Title: Pilot Recounts Tales of SR-71 Blackbird Source:
[None] URL Source:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpVT5Lr0BbI Published:Jul 18, 2013 Author:Lockheed Martin Post Date:2015-07-04 18:13:04 by Justified Keywords:None Views:2626 Comments:19
I was a an air traffic control specialist at Chicago center, that required a secret clearance.
Nobody knew the top speed or top altitude capabilities of the SR-71. The pilots received astronaut credentials because of the altitude it flew at. It was the last project of lead engineer Kelly Johnson. Pilots wore special G compensating flight suits and were relegated to special diets to deal with cockpit temperature which ran 140 degrees. Whenever it was desired to set a new speed record they had but to advance the throttle another quarter of an inch. It requored hours after the plane landed before the TiMetal frame cooled down to permit servicing. During its last flight from March air force base in California to Washinton to be retired at the Smithonian institution, the SR-71 crossed the country in 58 minutes.
I has the pleasure of watching one on Radar take off from Rapids City South Dakota and execute a 180 climbing right turn that was completed over Pawnee Kansas pulling four Gs all the way.
