SR-71 funny story - Page 1

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Posted: 6/16/2006 7:49:12 PM EST

Note: For those that don't know, "The Sled" is the SR-71 Blackbird spy plane from the 1960's and still the fastest airplane. 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 back-seater) 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 ground speed."90 knots" Center replied. Moments later, a Twin Beech required the same. "120 knot s," Center answered. We weren't the only ones proud of our ground speed that day as almost instantly an F-18 smugly transmitted, "Ah, Center, Dusty 52 requests ground speed 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 back-seater. 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 ground speed readout for us?" There was a longer than normal pause.... "Aspen, I show 1,742 knots" (That's about 2004.658 mph for those who don't know) No further inquiries were heard on that frequency.

Posted: 6/16/2006 7:50:29 PM EST

[#1]

ETA: a cool SR71 pic

Posted: 6/16/2006 7:53:36 PM EST

[#2]

Posted: 6/16/2006 7:56:56 PM EST

[#3]

I'm here at Beale so maybe I find that more humorous.

The highest flying and fastest flying aircraft records are still held by the SR-71.

I saw Brian a couple of weeks ago. He's a hero. He got horribly burned when he was shot down over Vietnam.

Posted: 6/16/2006 7:59:41 PM EST

[#4]

Book is still out of print

Posted: 6/16/2006 8:00:09 PM EST

[#5]

that is some good shit right threre.

Posted: 6/16/2006 8:00:34 PM EST

[#6]

Can you say, Owned?

Posted: 6/16/2006 8:12:09 PM EST

[#7]

I have heard that some SR-71 pilots were seen with un-official ballcaps with "6+" embroidered on them...

Mach 6 plus?

PS my father worked on the SR Test Force as a tech sergeant. I still have his little SR lapel pin.

Posted: 6/16/2006 8:16:39 PM EST

[#8]

Quoted:
Can you say, Owned?

Posted: 6/16/2006 8:16:50 PM EST

[#9]

I thought the story from Skunk Works about flashing the "diplomatic code" over France at some Mirage polits before going full afterburners was pretty good.

Posted: 6/16/2006 10:40:14 PM EST

[#10]

Quoted:
I thought the story from Skunk Works about flashing the "diplomatic code" over France at some Mirage polits before going full afterburners was pretty good.

Was that a one-digit code?

Posted: 6/16/2006 10:47:59 PM EST

[#11]

Damn funny!
Thanks for the laugh!

Posted: 6/16/2006 10:53:26 PM EST

[#12]

Quoted:

I'm here at Beale so maybe I find that more humorous.

The highest flying and fastest flying aircraft records are still held by the SR-71.

I saw Brian a couple of weeks ago. He's a hero. He got horribly burned when he was shot down over Vietnam.

I used to live on beale. I thought they closed it

Posted: 6/16/2006 11:11:50 PM EST

[#13]

Quoted:
Quoted:
I thought the story from Skunk Works about flashing the "diplomatic code" over France at some Mirage polits before going full afterburners was pretty good.

Was that a one-digit code?

Of course - the only kind the French deserve.

Posted: 6/16/2006 11:21:19 PM EST

[#14]

Even though this has nothing to do with the SR-71, I still think this is a funny story.

A friend of mine used to fly F-4's in the Air Force. One of his IP's was a Vietnam vet who flew F-4s during Linebacker '72. They happened along a flight of B-52s going back to Thailand and decided to mess with them a bit. They came up on the BUFF's freq and asked the 52's if they would like to do some aerobatics and tricks. A B-52 pilot answered, "Sure, you guys go first." That said, the F-4 pilots did a bunch of loops, Immelmans, split s' and rolls. Then the F-4 guys said, "Ok BUFF's, your turn." A few minutes passed and the flight of B-52s kept plodding along doing nothing. The F-4 guys said, "Aren't you going to do anything?" A B-52 pilot answered up with, "Yeah, didnt you see?" "We all turned two engines off!" The F-4 pilots just headed home.

Posted: 6/16/2006 11:25:48 PM EST

[#15]

I've heard it before, but still funny!

Posted: 6/16/2006 11:30:41 PM EST

[#16]

Quoted:
Quoted:
Can you say, Owned?

Completely and totally...

Posted: 6/16/2006 11:42:26 PM EST

[#17]

99.999% chance this is utter bullshit, yet funny:

A USAF SR-71, callsign "Habu 21". He gets on the radio and asks a controller, who obviously doesn't know exactly what aircraft he is dealing with, for clearance to FL680.

"Center, Habu 21, request flight level six eight zero"

"Habu 21, Center. . . sir, if you think you can make it, you're cleared to flight level six eight zero. . .and please advise when reaching."

"Center, Habu 21. Roger, descending to flight level six eight zero and will advise."

Posted: 6/16/2006 11:49:04 PM EST

[#18]

Posted: 6/16/2006 11:49:54 PM EST

[#19]

Quoted:
I have heard that some SR-71 pilots were seen with un-official ballcaps with "6+" embroidered on them...

Mach 6 plus?

PS my father worked on the SR Test Force as a tech sergeant. I still have his little SR lapel pin.

Pic? I love the SR-71.

Posted: 6/17/2006 12:52:54 AM EST

[#20]

I dig it.

I am learning to fly.

I lived near Edwards Air Force Base and have seen lots of B2's and fighters flying overhead.

Posted: 6/17/2006 12:59:33 AM EST

[#21]

That sounds like a book I would enjoy.

Posted: 6/17/2006 5:42:03 AM EST

[#22]

needs more pics

Posted: 6/17/2006 6:00:03 AM EST

[#23]

Ouch! "Sled Driver" *starts* at $159 and goes up from there!!

Posted: 6/17/2006 6:05:48 AM EST

[#24]

Quoted:
The highest flying and fastest flying aircraft records are still held by the SR-71.

And its true capabilities have still not been divulged.

Richard Graham, another pilot, will be at FT. WORTH MILITARIA SHOW this weekend (6-17/18).

Posted: 6/17/2006 6:09:16 AM EST

[#25]

And if you show up at the Reno Air Races he'll sell you a copy AND sign it for ya.

Nice guy I've talked to him a few times.

Good book too, lots of pictures for you BB lovers.

Posted: 6/17/2006 6:15:01 AM EST

[#26]

Quoted:
Ouch! "Sled Driver" *starts* at $159 and goes up from there!!

Go to your local library. They probably won't have it on the shelf, but request an inter library loan. It may take a bit, but you'll get to read it.

Posted: 6/17/2006 6:23:25 AM EST

[#27]

Whoa

Posted: 6/17/2006 6:28:21 AM EST

[#28]

Quoted:
Quoted:

I'm here at Beale so maybe I find that more humorous.

The highest flying and fastest flying aircraft records are still held by the SR-71.

I saw Brian a couple of weeks ago. He's a hero. He got horribly burned when he was shot down over Vietnam.

I used to live on beale. I thought they closed it

No

www.beale.af.mil

Posted: 6/17/2006 6:34:17 AM EST

[#29]

Quoted:

I'm here at Beale so maybe I find that more humorous.

The highest flying and fastest flying aircraft records are still held by the SR-71.

I saw Brian a couple of weeks ago. He's a hero. He got horribly burned when he was shot down over Vietnam.

The non-classified records, that is.

Posted: 6/17/2006 6:35:41 AM EST

[#30]

For anyone who passes through the Richmond Va area, there is an SR71 parked in front of the Virginia Aviation Museum.

Virginia Aviation Museum

Posted: 6/17/2006 6:47:19 AM EST

[#31]

I have an uncle that used to fuel them on occasion in Alaska in the 80's...
He always said, You know those guys had just been for a ride. Right over the USSR.

He had a few opportunities to take a picture or two of the cockpit, and other aspects of the aircraft, but they had real problems with anyone viewing any of the electronic and photographic gear.

He said a pilot told him they could go as fast as they wanted depending on fuel carried and how straight the path was. Of course there is no way to turn at those ultra high speeds

He has no problem with the 6+ rumor, he always felt they could reach 5 or 6 the only question was if they routinely did it? He thought that on occasion they had felt the need. They had 2 things going for them other than the stealth characteristics of it. Speed and altitude. If the mission was threatened they used them.

Posted: 6/17/2006 7:11:31 AM EST

[#32]

Quoted:
99.999% chance this is utter bullshit, yet funny:

A USAF SR-71, callsign "Habu 21". He gets on the radio and asks a controller, who obviously doesn't know exactly what aircraft he is dealing with, for clearance to FL680.

"Center, Habu 21, request flight level six eight zero"

"Habu 21, Center. . . sir, if you think you can make it, you're cleared to flight level six eight zero. . .and please advise when reaching."

"Center, Habu 21. Roger, descending to flight level six eight zero and will advise."

The only reason I think it bull is because as best as I know the ATC only controls up to FL600, so they would never clear to FL680.

Posted: 6/17/2006 7:18:19 AM EST

[#33]

Isn't it ironic that the coolest airplane and coolest gun are both BLACK! Coincidence?? I don't think so.

Posted: 6/17/2006 7:26:47 AM EST

[#34]

The Lockheed SR-71 and its variants are BY FAR the greatest aircraft ever built and flown!

Even if it came out TODAY, it would be lightyears ahead of its time.

I wish someday I could be a part of such a project...

Anyone else have more 6+ information/speculation? I have never heard of this before.

Posted: 6/17/2006 7:38:59 AM EST

[#35]

The father of a girl I dated helped design the SR-71. She was this 21 year old gothy college art school chick, but she knew all about the SR-71 (how it was made of titanium, where the titanium came from, how it leaked fuel on the ground and needed the friction of the air to seal the fuselage, how it expanded, how fast it went, what it was built for, etc). If you asked her about any other airplane, she just didn't know or care. It was kind of funny.

Posted: 6/17/2006 7:40:57 AM EST

[#36]

tag

Posted: 6/17/2006 7:43:38 AM EST

[#37]

Quoted:
The Lockheed SR-71 and its variants are BY FAR the greatest aircraft ever built and flown!

Even if it came out TODAY, it would be lightyears ahead of its time.

I wish someday I could be a part of such a project...

Anyone else have more 6+ information/speculation? I have never heard of this before.

I agree with your sentiments exactly, I've always thought the SR-71 was/is the greatest aircraft ever.

And to think, at the time it was built it was done by engineers who only had slide-rules and drafting boards.

It is absolutely one of the greatest technological achievements of all time in my humble opinion...

Posted: 6/17/2006 7:44:20 AM EST

[#38]

We've got a pair of them sitting outside Plant 42 out here in Palmdale, CA. I've also seen a few more at NASA Dryden out at Edwards AFB. We were setting UPS units for the communications systems and you could see them in the hangers.

Posted: 6/17/2006 7:54:38 AM EST

[#39]

There is an SR71 and Drone at the Evergreen museum of flight in north oregon. The drones were launched from the top I believe. Apparently there were some problems because the plane would fly into the drone and so few were made. I have pictures somewhere. You can actually look inside the cockpit and everything.

Posted: 6/17/2006 7:58:25 AM EST

[#40]

Quoted:
We've got a pair of them sitting outside Plant 42 out here in Palmdale, CA. I've also seen a few more at NASA Dryden out at Edwards AFB. We were setting UPS units for the communications systems and you could see them in the hangers.

64-17962 SR-71A Reserve Fleet, Plant 42, Palmdale, CA
64-17968 SR-71A Reserve Fleet, Plant 42, Palmdale, CA
60-6937 A-12 Storage, Plant 42 (Skunk Works)

64-17980 SR-71A Operational, NASA Dryden FRC, Edwards AFB, CA
64-17971 SR-71A Operational (USAF), Det 2, 9th SW, Edwards AFB, CA
64-17967 SR-71A Operational (USAF), Det 2, 9th SW, Edwards AFB, CA
64-17956 SR-71B Operational, NASA Dryden FRC, Edwards AFB, CA

Posted: 6/17/2006 8:00:24 AM EST

[#41]

They have an M21 variant at the local museum of flight with a D21 drone attached.

Official museum page on the M21 variant HERE. (link fixed)

Posted: 6/17/2006 8:03:29 AM EST

[#42]

Theres an SR-71 sitting right down the street from me...

March Field Riverside Ca.

Posted: 6/17/2006 8:05:42 AM EST

[#43]

The capabilities of this aircraft are so fantastic that I find it hard to believe they retired it without something even more awesome operational.

Posted: 6/17/2006 8:07:20 AM EST

[#44]

What was the purpose of the drone?

Posted: 6/17/2006 8:08:11 AM EST

[#45]

Quoted:
The father of a girl I dated helped design the SR-71. She was this 21 year old gothy college art school chick, but she knew all about the SR-71 (how it was made of titanium, where the titanium came from, how it leaked fuel on the ground and needed the friction of the air to seal the fuselage, how it expanded, how fast it went, what it was built for, etc). If you asked her about any other airplane, she just didn't know or care. It was kind of funny.

Did she know about the chlorine in the water made the titanium brittle and shatter?

Posted: 6/17/2006 8:09:57 AM EST

[#46]

Quoted:
Quoted:
The Lockheed SR-71 and its variants are BY FAR the greatest aircraft ever built and flown!

Even if it came out TODAY, it would be lightyears ahead of its time.

I wish someday I could be a part of such a project...

Anyone else have more 6+ information/speculation? I have never heard of this before.

I agree with your sentiments exactly, I've always thought the SR-71 was/is the greatest aircraft ever.

And to think, at the time it was built it was done by engineers who only had slide-rules and drafting boards.

It is absolutely one of the greatest technological achievements of all time in my humble opinion...

+1 count me in on that assessment