I just wanted to chime in that the reason I'm a programmer today is that my grandpa helped program the navigation systems on the SR-71. I found that slightly inspirational :)
I like the more complete version of the "ground speed check" story (which I heard from Brian Shul directly): he says he and Walt hadn't really "clicked" yet, that they were just kinda co-inhabitants of the same jet but not really a team, until that moment. It was when Brian was about to ask the question, and the radio clicked on and Walt asked the exact same question, that he felt they finally became a team.<p>For those concerned with the level of "mysticism" in this: Brian Shul is a remarkable pilot from a technical perspective. But do you really want to read his technical descriptions of flight? He's done a good job of describing the sensations in a way non-pilots can understand.
i find this [<a href="http://www.sunlakesaeroclub.org/updates_web_data/050828/SR71_breakup.htm" rel="nofollow">http://www.sunlakesaeroclub.org/updates_web_data/050828/SR71...</a>] to be even more amazing...
If anyone is interested in a bit more of the history behind the aircraft (also the U-2 and the F-117), do check out Skunk Works: A Personal Memoir... by Ben Rich<p>It's a great read!<p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/0316743003" rel="nofollow">http://www.amazon.com/dp/0316743003</a>
The author states that he graduated high school in 1966 and that he built a model of the the SR-71 when he was 10, presumably 1958 if he graduated at 18. He also states that the SR-71 was designed in 1960. Some of this doesn't quite seem right.
The speeds mentioned in this article (Mach 3.5+), are significantly higher than the official airspeed records, set by the SR-71 itself (about Mach 2.9):<p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fastest_aircraft" rel="nofollow">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fastest_aircraft</a><p>Fascinating.
"With all inlet doors tightly shut, at 3.24 Mach, the J-58s are more like ramjets now, gulping 100,000 cubic feet of air per second."<p>Wow... what an awesome job to be able to fly one of these birds!<p>I had a friend in Boston who first flew fighters (F-16 IIRC) and then managed to switch over to the B-2 Stealth Bomber. Apparently it is not common to switch between the two types of platforms. It's a shame he was retired from the AF or I would have begged a ride. :-)
If you'd like to get a close look at one, there's one in the SAC museum, just outside of Omaha, NE.<p><a href="http://www.sasmuseum.com/2008/11/21/sr-71a-blackbird/" rel="nofollow">http://www.sasmuseum.com/2008/11/21/sr-71a-blackbird/</a>
Reading this article was the most interesting experience I have had in a long time. The passion and feel of the description and the imagery being described really resonated with my geeky soul. RIP SR-71. You are a truly magnificent creation.
I've loved this plane since I read about it in popular science as a grade school kid. I still remember this line from the article, "after it lands it so hot you can fry an egg on the fuselage".
Nice video: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1250fZuhUg" rel="nofollow">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1250fZuhUg</a><p>Issues with fuel reported in the story @3:09.
some great blackbird info on this site, including the flight manual!
<a href="http://www.sr-71.org/blackbird/" rel="nofollow">http://www.sr-71.org/blackbird/</a>