Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!att!cbnews!military
From: bruce@saturn.cs.swin.oz.au (Bruce Donaldson)
Newsgroups: sci.military
Subject: SR-71 Blackbird question
Message-ID: <1990Sep27.031756.7889@cbnews.att.com>
Date: 27 Sep 90 03:17:56 GMT
Sender: military-request@att.att.com
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories
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Approved: military@att.att.com



From: bruce@saturn.cs.swin.oz.au (Bruce Donaldson)


I am not totally familiar with aircraft capabilities, atmosphere conditions
and the like and was hoping you could satisfy my curiosity.

I once heard a story that the Blackbird could literally undergo
a "burn up on re-entry" type accident. At first I thought this extremely
far fetched, but upon hearing of the plane's fantastic altitude 
(80,000 ft plus ?) and speed (literally faster than a lee-enfield Mk4 bullet) 
I began to wonder. 

Then I discovered that the pilots suits are not
your average G-suit, but are so over designed you could probably use
them for space suits (though not Extra Vehicular Activity). By now I'm
really doubting my original assumptions.

A shallow dive could presuamably build up sufficient energy so that a rapid
climb could convert this to additional height. I know that you
don't have to reach vacuum to  "burn up on re-entry" so the plane needn't be
space-capable. 

Any thoughts or facts ?

Thanx for any replies - Bruce.