- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #21
Yeah I know that but I am asking if the Blackbird is able to cruise at Mach 3.2 the speed it was designed to fly at lets say 80000ft. with no problem like the CIT being exceeded.
SR-71 Blackbird Help
- Thread starter Mustang65
- Start date
I've seen a bit of traffic from ex pilots confirming this, but they're a very cautious group, even though they've left the service 20-30 years ago.
mission details, flight profiles and the comms/ewarfare set information is still classified material.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #23
So the Blackbird could cruise at the design speed of Mach 3.2 or 2113 mph at 80000ft. without a problem of exceeding the CIT?
Absolute airspeed is not the delimiter.
The ceiling for CIT was 427deg cent
If that was exceeded, then you end up with crystalising blade tips - it was a materials science issue limitation as well. If that motor was rebuilt today, the temp limit would be far far higher. IOW the habu could just go faster and faster using todays material science advances in turbine tech.
I have asked about your prev and 2 of the pilots will not comment. The above came from one of the engineers and has been quite "pruned" in detail.
needless to say, again, using todays technology in some components, the SR-71 would be able to go significantly faster - its flight envelope was never a pure issue of speed limitation
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #25
I wonder if the Fuel economy would suffer with the rebuilt engines? It is just ashame that the Blackbird isn't flying anymore. I would love to see one with a glass cockpit and new motors for increased cruise speed, even though Mach 3.2 is still really fast though too.
Speaking of which why does the blackbird not fly anymore. It is know that the USAF has 35 U-2 in active service. But no SR-71?
And then there is the Aurora myth...
It would be reasonable to presume that satellites have taken over the role of reconnaissance aircraft and UAV's. (sorry if this is a dumb question)
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #27
The Blackbird was thought to be to expensive to maintain and the tanker support was expensive as well. I would love to see that plane still flying today with glass cockpits, new rebuilt motors with modern turbine tech, and flyby wire so there would not be any inlet unstarts. Imagine the Blackbird could cruise at mach 3.25 without even having to worry about exceeding the CIT it might even be able to cruise even higher like mach 3.3 without a problem with all advances in tech. It is a shame that the Blackbird is not flying anymore.Speaking of which why does the blackbird not fly anymore. It is know that the USAF has 35 U-2 in active service. But no SR-71?
And then there is the Aurora myth...
It would be reasonable to presume that satellites have taken over the role of reconnaissance aircraft and UAV's. (sorry if this is a dumb question)
Okay, but the U-2 is still, "Flying" and its a reconnaissance craft...
What exactly is the U-2 doing right now, if satellites are the bigger player?
Kelly Johnson Memorial Airport
I was fortunate to see an actual SR-71 fly-by in July of 1979 at KI Sawyer AFB (now a local airport and named for Kelly Johnson, the principal designer of the SR-71). Just the memory of seeing the Blackbird and hearing/feeling the power of those 2 J-58's bring a tear of joy to my eyes. I was standing at the crowd line and the security police were talking about the control tower not knowing how to respond to the SR-71's pilot requesting clearance to descend from 90,000 feet. Sawyer was home to the 409th bomb wing (B-52), a air refueling wing (KC-135) and the 87th Fighter Interceptor Squadron (the beautiful F-106 Delta Dart), and none of these could ever be expected to operate anywhere near 90,000 feet. The Blackbird made three circuits of the field while the pilot made a short talk over the improvised audio system. He then lit his afterburners and quickly pulled out of sight, headed to another airshow near Chicago (they joked about a half-hour trip). Even though the Blackbird was more than a half mile away, the sound of those engines was DEAFENING! The air seemed to come alive with the power of those J-58s. You could almost feel the ground shake.
BTW, Brian Schul has two books that belong in every Blackbird lover's library: "Sled Driver" and "The Untouchables". Check out his web page. This may get me in trouble, but I remember reading an account of a mission over North Vietnam where a SAM launch caused him to accelerate to 3.5 Mach.
Why is KI Sawyer now named for Kelly Johnson? Kelly was born and raised a few miles (22 miles approximately) in Ishpeming Michigan. He finished high school in Flint Michigan and then attended the University of Michigan. Most people don't know that Dick Bong, America's top fighter ace of all time, was born and raised in Poplar Wisconsin, 215 miles west of Ishpeming. Interestingly, he flew Kelly Johnson's P-38 Lightning.
Sorry for being a little long, but the Blackbird is such a fantastic achievement. The more you look into it, the greater it becomes!
Dave
I was fortunate to see an actual SR-71 fly-by in July of 1979 at KI Sawyer AFB (now a local airport and named for Kelly Johnson, the principal designer of the SR-71). Just the memory of seeing the Blackbird and hearing/feeling the power of those 2 J-58's bring a tear of joy to my eyes. I was standing at the crowd line and the security police were talking about the control tower not knowing how to respond to the SR-71's pilot requesting clearance to descend from 90,000 feet. Sawyer was home to the 409th bomb wing (B-52), a air refueling wing (KC-135) and the 87th Fighter Interceptor Squadron (the beautiful F-106 Delta Dart), and none of these could ever be expected to operate anywhere near 90,000 feet. The Blackbird made three circuits of the field while the pilot made a short talk over the improvised audio system. He then lit his afterburners and quickly pulled out of sight, headed to another airshow near Chicago (they joked about a half-hour trip). Even though the Blackbird was more than a half mile away, the sound of those engines was DEAFENING! The air seemed to come alive with the power of those J-58s. You could almost feel the ground shake.
BTW, Brian Schul has two books that belong in every Blackbird lover's library: "Sled Driver" and "The Untouchables". Check out his web page. This may get me in trouble, but I remember reading an account of a mission over North Vietnam where a SAM launch caused him to accelerate to 3.5 Mach.
Why is KI Sawyer now named for Kelly Johnson? Kelly was born and raised a few miles (22 miles approximately) in Ishpeming Michigan. He finished high school in Flint Michigan and then attended the University of Michigan. Most people don't know that Dick Bong, America's top fighter ace of all time, was born and raised in Poplar Wisconsin, 215 miles west of Ishpeming. Interestingly, he flew Kelly Johnson's P-38 Lightning.
Sorry for being a little long, but the Blackbird is such a fantastic achievement. The more you look into it, the greater it becomes!
Dave
the skegs double as brakes - in addition to chutes
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #33
What was the response engine response time for those old J-58s I was looking at a video and it seems like they respond very quickly? Pair that with DEEC and those things would have fighter engine response time. Also was the SR-71 the first plane to manufactured out of titanium?