BSR-71

[Valkpilot]

One thing I all ways wondered was that given it's success, no one thought to scale-up the SR-71 into a bomber the way Boeing scaled up the B-47 to the B-52. About the closest we came was the XB-70, which was able to cruise at Mach 3, but was cancelled due in part to improves SAMs. This also put to lie the Blackbird's alleged max speed of Mach 3, because if they were afraid of the Valk getting shot down at that speed, why wouldn't the SR-71 be equally vulnerable?

[F22trainer]

:Cool: The SR-71 actually outran the missiles...
by the time it was detected, the Blackbird was already out of range.

[Valkpilot]

:Cool: The SR-71 actually outran the missiles...
by the time it was detected, the Blackbird was already out of range.

Precisely! And first they had to find it because of it's relatively low RCS. Now just double the length and width, add two more engines, and some bomb bays.

[boomer108]

The SR-71 was a awesome plane, I saw them taking off many times out of Mildenhall RAF when I was TDY there. Also had a chance to mid air refuel one when I was checked out on the Q model KC-135'S.

[Valkpilot]

The SR-71 was a awesome plane, I saw them taking off many times out of Mildenhall RAF when I was TDY there. Also had a chance to mid air refuel one when I was checked out on the Q model KC-135'S.

When I was flying from Clark AFB in the Philippines to LA, the plane stopped in Okinawa and as we were taxiing to the refueling area one taxied past us and took off.

[Hoomi]

When I was flying from Clark AFB in the Philippines to LA, the plane stopped in Okinawa and as we were taxiing to the refueling area one taxied past us and took off.

I was on TDY to Kadena AB in Okinawa, around 1978-79. The techs stationed there told us to watch for a KC-135 taking off, because one would always precede a Habu launch. Because the SR-71 was a "wet-wing" aircraft, with the tanks essentially not being fully sealed until the plane started heating up from air friction, they would always refuel mid-air after take-off, before speeding away on their mission.

I was able to watch a couple of them leave while I was there.

Possibly one reason for not creating a bomber version of the SR-71, is how hot it became during its flight. High temperatures and high explosives isn't always a good mix.

[Valkpilot]

I was on TDY to Kadena AB in Okinawa, around 1978-79. The techs stationed there told us to watch for a KC-135 taking off, because one would always precede a Habu launch. Because the SR-71 was a "wet-wing" aircraft, with the tanks essentially not being fully sealed until the plane started heating up from air friction, they would always refuel mid-air after take-off, before speeding away on their mission.

I was able to watch a couple of them leave while I was there.

Possibly one reason for not creating a bomber version of the SR-71, is how hot it became during its flight. High temperatures and high explosives isn't always a good mix.

But the Oxcart was supposed to be an interceptor. And all those cameras and electronics were very heat sensitive too.

[Hoomi]

True, but cameras and electronic sensor arrays aren't as likely to explode in huge fireballs if the heat gets to them. :Scared:

I've never read if heat was an issue on the Valkyrie.

[F22trainer]

True, but cameras and electronic sensor arrays aren't as likely to explode in huge fireballs if the heat gets to them. :Scared:

I've never read if heat was an issue on the Valkyrie.

There was a reason it was called “the paint stripper”...

[Aros]

Sign me up!

[Hoomi]

Sign me up!

Okay - is that something Lockheed actually made, or someone having fun with image-manipulation?

[Aros]

Unfortunately the latter. ;)

[Hoomi]

It's hard to tell sometimes, with some of the bizarre ideas experimented with over the years.

[Aros]

Most definitely!

[Valkpilot]

It's got to be fake because it's a Lockheed product, not North American:

[Valkpilot]

True, but cameras and electronic sensor arrays aren't as likely to explode in huge fireballs if the heat gets to them. :Scared:

I've never read if heat was an issue on the Valkyrie.

As F22 said, just the paint. And it never carried live ordinance. But the B-58 and B-1A did at Mach 2+, with the Hustler's hanging out.

[VOODOO]

In the early 1960s the airframe that eventually morphed into the SR-71 was conceived as a next generation interceptor designated the YF-12. In addition to my primary duty of a F101B interceptor pilot, my extra duty was Squadron Intelligence Officer for the 49th FIS based at Griffiss AFB, in Rome,NY. I gave mission capabilities briefings on the YF-12. The main reason that this airframe was not practical as a bomber was the problem of weapon delivery. In order to maintain it's stealth signature,as well as the ability to withstand the skin temperatures, weapons had to be transported internally. At the speed this plane maintained it was causing some difficulties in launching missiles,much less trying to drop an unpowered bomb from an internal bomb bay.

[Aros]

That is some inside info coolness right there! I often marvel at the backgrounds of many in this community.

[Valkpilot]

In the early 1960s the airframe that eventually morphed into the SR-71 was conceived as a next generation interceptor designated the YF-12. In addition to my primary duty of a F101B interceptor pilot, my extra duty was Squadron Intelligence Officer for the 49th FIS based at Griffiss AFB, in Rome,NY. I gave mission capabilities briefings on the YF-12. The main reason that this airframe was not practical as a bomber was the problem of weapon delivery. In order to maintain it's stealth signature,as well as the ability to withstand the skin temperatures, weapons had to be transported internally. At the speed this plane maintained it was causing some difficulties in launching missiles,much less trying to drop an unpowered bomb from an internal bomb bay.

Well that lets the cat out of the bag on the speed rating. And I just thought of something. Anything released from that plane at that speed and altitude wouldn't need any explosives, it would be a kinetic weapon.
But what about modern materials, such as composites?

[VOODOO]

One thing I all ways wondered was that given it's success, no one thought to scale-up the SR-71 into a bomber the way Boeing scaled up the B-47 to the B-52. About the closest we came was the XB-70, which was able to cruise at Mach 3, but was cancelled due in part to improves SAMs. This also put to lie the Blackbird's alleged max speed of Mach 3, because if they were afraid of the Valk getting shot down at that speed, why wouldn't the SR-71 be equally vulnerable?

Not trying to be critical, but the B52 was not in any way a scaled up B47. Firstly, the B47 was a much earlier design from Lockheed, while the B52 came off Boeing's drawing boards. One failing of the B47 was that operated very close to it's "coffin corner" between a high speed stall and it's low speed stall, making it like flying on a tightrope, similar to the U2 at it's extreme altitude limits.