The sight of the SR-71 caused considerable confusion in Ching Chuan Kang tower, particularly when one controller asked for the call-sign…
Cold War EraMilitary Aviation
Tag:
KC-135Q
- Cold War EraMilitary Aviation
Former SR-71 Pilot Explains why the Blackbird had to Light one Afterburner during Aerial Refueling
by Dario Leone“The fine art of pulling the throttle ever so slightly up and just into the minimum burner range was handed down…
- Cold War EraMilitary Aviation
Cool Video (with Audio) Features SR-71 Mach 3 Spy Plane rendezvous with KC-135Q Tanker
by Dario LeoneThe clip features a quick, practice contact in “tanker manual” configuration followed by a disconnect, in preparation for a normal contact…
- Aviation HistoryCold War EraMilitary Aviation
Lieutenant Colonel Ben Bowles, first SR-71 pilot to reach 900 hours, has passed away
by Dario LeoneLieutenant Colonel Ben Bowles was awarded the Air Medal and two Distinguished Flying Crosses one of which for saving SR-71 #960.…
- Cold War EraMilitary Aviation
The unknown story of the SR-71 aircrew that bailed out after their Blackbird struck the tail of a KC-135Q during an air refuelling over El Paso
by Dario Leone“The nose section was gone just forward of the cockpit and the canopy had caved in on me. I thought, ‘I’m…
- Cold War EraMilitary Aviation
That time an SR-71 had an inflight emergency while on a secret mission over the Golan Heights during the Yom Kippur War
by Dario Leone“We had no viable emergency airfields, and I did not want to be a no-notice, no–flight plan, single-engine emergency arrival at…
- Cold War EraMilitary Aviation
Former SR-71 driver explains why the Blackbird had to refuel after takeoff
by Dario Leone“We had to refuel right after takeoff for only one reason, and it wasn’t because we leaked JP-7 fuel on the…
