[skanchan95]

Originally Posted by Samurai

I am smiling at this statement, because I saw my only SR-71 very much in yada yada NYC, at pier 86. Although, some say it is the A-12, the predecessor of SR-71. I don't know enough to differentiate them.

This was shot 3 weeks before 9/11 attack, I am the one in green shirt in front of the aircraft.

Attachment 1651727

The one you saw on the USS Intrepid is the A-12 Oxcart.

If one compares the canopies of the A-12 and SR-71, one of the main visible differences can be known.

[aah78]

Originally Posted by D33-PAC

On the way to New Orleans from Chicago, I had the chance to stop by at a base to see a dinosaur like no other !

Isn't it an awesome experience!
I love the SR-71. Also have a couple of scale models.

Originally Posted by Jeroen

I havent seen all the SR71 on display in the USA. I’ve seen about 5-6. But the one in Duxfor is particular nice. It is very well preserved and you can actually walk right up to it. The one on display on the various carriers are a bit in a sorry state of repair. The one in Kansas and in the Strategic Air Command & Aerospace museum are nice but suspended in the air. Looks cool, but you can’t get near.

There is a SR-71 on display currently at the Air & Space museum in Chantilly, VA.
I've been there a few times.
They also have the space shuttle Discovery on display there.
That is a lovely little museum for any airplane / space shuttle enthusiast. They have planes from every era. Also have a make-shift control tower which gives you a great view of the area.

[SajiNSalin]

The Smithsonian Air and Space museum near Dulles airport, Washington DC, the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, has an incredible collection of SR71, Concorde, the Enola Gay (atomic bomb carrier aircraft), a whole host of US, USSR, Japanese vintage era aircraft, the space shuttle Discovery and lots more. It is a very interesting place for those interested in air and space flight. Best of all admission is free, but it is costly to reach there from DC.

[Samurai]

Originally Posted by SajiNSalin

The Smithsonian Air and Space museum near Dulles airport, Washington DC, the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, has an incredible collection of SR71, Concorde, the Enola Gay (atomic bomb carrier aircraft), a whole host of US, USSR, Japanese vintage era aircraft, the space shuttle Discovery and lots more. It is a very interesting place for those interested in air and space flight.

Oh, in that case I have seen the SR-71 too. I just don't remember and don't have photographs. I have done multiple trips to Smithsonian Air and Space museum Wash.D.C in the 90s.

[Jeroen]

Originally Posted by Samurai

Oh, in that case I have seen the SR-71 too. I just don't remember and don't have photographs. I have done multiple trips to Smithsonian Air and Space museum Wash.D.C in the 90s.

There are two Smithsonian Air and Space museums in/near Washington DC!

To ensure maximum concussion they are both called Air and Space museum. One is right smack in Washington DC, with all the other Smithsonian museums. The other one is near the airport. It’s full name is Air and Space Museum Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center.

Both great museums, but very different collections.

https://www.si.edu/museums

Enjoy!

Jeroen

[sandeepmdas]

I read somewhere that:
- the control cables of this amazing aircraft was made using the same alloy that was used by the American watchmaker Hamilton to make hairsprings of their watches
- the engine lubricants were practically solid before engine startup because those were formulated for high temperature
- the engines were started by Buick V8 car engines
- the flightsuit designs were forked from NASA space suit designs
- and the engines, if left unchecked, would achieve uncontrollable RPM and disintegrate themselves.

Don't know how much of these are actual facts .

[sgiitk]

Samu-san; at that time you do not realise it, but you saw a real landmark.

I first saw the Concorde an Mumbai on a proving flight. Futuristic then, and right to the end. In Reading (1989-91) we were on the flight path to Thiefrow (oops Heathrow). We use to get the sonic bang twice a day, rattling the Windows.

[Indraneel Bhat]

Originally Posted by Jeroen

There are two Smithsonian Air and Space museums in/near Washington DC!

Trivia:

The SR-71 at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, starred in the second Transformers live action movie "Revenge of the fallen". It is the dormant form of the Decepticon turned Autobot called 'Jetfire'.

[maker_of_things]

Another bit of trivia. Though not about the plane but rather the pilots.

The pilots were required to be married as they (USAF) wanted as many reasons/ways as possible to prevent a pilot from defecting.

[lancer_rit]

Originally Posted by Jeroen

There are two Smithsonian Air and Space museums in/near Washington DC!
The other one is near the airport. It’s full name is Air and Space Museum Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center.

Jeroen

That's right. There are bus shuttles from Dulles airport terminal to the Air and Space Museum near the airport. It has a great collection, I remember being awestruck the SR-71 blackbird :-) SR-71 spawned the MIG-25 (was in IAF till recently retired) which was of course by a degree slower...

If you have 5-6 hours inter flight stopover time or more, this is a great way to spend the time - the museum is anything but 'Dull' !

The Air and Space Museum in the Mall @ DC is mind-blowing as well.

[sandeepmdas]

Comprehensive info on SR-71 here:
http://newatlas.com/how-to-fly-sr-71-blackbird/46366/

Originally Posted by Samurai

I am smiling at this statement, because I saw my only SR-71 very much in yada yada NYC, at pier 86.

Isn't this the same location and the aircraft? Will Smith in I am Legend:

[PM - B]

Behold

Son Of The Blackbird

THE SR 72

The SR-71 was developed using 20th century technology. It was envisioned with slide rules and paper. It wasn’t managed by millions of lines of software code. And it wasn’t powered by computer chips.

All that changes with the SR-72.

Envisioned as an unmanned aircraft, the SR-72 would fly at speeds up to Mach 6, or six times the speed of sound. At this speed, the aircraft would be so fast, an adversary would have no time to react or hide.

Further Reading

http://www.lockheedmartin.co.in/us/n...015/sr-72.html

http://www.popularmechanics.com/flig...ersonic-drone/

http://www.popsci.com/inside-americas-next-spyplane



Please Note - All images - Copyright Respective Owners

[skanchan95]

Originally Posted by lancer_rit

SR-71 spawned the MIG-25

That is a mis-conception. The MiG-25 was actually designed to intercept High flying U-2s and intercept USAF bombers at a high rate of climb and closure.

Till the introduction of the MiG-25, there was no aircraft in the Soviet arsenal that could intercept the U-2 (it was an SA-2 SAM that downed Capt Gary Powers U-2 in 1960). It was the result of this U-2 downing that the A-12 programme(SR-71's predecessor) was accelerated and that resulted in the A-12's first flight two years later.

[Foxbat]

Originally Posted by skanchan95

That is a mis-conception. The MiG-25 was actually designed to intercept High flying U-2s and intercept USAF bombers at a high rate of climb and closure.

Till the introduction of the MiG-25, there was no aircraft in the Soviet arsenal that could intercept the U-2 (it was an SA-2 SAM that downed Capt Gary Powers U-2 in 1960). It was the result of this U-2 downing that the A-12 programme(SR-71's predecessor) was accelerated and that resulted in the A-12's first flight two years later.

Thats not true, the Mig-25 was designed to intercept the B-70 Valkyrie a Mach 3 capable bomber which was being developed by the Americans in late 1950s however it never went into production.

You can find more information here:

http://nationalinterest.org/blog/the...as-never-19438

[nikhilarni]

Originally Posted by D33-PAC

When people generally go to the USA, it's the same old yada yada New York City, Hollywood, blah blah blah they want to see. I was damn sure what I wanted to see ! And I fortunately had the chance to see one the greatest man made machine ever made.

.

Was a Pleasure to read this article. I had the privilege of seeing one in the US Air Force Museum in Dayton, OH. Your article brought back memories of that visit.

As a kid, reading the encyclopedias and watching the planes on Discovery was thrilling in itself. But to see it physically was mesmerizing.

Not to mention, when I had some relatives visiting and mooted to go see the museum, and was turned down stating " What to see in old plane and all, we want to see NY " , that was it.