[velocity896]

@Baller4lifeeeee Your attempt at a witty comeback is sad...because

1) Nobody flies this plane, it doesn't even fly at all...so thats just pointless

2) I have Black Ops, just don't really play it...

3) Loser has 1 o

4) I WASN'T EVEN TRYING TO BE MEAN

[Baller4lifeeeee]

@velocity896 .... and you dont do either LOL looser.

[brightlights456X]

@TJDOZIER1

Ahhhh, I see. Those bastards!