The Black Bird was bad ass

[talisman]

Great thread!

[Vertnut]

Some people don't understand just how fast the SR-71 really was. It was literally faster than a rifle bullet, to put it in perspective.

Correct. If it was clocked at 2183mph (it's record), that comes to a shade over 3200fps. Some calibers are a little faster, but not many. Even a .30 06 is hard pressed to surpass 3000fps.

[03trubluGT]

One of the main reasons it was unarmed. It would literally fly into anything it fired forward if it was at speed.

What happens if you shoot a bullet that goes 3,500 fps from a platform that is going 3,500 fps? Does it reach 7,000 fps. Let's ask the mythbusters!!!

[VETTKLR]

The Blackbird rocks your face!

[71chevellejohn]

What happens if you shoot a bullet that goes 3,500 fps from a platform that is going 3,500 fps? Does it reach 7,000 fps. Let's ask the mythbusters!!!

So, if the SR71 is on a treadmill...?

[Sean88gt]

An amazing plane and a damn shame it was shelved onto the heap of relics like it was.

[scootro]

this thread is full of win! thanks for posting

makes you wonder if they could build that in 1964 then whats out there now! lol...

[Vertnut]

this thread is full of win! thanks for posting

makes you wonder if they could build that in 1964 then whats out there now! lol...

I love the part in one of the articles that said it originally used two Buick Wildcat engines to start it up.

[46Tbird]

There was an armed interceptor version of the Blackbird called the YF-12. It used missiles, obviously, as its intended role was to shoot down other Mach 3+ aircraft.

But the Blackbirds were always intended to be stealthy, incredibly fast reconnaissance aircraft. They were expensive to maintain and fly. So now that we have spy satellites that can read handwriting, or monitor the movement of house windows to determine what is being discussed inside, we don't have much need for manned reconnaissance aircraft.

Those fuckers were amazing though... there are new stories coming out all the time.

[Grimpala]

I read somewhere that it leaked like a seive until it warmed up in flight.

[Ratt]

I read somewhere that it leaked like a seive until it warmed up in flight.

It did. It says that in the video, too.

[YALE]

Likely it is replaced by something out of skunkworks, like the Aurora with its SCRAMJET engine. It hasnt ever been confirmed, but there are giant budget "holes" of money and unexplained sonic booms in testing grounds to give you an idea that something is up there.

I'd bet green money most of that stuff is proof-of-concept work for DARPA and missle research. There's no point in a super-fast jet for recon work anymore.

[GrayStangGT]

What happens if you shoot a bullet that goes 3,500 fps from a platform that is going 3,500 fps? Does it reach 7,000 fps. Let's ask the mythbusters!!!

I'm no rocket surgeon, but I'm going with...no

[Grimpala]

It did. It says that in the video, too.

Didn't watch any of the vids yet, just something I remembered from way back.

[pHILSANITY07]

The Blackbird was a beast, like to see this and a Mig 25 race and see who had a better acceleration.