Back to the main page

Mailing List Logs for ShadowRN

Message no. 1
From: The Deb Decker <RJR96326@****.UTULSA.EDU>
Subject: SR-71 Replacement
Date: Sun, 18 Jul 1993 11:41:43 -0500
I kinda assumed that, for spying purposes anyway, the Stealth Fighter
(complete with highly accesorized camera and gold lame' purse) was
going to replace the SR-71's spy mission role.

J Roberson
Message no. 2
From: "Robert A. Hayden" <hayden@*******.MANKATO.MSUS.EDU>
Subject: Re: SR-71 Replacement
Date: Sun, 18 Jul 1993 11:52:03 -0500
On Sun, 18 Jul 1993, The Deb Decker wrote:

> I kinda assumed that, for spying purposes anyway, the Stealth Fighter
> (complete with highly accesorized camera and gold lame' purse) was
> going to replace the SR-71's spy mission role.


The problem with the F-117A is the fact that, as I understand it, it isn't
capable of either supersonic or high-altitude flight.

The SR-71 flew at MACH 3+ and some rediculous height (not sure, but
100,000 feets seems to come to mind). At the altitude the SR-71 flew, it
had only a 5 MPH window. Too fast and it would overheat, too slow and
it would stall. As a matter of fact, the aircraft was designed so that it
leaked fuel on the ground, but once it got into the air and started
flying, air friction heated the airframe enough that it expanded, plugging
the holes.

(I think I watch Wings too much)

{[> Robert A. Hayden ____ hayden@*******.mankato.msus.edu <]}
{[> \ /__ hayden@****.cs.mankato.msus.edu <]}
{[> \/ / aq650@****.INS.CWRU.Edu <]}
{[> #include <std_disclaimer.h> \/ <]}
-=-=-
GEEK CODE v1.0.1: GSS d- -p+(---) c++(++++) l++ u++ e+(*) m++(*)@ s-/++
n-(---) h+(*) f+ g+ w++ t++ r++ y+(*)

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Random Thought:

"I've finally learned what `upward compatible' means. It means we
get to keep all our old mistakes."
-- Dennie van Tassel
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Message no. 3
From: Richard Pieri <ratinox@***.NEU.EDU>
Subject: Re: SR-71 Replacement
Date: Sun, 18 Jul 1993 22:56:27 EDT
>>>>> "Robert" == Robert A Hayden
<hayden@*******.mankato.msus.edu> writes:

> I kinda assumed that, for spying purposes anyway, the Stealth Fighter
> (complete with highly accesorized camera and gold lame' purse) was
> going to replace the SR-71's spy mission role.

Robert> The problem with the F-117A is the fact that, as I understand it,
Robert> it isn't capable of either supersonic or high-altitude flight.

Bingo! Let's put it this way: from everything I've heard about the "Aurora"
it has a ceiling of over 100,000 feet, can supercruise without afterbuners
at Mach 3.5+, and has a top speed of over Mach 5. The F-117A has a top
speed of around Mach 1.5, with a ceiling of around 60,000 feet.

And BTW, everything Robert says about the SR-71 is true. It's top speed was
around Mach 3.5 after it was declassified.

And no, you don't watch Wings *too* much. But maybe I read rec.aviation.
military too much :-).

Rat <ratinox@***.neu.edu> Northeastern's Stainless Steel Rat
PGP Public Key Block available upon request Ask about rat-pgp.el v1.6
||||| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |||||
Love is a snowmobile racing across the tundra and then suddenly it flips over,
pinning you underneath. At night, the ice weasels come.
--Nietzsche [or Matt Groening]

Further Reading

If you enjoyed reading about SR-71 Replacement, you may also be interested in:

Disclaimer

These messages were posted a long time ago on a mailing list far, far away. The copyright to their contents probably lies with the original authors of the individual messages, but since they were published in an electronic forum that anyone could subscribe to, and the logs were available to subscribers and most likely non-subscribers as well, it's felt that re-publishing them here is a kind of public service.

Thwap!