SR-71 Blackbirds Gone to Roost

This video combines the "tribute" video with stills of many of the "preserved" aircraft, the SR-71 Family includes the A-12, YF-12A, SR-71, versions A/B/C, a modified version of the A-12 was the M-21 "mothership" which used the d-21 Drones. Videos from Leland Haynes, Msgt (ret), USAF

For those who have touched this unique piece of American know-how, it is a special experience. For me it is one that reaches into my family roots, and a part of each family member is attached to each and everyone of them. Enjoy this video. HABU!!

The Original soundtrack "Blackbird" by Paul McCartney was removed for copyright issues. YouTube picks the soundtrack you hear. It isn't MY choice.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• A-12
• spyplane
• Blackbird
• SR-71
• Habu
• the sled
• YF-12A
• M-21
• retired
• stealth
• World record
• altitude
• speed
• Mach
• gone
• flying
• air
• jet
• airplane
• world
• record

[jamesthereaper7]

Thumbs up if you knew about SR-71 Blackbird before Call of Duty: Black Ops.

[VMdoh]

And to think... designed with slide rules...

[scismgenie]

@harris3693 would "galvanized Steel Composite" perform as well as titanium? What would the heat stress parameters be, and would it weaken after repeated heating?

[gerardbiteme]

@scismgenie you know he was talking about the beauty of the blackbird, not its technological advances, nothing like this is built today, this was a machine where you pulled a leaver and you actually saw something move, because of that it has a soul, nothing with a microchip can have a soul

[djnightowlx]

First of all, they used the titanium because no other blend of metal could survive the combination of pressure, heat and acceleration that these birds have without turning brittle rather quickly. My dad was an executive for Lockheed that worked on the project, and he once told me that the numbers the US and Lockheed admit to for this plane's performance don't come close to the truth-and they'll never admit the truth...

[hardwirecars]

@T1MCPT i know this is an old comment but i just had to share with ya

i went to school with a kid whose dad flew the sr-71 bb

he said that thing was somthing he will never ever forget

[harris3693]

@scismgenie also, the US doesn't have enough titanium for the original batch of SR-71's let alone a new flet of exec jet versions!!! They had to buy from Russia, which would now be harder as Russia is wary of the US.

[harris3693]

@scismgenie yes, but due to cost of production and metal composites which have the same tensile strength (Like on the MIG25, used Steel composite to achieve the same level of strength) Titanium wouldn't be the first choice for most aircraft designs!!

[scismgenie]

@harris3693 You know they used Titanium for a reason?

[harris3693]

@scismgenie (cont')....need to get to their destinations in a hurry!!! thus providing airlines billions in surplus revenue from a short amount of flights, furthermore, it will reduce the cost of an airline ticket for the common folk, hence, it is a WIN, WIN situation and thus providing the larger population with the opportunity to fly supersonic!!! Anyways, there is already a supersonic business jet, the Cessna Citation X, this will just be another leap in aviation trend!!!

[harris3693]

@scismgenie well, u can switch the engines with more modern fuel efficient NPO-Saturn engines with afterburners, which will save on fuel while producing slightly less thrust than the original engines, along with changing the alloy from titanium to galvanized steel composite, which will extend its range and cost of airframe production. build it in a factory in China to further reduce the cost of production. For market, it would be best suited for business applications as biz men need to get......

[scismgenie]

@harris3693 You might as well start from scratch, and what market is there for a plane that travels that fast? Its cost per mile would be incredibly high compared to a standard commercial jet, or even an exec. jet.