Just saw the SR-71 (1 Viewer)

[alan halvorson]

I've seen the one in the Boeing Air Museum in Seattle a couple times - Greg: I thought that "third engine" was actually described as a drone?

There's also one at the Minnesota Air National Guard museum near the airport (in fact, it's an A-12, predecessor to the SR-71 - close enough for me - I don't know what the differences are). A few years ago they held an open cockpit event where anyone could sit in any of the planes, including the A-12 (the Seattle museum had a beat-up cockpit to the side you could sit in also). Pretty neat but there's no way in the world I could ever fit in the cockpit with the canopy down and I simply can't imagine anyone flying 2000+ mph for hours on end in such a small environment.

 

[Brian E]

Unfortunately Alan their is no MN ANG Museum right now. :frowning:

Their space was taken back by the ANG & NORAD as a result of the upgraded measures after Sept. 11th. They were given 4 days to vacate. All their stuff has been in storage since then. They did gain access to the space at the end of 2002, but it's undergone some remodeling & will take some time before it's ready to be a museum again.

It is/was a cool place. I was a member & volunteered out their when I was in High School way back when.

Greg: I thought that "third engine" was actually described as a drone?

Yep, the third "engine" is indeed a drone.

 

[Jack Briggs]

Dennis, since John Pike's name is associated with what you link I am inclined to take it seriously. But Aurora has always born the taint of "ufoism." It's something I would love to think exists. I can imagine what it must seem like to arc over the North Pole in a hypersonic air/spacecraft hurtling along at Mach 6. The thought is staggering.

 

[Chris Derby]

Speaking of backups to the sputnik, if anybody wants to buy one, they can get it here.

 

[Lee L]

Is that real? I added it to the basket and it did not say it had been bought. If I was a Dot Com millionaire, I would snap that think up in a second.

Also, for those in or traveling to NYC, there is an A-12 on the deck of the Intrepid museum that you can walk right up to.

 

[Randy_Sh]

Wright-Patt is an awesome experience. I considered the University of Dayton for college 'bout 10 years ago...the highlight of the trip for me was the afternoon we spent at the Air Museum...just loved it...had a ton of cool WW2 stuff there including my Dad's favorite the P-38 Lightning and even a MS-262 JET!

The hanger with the 117 and SR-71 was pretty cool as well.

Now drive past the SR-71 at the Richmond Museum every trip to the Airport...

Anybody been to any good AirShows lately...seems like when I was in middle school/high school (mid-late 80's/early 90's) there were a ton...remember going to many of the local Pittsburgh County shows. Allegheny County, Beaver, etc. Never made it out to Dayton for the show there though.

 

[Philip_G]

haven't been to any myself. I think a lot of the smaller ones have been done away with because of the additional security.. I might luck out and get sent to some of the larger ones later in the summer for work, we'll see, but probably not.

 

[Craig Robertson]

i listened to a radio show the other day where the host was doing a remote from Evergreen Aviation (where the original poster saw the SR-71). the folks at Evergreen said that they're working on getting a Concorde now that they're not running anymore.

with the new addition at Evergreen, I can't wait to head back out there. what i would really like to see, is the Spruce Goose airborne again...

 

[Philip_G]

if mr Smith wants a concorde, they'll get one

 

[Craig Robertson]

if mr Smith wants a concorde, they'll get one

he does have a way of getting what he wants.

 

[Grant B]

At the cape inside the resistricted launch area is a great missile Museum. Mostly hanger queens and such but they are just sitting there outside. The apollo launch pads are pretty cool too. They were still off limits to the general public last time I was there.