For The Military Aviation Buffs:

[Indiana George]

A very cool tribute to the SR-71 and the men who flew them.

Enjoy.

http://www.greatdanepromilitary.com/SR-71/index.htm

 

[Jim in Wisconsin]

Cool aircraft! I worked for Sundstrand aviation in the late 60's and early 70's. They built a component for the SR-71. I was on a team that dealt with spare parts program. To be on this team, I had to get a top secret clearance because one could figure out how many there were. The film said there were 40, I figured 36. There was some overlap with the A12, but IIRC there weren't 40.

 

[M29since14]

(What else can you say?)

 

[Sverre]

George, thanx for the great link.

I'm surprised that there was no mention in the show of the A-12 Oxcart, the single-seat predecessor flown by the CIA. There's an A-12 mounted on a pylon in the CIA parking lot in McLean, VA. Damn! what a trophy that would make for me as a mail box adornment.

Incidentally, [shameless plug] any brave AVN buffs who make it to Tucson in Southern Arizona must visit the Pima Air & Space Museum sited just south of town, near the huge Davis-Monthan AFB Aircraft Reclamation Center ("The Bone Pile"). Besides the SR-71 (all stripped down, of course), you'll see most every other post-war US plane, and some Russkis too, on display. And you can, for a nomiunal fee, get on board the bus and get an exclusive bus tour of "The Boneyard" that will astound you (google it on Google Earth for a quickie flyover). Some time in the future PA&SM will finish assembling one of the few remaining B-36 bombers and have it on display - BIG is the word.

Great plane and great men.
Cheers,
Sverre