Talk of The Villages Florida - View Single Post - SR-71 Blackbird Ground Speed Check
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Old 11-13-2014, 08:10 PM
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Awesome. And the radio comments were not actually completely accurate. You can hear what the controllers are saying and you can broadcast in both, although not supposed to unless absolutely required. But that was a requirement in their case.

I saw the SR-71 at Nellis as well. Fantastic airplane. I was an F-111 driver. My awesome moments were to bet those navy jocks that I could be at 50K before them. And I was always up there waiting. Got a few Mirimar tee shirts from those bets.

Because the F-111 was designed to carry nukes and go in at tree top, go vertical to 50,000, drop then get out of Dodge, it's vertical rate of climb speed was spectacular. But then they invented the cruise missile and it was obsolete. Retrofitted with many different missile systems, but it's primary design criteria was for a different mission.

But yes I would say it was fun. Loved every minute of it.
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