Thursday, September 2, 2021

The engine of an SR-71. Almost as impressive as those pants.

 


15 comments:

  1. Lazy ass wore his PJ bottoms to work, thought no one would notice. It was the 70's after all.

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  2. I believe that is Dr. Robert B. Abernethy, aka Dr.Bob, lead PHD on the engines' development.

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  3. He's using safety wire pliers.

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  4. I had a pair of those bad-boys back in 1967. My gorgeous ex-wife bought 'em for me just before she ran off with a NYC wise-guy. Think she was trying to tell me something? I wore 'em just to spite the witch.

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  5. Visited The Museum of Flight once. They didn't evidently have room for the entire plane then, but there was the forward section of an SR-71 fuselage and one engine on the floor.
    Up close and personal, that engine is impressive.

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    1. When was that? Because 'round about 1977 the engineering class my brother was in made a trip to Beale. On the ramp the aircraft was inside a painted box with armed sentries. Step inside the box, get planted face down on concrete, or shot.

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    2. Pima Air & Space Museum (https://pimaair.org/) has one on the floor.
      Inside of course! No armed guards but still awesome!

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    3. The Pima Air & Space Museum is great!

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    4. Rick, in the early '90's.
      And, now that I think about it, it wasn't an SR-71; it was an A-12. Pretty much the same engine, though.

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    5. Lived in Tucson for about 18 years and went to Pima Air & Space museum a few times. The SR-71 is indeed truly awesome. One day my son and I were there on a day when the staff was letting folks sit in the pilot's seat for about a minute each. That was awesome.
      In the 90s, I worked with a former 71 pilot. He was very circumspect about mission details. No juicy gossip from him.
      I also worked with a guy who had been on the ground crew for a few years at Beale. No juicy stories from him except confirmation about them leaking tons of JP7 while taxiing to take off.

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    6. The MOF has one now, and did when I was there ten or so years ago.
      https://www.museumofflight.org/aircraft/lockheed-m-21-blackbird

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  6. Youtube, look up SR 71 speed check story. Funniest aviation story around. By the pilot of the craft no less.

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