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SR-71 pilot recalls that time his Blackbird flew so fast that he and his RSO landed at Kadena AB two hours before they took off from Beale AFB beating the sun
Cold War Era / Military Aviation / SR-71 Blackbird
SR-71 pilot recalls that time his Blackbird flew so fast that he and his RSO landed at Kadena AB two hours before they took off from Beale AFB beating the sun
First U-2 pilot recalls when the only U-2 pilot to fly over Moscow nearly died and crashed into Red Square after he almost bit his poison cyanide pill in half
Cold War Era / Losses and Aviation Safety / Military Aviation
First U-2 pilot recalls when the only U-2 pilot to fly over Moscow nearly died and crashed into Red Square after he almost bit his poison cyanide pill in half
The SR-71 Blackbird Crew Members Survival Kit included a very rare Aluminum Gun (the Gun was made in Aluminum to keep it Lightweight)
Cold War Era / Military Aviation / SR-71 Blackbird
The SR-71 Blackbird Crew Members Survival Kit included a very rare Aluminum Gun (the Gun was made in Aluminum to keep it Lightweight)
Did you know the SR-71 Blackbird had a Smart Valve that allowed to use JP-7 fuel as internal coolant?
Cold War Era / Military Aviation / SR-71 Blackbird
The SR-71 Blackbird had a Smart Valve that allowed to use JP-7 fuel as internal coolant. Here’s how it worked.
Ben Rich recalls when CIA financed the A-12 Oxcart with secret funds and back-door payments to Lockheed with personal checks to Kelly Johnson for more than $1 million
Aviation History / Cold War Era / Military Aviation / SR-71 Blackbird
Skunk Works Director Ben Rich recalls when CIA financed the A-12 Oxcart with secret funds and back-door payments to Lockheed with personal checks to Kelly Johnson for more than $1 million
Here’s why the SR-71 Blackbird airframe was designed to leak fuel
Cold War Era / Losses and Aviation Safety / Military Aviation / SR-71 Blackbird
Blackbird pilot recalls when an SR-71 slid on JP-7 fuel residue while taxing into Kadena Hangar
SR-71 Blackbird crew members tell the story of the Inlet Unstart that prevented them to go Faster than Mach 3.2 during the Absolute Speed Record run in 1976
Aviation History / Cold War Era / Military Aviation / SR-71 Blackbird
SR-71 Blackbird crew members tell the story of the Inlet Unstart that prevented them to go Faster than Mach 3.2 during the Absolute Speed Record run in 1976
After an A-12 flight specks of insects hoisted from the atomic test explosions in Russia and China were found on the Oxcart windshield
Aviation History / Cold War Era / SR-71 Blackbird
CIA engineer recalls when specks of insects hoisted from atomic tests in Russia and China were found on an A-12 windshield after an Oxcart mission
SR-71 Pilot tells the story of when his Blackbird flew So Fast that He and his RSO arrived at Beale AFB almost a Day Before They Left Kadena AB
Cold War Era / Military Aviation / SR-71 Blackbird
The story of the SR-71 Double-Engine Flameout over North Vietnam that led to the Blackbird’s nickname the “Lead Sled”
How the iconic U-2 got its name: Test Pilot Tony LeVier gave Kelly Johnson the finger, Johnson returned giving LeVier the finger and yelled, “U-2”.
Aviation History / Aviation Humor / Cold War Era / Military Aviation
The story of How the U-2 got its name: Test Pilot Tony LeVier flipped off Kelly Johnson, Johnson flipped off in return LeVier and yelled, “U-2” [You Too]!
JP-7, the fuel that powered the SR-71 Blackbird caused a nationwide shortage of bug spray. Here’s why.
Cold War Era / Military Aviation / SR-71 Blackbird / SR-71 Top Speed
Not only JP-7: the SR-71 could use JP-4 and JP-5 as emergency fuels but they both limited the Blackbird top speed to Mach 1.5
In the early 1960s Soviet Union sold titanium to the US believing they needed it for Pizza Ovens but instead they used it to build the iconic SR-71 Blackbird Mach 3+ spy plane
Cold War Era / Military Aviation / SR-71 Blackbird
In the early 1960s Soviet Union sold titanium to the US believing they needed it for Pizza Ovens but instead they used it to build the iconic SR-71 Blackbird Mach 3+ spy plane
The story of the SR-71 Blackbird crew that ‘gave the birdie’ to a French Air Force Mirage III pilot, lit the afterburners and outran him
Cold War Era / Military Aviation / SR-71 Blackbird
Blackbird Pilot recalls when his RSO ‘gave the birdie’ to a French Air Force Mirage III pilot (Then They lit their SR-71’s Afterburners and Outran him)
In 1971 an SR-71 crew flew 15,000 miles, in 10 hours 30 minutes non-stop, in full continuous AB to see how many times the Blackbird could refuel before the liquid nitrogen gave out
Cold War Era / Losses and Aviation Safety / Military Aviation / SR-71 Blackbird / SR-71 Top Speed
SR-71 Pilot explains why even though the Blackbird could attain Mach 3.5, at that speed serious damage to the aircraft might occur
Here’s why the SR-71 inlets had to be labeled “L” and “R” and why the Blackbird had engine and afterburner fuel control cable pulleys
Aviation History / Cold War Era / Military Aviation / SR-71 Blackbird
Here’s why the SR-71 inlets had to be labeled “L” and “R” and why the Blackbird had engine and afterburner fuel control cable pulleys
Ball Unveils Sled Driver Watch Honoring Legendary SR-71 Blackbird pilot Brian Shul
Aviation History / Cold War Era / Military Aviation / SR-71 Blackbird
SR-71 pilot Brian Shul, famous for his ground speed check story, passed away while giving a speech about the Blackbird
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