Blackbird Fly-by

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OVERKILL

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Nothing like 394,372HP!*
(using P = F * d/t where F=65,000lbs of thrust d/t is 2,275Mph (3337ft/s))

http://www.takeofftube.com/view/3230/rare-blackbird-flyby-1/




*Not sure how "accurate" that figure is, but the fastest I've heard the aircraft has flown is 2,275Mph at full throttle. At full throttle, the engines generate 65,000lbs of thrust combined.

As per detailed here: http://www.aerospaceweb.org/question/propulsion/q0195.shtml

550lb-ft/s = 1HP

P = 65,000lb * 3,337ft/s
P = 216,905,000lb-ft/s

HP = 216,905,000/550

HP = 394,372
 
I thought all the Blackbird's were retired? They have always been my favorite airplane. What an awesome piece of technology.
 
In his book, Sled Driver, SR-71 Blackbird pilot Brian Shul writes: "I'll always remember a certain radio exchange that occurred one day as Walt (my backseater) and I were screaming across Southern California, 13 miles high. We were monitoring various radio transmissions from other aircraft as we entered Los Angeles airspace. Though they didn't really control us, they did monitor our movement across their scope. I heard a Cessna ask for a readout of its groundspeed."

"90 knots" Center replied.

"Moments later, a Twin Beech required the same."

"120 knots," Center answered.

"We weren't the only ones proud of our groundspeed that day as almost instantly an F-18 smugly transmitted, 'Ah, Center, Dusty 52 requests groundspeed readout.'

"There was a slight pause, then the response, 525 knots on the ground, Dusty".

"Another silent pause. As I was thinking to myself how ripe a situation this was, I heard a familiar click of a radio transmission coming from my backseater. It was at that precise moment I realized Walt and I had become a real crew, for we were both thinking in unison." "Center, Aspen 20, you got a groundspeed readout for us?"

There was a longer than normal pause.... "Aspen, I show 1,742 knots"

"No further inquiries were heard on that frequency"

In another famous SR-71 story, Los Angeles Center reported receiving a request for clearance to FL 60 (60,000ft).

The incredulous controller, with some disdain in his voice, asked, "How do you plan to get up to 60,000 feet?"

"The pilot (obviously a sled driver), responded, "We don't plan to go up to it, we plan to go down to it."

He was cleared...
 
The vortices alone behind that thing scare me!

An amazing plane, and another reason we should never give up our technological 'edge'!
 
Originally Posted By: d00df00d
Favorite plane ever.

...Ever.



X's a million!!!!

The amount of (and level of) engineering in that plane is awe inspiring, considering it was designed in the 50's/60's??? Can anyone imagine doing all the calculations by hand? Not to mention the performance attained...
 
The SR-71/YF-12/A-12 was an aircraft that, considering the manufacturing difficulties, should have taken 20 years from award of contract to first flight. Because of atmospheric heating, every major system and component had to be engineered from a blank sheet of paper. Metallurgic processes in working with titanium, JP7 fuel, unique hydraulic fluid, the list goes on and on.
Lockheed Skunk Works was the most advanced aircraft company in the world then and turned out example after example of aircraft that raised the bar for the entire industry.

Another interesting horsepower figure, the Saturn V first stage developed 7.5 million pounds of thrust. That equates to roughly 160 million horsepower.
 
Originally Posted By: d00df00d
Favorite plane ever.

...Ever.


Totally agree! But really, the "advertised" max was mach 3, knowing how seldom the AF publishes real limits, I wonder how fast it could really go...?
 
Originally Posted By: sasilverbullet
Originally Posted By: d00df00d
Favorite plane ever.

...Ever.


Totally agree! But really, the "advertised" max was mach 3, knowing how seldom the AF publishes real limits, I wonder how fast it could really go...?


Average cruise speed was apparently Mach 3.2+. I'm sure the aircraft was capable of in excess of 2,300Mph, probably even faster.

The SR-71 is incredible on so many levels that I doubt we'll ever have something as groundbreaking, as capable and as long-lived as it was.

This is an example of what America was capable of. Of what could be done before the disease of globalization happened.
 
Originally Posted By: Trajan
In his book, Sled Driver, SR-71 Blackbird pilot Brian Shul writes: "I'll always remember a certain radio exchange that occurred one day as Walt (my backseater) and I were screaming across Southern California, 13 miles high. We were monitoring various radio transmissions from other aircraft as we entered Los Angeles airspace. Though they didn't really control us, they did monitor our movement across their scope. I heard a Cessna ask for a readout of its groundspeed."

"90 knots" Center replied.

"Moments later, a Twin Beech required the same."

"120 knots," Center answered.

"We weren't the only ones proud of our groundspeed that day as almost instantly an F-18 smugly transmitted, 'Ah, Center, Dusty 52 requests groundspeed readout.'

"There was a slight pause, then the response, 525 knots on the ground, Dusty".

"Another silent pause. As I was thinking to myself how ripe a situation this was, I heard a familiar click of a radio transmission coming from my backseater. It was at that precise moment I realized Walt and I had become a real crew, for we were both thinking in unison." "Center, Aspen 20, you got a groundspeed readout for us?"

There was a longer than normal pause.... "Aspen, I show 1,742 knots"

"No further inquiries were heard on that frequency"

In another famous SR-71 story, Los Angeles Center reported receiving a request for clearance to FL 60 (60,000ft).

The incredulous controller, with some disdain in his voice, asked, "How do you plan to get up to 60,000 feet?"

"The pilot (obviously a sled driver), responded, "We don't plan to go up to it, we plan to go down to it."

He was cleared...



"Aspen, I show 1,742 knots"
lol.gif
 
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