March AFB

[Sin City Stan]

Originally Posted by Bull Durham

If I remember correctly, these planes (or plains if you're from Utah) when they were active, had to basically sit in like a 'drip pan', as the way there were built and of material that changed under speed and altitude, would drip fuel. I think it was because the material at supersonic speeds and altitude would actually change shape, so to speak. Would tighten up.

Does that make sense?

Signed,

Cliff Clavin

I don't know how much fluid they leak but the skin temp was said to approach 600F at speed, which I'm sure would cause the titanium to expand a bit.

[ballast]

You are correct Bull. They leaked fuel until they were at altitude and the skin would expand as it heated and seal.

[usranger74]

Originally Posted by Dave

I can't believe how big that puppy is. And still the fastest plane.

Dave - the "fastest" that we are allowed to know about.

I have it on good authority that this replaced it ::)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aurora_(aircraft)

[Bull Durham]

(quote) "The U.S. government has consistently denied such an aircraft was ever built. aerospaceweb.org concluded, "The evidence supporting the Aurora is circumstantial or pure conjecture, there is little reason to contradict the government's position."[1]


This was the same type of stuff the government used to say about the 'Blackbird', while it was still Top Secret

.

[ringadingh]

Ive heard that before also, they leaked until they were flying. Theyre still a awesome looking machine, even by todays standards.

[Yellow Jacket]

That's a nice little F-102 Convair Delta Dagger sitting on it's left. But, the Blackbird is the "BOSS!"

[blowndodge]

Bob there were many neat planes out there.

[Bull Durham]

BD, you're lucky. I've always wanted to go through one of those plane graveyards. Pretty neat stuff.

When the Black Bird leaked fuel, it was designed to do that on purpose. When it was sitting in the hangers, and at that time because of being Top Secret if it wasn't flying it was out of site in hangers, they would put drip pans underneath the plane to catch the fuel dripping out of it.

Absolutely beautiful plane

[blowndodge]

I sure was lucky!

The Blackbird is the only plane to use JP-7 fuel.

It's engines are one of a kind in that they use a 2 monster conventional turbine jet engines with standard fare combustion vanes to compress the fuel and as supersonic speeds approack the turbine compressor vanes close and is shielded for the supersonic intake airflow(they would melt) and the engine operates as a "ramjet" whereby the speed of Mach 3 air coming into the engines alone does the compression without any mechanical help.

Some high-tech sh*t right there!!

[cactusjack]

Originally Posted by Blowndodge "Darksider"

I sure was lucky!

The Blackbird is the only plane to use JP-7 fuel.

It's engines are one of a kind in that they use a 2 monster conventional turbine jet engines with standard fare combustion vanes to compress the fuel and as supersonic speeds approack the turbine compressor vanes close and is shielded for the supersonic intake airflow(they would melt) and the engine operates as a "ramjet" whereby the speed of Mach 3 air coming into the engines alone does the compression without any mechanical help.

Some high-tech sh*t right there!!

Yeah, and it's ancient technology by today's standards. Amazing. I may be quoting this wrong (memory not being what it used to be), but I seem to recall it flew coast-to-coast over the USA in 45 minutes with a running start.

[Dave]

Originally Posted by Bull Durham

BD, you're lucky.

Out at Chino airport there's the Plane of Fame museum.

http://www.planesoffame.org/

Lots of flyable WW2 and Korean vintage aircraft. They also have a single seat flying wing that Northrop developed for testing when they were developing the original wing back in the 40's.

We got to see it fly last year at their annual air show.

[glwilson]

The "flying-wing" design never was able to be accomplished to the degree they wanted because it was inherently unstable.

The closest I have read we came to having a functional "wing" plane were the stealth planes -- and even so, they technically were not "flying-wings".

Still love the concept though. Nothing but what is necessary to fly -- a wing!

Most have heard the shuttles have been retired and about to be replaced with the new space-craft. The new craft looks surprisingly close to the Aurora. I would guess the Aurora or something close to it has been around for awhile -- especially given the years of photos of the "mysterious" contrails in the shape of "donuts". Some sort of pulse-combustion system I suppose. ;)

[Sin City Stan]

Originally Posted by cactusjack

but I seem to recall it flew coast-to-coast over the USA in 45 minutes with a running start.

I remember the same info for a coast to coast flight. It's was compared to shooting a 30-06 round across the Country except the blackbird would get there 10 minutes ahead of the bullet.

[Sin City Stan]

Originally Posted by usranger74

Dave - the "fastest" that we are allowed to know about.

I have it on good authority that this replaced it ::)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aurora_(aircraft)

That thing is more of a sub-orbital spacecraft than a plane.

[chucks1911]

Man I love planes. Been to Wright-Pat a few times. I could spend days there. Made the mistake of taking the wife once. For some reason she was a bit less enthusiastic than I was. :(