Here’s a first-hand unverified heresay report from a grey-beard who worked for Tektronix back in the day: on assignment he drove out to China Lake for some high level troubleshooting, his vehicle came to a large gated facility and upon reaching the inner gate, he noticed a fleet of SR-71s, all with the same tail numbers. He was quickly escorted off the premesis and sent packing.<p>This is the same guy who personally claims we were actively experimenting with directed energy weapons using the San Onofre nuclear plant and that he personally saw the damaged tail of another YF12/SR-71 that had been hit by a Russian laser weapon.
Here is an omegataupodcast episode about flying this thing:<p><a href="http://omegataupodcast.net/91-flying-the-sr-71/" rel="nofollow">http://omegataupodcast.net/91-flying-the-sr-71/</a><p>Episode 091 – Flying the SR-71 Blackbird (March 31, 2012, 7:27 PM)<p>"In this episode we discuss the world's fastest and highest flying jet-powered aircraft ever built, the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird. Our guest is Col. (Ret) Richard Graham, a former SR-71 pilot. Our conversation is loosely based on his book Flying the SR-71, and we discuss the challenge of flying the SR-71. As a consequence of its unique capabilities and its engine and inlet design, the aircraft posed a number of very specific challenges on the pilot."
The original article, from July of 2017, can be found on Task and Purpose. While it still has a lot of advertising, at least there isn't a big popup telling you to disable your ad-blocker.<p><a href="https://taskandpurpose.com/sr-71-blackbird-rare-video/" rel="nofollow">https://taskandpurpose.com/sr-71-blackbird-rare-video/</a><p>Mods, maybe we could update the link and throw a (2017) on this?
Still one of the most impressive planes I know. It has to be fuelled in flight because before heat expansion closes the gaps between all metal parts, the fuel tanks would leak their contents. So you take off with just enough fuel to reach the tanker.
I adored this plane in middle school (roughly around the time when the X-men were rolling around in one), but the body style, it's speed, everything about it just screamed mystery and power.<p>It doesn't have the same appeal to me now, but I still think it was such an elegant design in comparison to the stealth bomber.