Sr-71 Blackbird

the blackbird is only known to be capable of mach 3.5+ performance as far as we know today. I don't know where you got this mach 9 stuff.

for some reason i think that the people in charge of high speed vehicles are probably laughing at us because we still think that the SR-71 is the fastest manned air-breathing plane

is there anyone who agrees with me

I have. Where? At the Dulles Air and Space museum. The SR and Space Shuttle Enterprise are the two main exhibits. One thing Ive always wondered is that the later SAMS can do mach3. So how did the SRs keep outrunning them? The SR does over mach4 on full afterburner. Possibly maxes out at mach5 at the most. This mach9 stuff is unrealistic. The SR at dulles has seen alot of use. Im going to try to post some pics of it soon.

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Still the sexiest aircraft ever built. Its huge. The plane at dulles also has the Lockheed skunk on the tail and may have been a test craft. You can easily see how loose the panels are too. IF I can ever learn how to post my own digital shots Ive got a few of me standing in front of it and at the rear right between its huge engines. It defines the term awesome.

Originally posted by icantthinkofakoolname
is there anyone who agrees with me

Absolutely, no question in my mind the sr-71 is outdated technology. It was developed in the early 1960’s so to assume the limits of aircraft design and performance hasn’t advanced in the last 40 years is a ridiculous thought.

This probably wouldnt happen but The SR-71 is more then likely still untouchable being able to fly so high and so fast, the reason they quit using it is because with satelites to snap pics the SR-71 is no longer needed

But I think they should Convert all SR-71s into Bombers Think about Being able to quickly strike any target and cripple there ability to make war, cruise missiles can be shot down F-14,F-15,F-16,F-18 dont fly fast or high enough and the F-22 or B2 or F-117 would eventually be Spotted, but fly something that fast and that high up and drop a LGB Could Give the US a Big Advantage Against Say North Korea or China if it ever comes to war.

Get the DVD of Discovery Channel's documentary Great Planes, there's one about the SR-71.

I believe the highest speed reached was around Mach 3.14 or 3.4. When it touched down, the circuitry was nearly fried. Not to mention anytime it lands after a high speed flight, touching the skin of the aircraft would burn you. Ouch.

Obviously there's better faster planes out there then the Blackbird, it will just take some time before we see it. Like if China rolls out a mach 5 fighter tommorow, i'd bet some money that not long after that the USAF would reveal a black aircraft that can out do it. (if theres no need to reveal it...Why reveal it)

Personally I believe that the Blackbird could do around mach 5 to 7. but not 9. Ramjets are known to be able to operate at those speeds. and the paint like coatings and metals that were on the SR-71 were close to the same that were used on the X-15, which went mach 6.7.

My guess would be that the blackbirds top speed is in the Mach 3.5 to 4.5 range.

I really doubt it even gets over Mach 4 to be honest, and I am as big a proponent of American aviation as you will find.

This website may help with the Mach # question since it changes with altitude. Mach vs Altitude Hope it helps some.

reply to post by Ma


The leading edges were ceramic, My father's friend (both worked for Lockheed) was a ceramics specialist. Said they got so hot the ceramic brittle as glass.

reply to post by Zion Mainframe


Well I suppose I cannot say much, but I have seen the inside of an SR-71 and the Speedometer goes all the way to mach 8 (does not mean the plane can go that fast) but Im sure it can do more than mach 3.2 but the real question is for how long can it hold that speed. If people do not believe me The Seatle air museum (in Washington) has an SR-71 plane along with a cockpit from one that crashed on take off (landing gear failed). Its a pretty impressive thing to see, but again I dont think the plane can actually do mach 8, im betting is closer to mach 5+ (and not for long)

Originally posted by Anonymous ATS
reply to post by Zion Mainframe

 

Well I suppose I cannot say much, but I have seen the inside of an SR-71 and the Speedometer goes all the way to mach 8 (does not mean the plane can go that fast) but Im sure it can do more than mach 3.2 but the real question is for how long can it hold that speed. If people do not believe me The Seatle air museum (in Washington) has an SR-71 plane along with a cockpit from one that crashed on take off (landing gear failed). Its a pretty impressive thing to see, but again I dont think the plane can actually do mach 8, im betting is closer to mach 5+ (and not for long)

The Seattle Museum of Flight has the cockpit of SR-71 64-17977 and a M-21 which is a modification of an A-12. Not a SR-71.

I'm really surprised that this is still a question for some people. The Blackbird performance characteristics have long since been declassified.

The design cruise speed for all Blackbird variants (A-12, YF-12A, M-21, SR-71) is Mach 3.2, but maximum allowable Mach number was dependent on outside air temperature and its effect on compressor inlet temperature (CIT). The pilot was authorized to accelerate to Mach 3.3 as long as CIT remained at or below 427 degrees Centigrade. Speeds exceeding Mach 3.3 were occasionally recorded, but generally the pilot tried to avoid this area of the performance envelope because it placed excessive thermal stress on the airframe.

Some maximum speed milestones:
YF-12A, 1 May 1965, Mach 3.14 (2,070 mph)
A-12, 8 May 1965, Mach 3.29 (2,171 mph)
SR-71A, 28 July 1976, Mach 3.32 (2,193 mph)

The results of several Lockheed studies conducted in 1975 concluded that the Blackbird's maximum speed could be extended to Mach 3.5 for short periods of time. The only structural limit to speeds above Mach 3.5 was a KEAS (knots equivalent airspeed) limit of 420, set by inlet duct pressures and temperatures that exceeded acceptable values. Limited inlet capture-area and excessive engine CIT also limited operation at higher Mach numbers, even with proposed modifications.

My Grandfather designed data recording electronics for the SR-71 and who knows how many other aircraft. He worked for lockeed for 30+ years. I not sure if he was talking about the blackbird or not but he told me years ago about 45 minute coast to coast flights and 2 1/2 hour China and back flights.

Soory but do you think the gov is going to tell you everything. Sorry they lie and keep things from us. IMO i bet it can atlest safely hit mach 4 and the only reason it now sits in places like WPAFB is they have something better and i'm not talking about the U-2. And some day wha ever craft it maybe or maybe called will be shown to us when it has a replacment. Also makes me wonder how far along of space program really is they claim to know alot just from scopes. But hey this is just my opion.