SR-71

[TLAM Strike]

Originally Posted by Herr-Berbunch

Looks like a chinese copy of the shuttle!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_X-37

[MH]

[Platapus]

There are a few static displays of aircraft that look like the SR-71. But maybe they are not SR-71s. How can you tell the difference?

1. If it is a single seater, it is an A-12 (there was one 2-seat trainer but that's gone)
2. If the forward chines are chopped short of the nose, it is a YF-12
3. If it is a two seater and the chines go to the nose it is an SR-71

SR-71 trivia question: What color is the SR-Blackbird?

[jmann]

All i can say is x-plane 10

[Tchocky]

Some of the old hands at work tell stories about working on the radar while the SR-71 was blazing through*. Nowadays the fastest we see is a pokey Dutch or Belgian F-16 running up to six or seven knots.


Pshaw.

* - Not that you'd be likely to pick up a Blackbird on a civilian radar anyways if they weren't squawking something convenient. Mostly sightings from piots below or a nice phoned-in warning from the Air Force

[TLAM Strike]

Originally Posted by Tchocky

* - Not that you'd be likely to pick up a Blackbird on a civilian radar anyways if they weren't squawking something convenient.

They were for sure stealthy against radar, but... take a wild guess why the MiG-29 and Su-27 featured an IR targeting system in the nose.

[Krauter]

Originally Posted by TLAM Strike

They were for sure stealthy against radar, but... take a wild guess why the MiG-29 and Su-27 featured an IR targeting system in the nose.

Even still wouldn't their IR targetting systems be ineffective because
a) IR missiles have a lot shorter range then radar guided ones
b) The IR trackers were shorter ranged then a regular radar? More for up close and personnal fights (so to speak).

[TLAM Strike]

Originally Posted by Krauter

Even still wouldn't their IR targetting systems be ineffective because
a) IR missiles have a lot shorter range then radar guided ones

You thinking like an American! The Russians made long range IR guided missiles. The R-40TD (AA-6 'Acrid') for one, the R-27 (AA-10 'Alamo') also had IR variants.

b) The IR trackers were shorter ranged then a regular radar? More for up close and personnal fights (so to speak).

Against a fighter yes, the SR-71 was huge and left a large heat wake behind it. GCI Radars could give the location but onboard Radars have to deal with jamming and the aircraft's stealthyness (smaller aircraft radars are easier to spoof). IR systems basically gives the pilot an additional sensor that can't be jammed. Also remember how high the SR-71 flew, heat transmitted near the edge of space goes a lot farther than at ground level.

[Karle94]

Originally Posted by Krauter

Even still wouldn't their IR targetting systems be ineffective because
a) IR missiles have a lot shorter range then radar guided ones
b) The IR trackers were shorter ranged then a regular radar? More for up close and personnal fights (so to speak).

`
A MiG-25 and 31 will have another problem intercepting/shooting down a SR-71. Their engines burn up at top speed, plus they have a very short range at those speeds. Only a few minutes worth of fuel while the Blackbird can outrun and outrange both.

[Stealhead]

Originally Posted by Platapus

There are a few static displays of aircraft that look like the SR-71. But maybe they are not SR-71s. How can you tell the difference?

1. If it is a single seater, it is an A-12 (there was one 2-seat trainer but that's gone)
2. If the forward chines are chopped short of the nose, it is a YF-12
3. If it is a two seater and the chines go to the nose it is an SR-71

SR-71 trivia question: What color is the SR-Blackbird?

Refer to the link I posted at the bottom of the last page it lists and has photos of every A-12/SR-71 on display in the US it lists them by model A-12 or SR-71 A or B and the location.Look at those pictures and you will see the differences.

The two seat A-12 is in LA she still is around( http://www.sr-71.org/photogallery/blackbird/06927/ ).If you look at the body of the A-12 it looks as if they designed it to allow a second cockpit if needed and some had one I suppose with the SR they decided to have a full time extra man to deal with the electronics and let the pilot focus on flying.

The color is indigo blue.

What I like are the start carts because my old job in the Air Force was working on and driving these and other equipment to aircraft without us nobody flies.
http://www.sr-71.org/photogallery/bl...rt-2004-10.jpg

that is two V-8 engines either two Buick or two Chevy take that Ford and Chrysler! your engines cant handle the work load of starting the Blackbird.They one of these machines for each engine. Nowadays they use diesel engines or a gas turbine to start em up the gas turbine can also use bleed air to start engines.

[Platapus]

Originally Posted by Stealhead

The two seat A-12 is in LA she still is around( http://www.sr-71.org/photogallery/blackbird/06927/ )

Good catch and thanks for keeping me honest. I thought that airframe was chopped.

Mea culpa!