Xref: utzoo rec.aviation:12797 sci.space.shuttle:2507 Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!ames!ucsd!sdcsvax!trantor.harris-atd.com!x102c!ferguson From: ferguson@x102c.harris-atd.com (ferguson ct 71078) Newsgroups: rec.aviation,sci.space.shuttle Subject: Re: SR71 to be retired October 1st. Message-ID: <1665@trantor.harris-atd.com> Date: 9 Mar 89 18:45:46 GMT References: <524@gonzo.UUCP> <1475@petsd.UUCP> <13987@elroy.Jpl.Nasa.Gov> <6782@super.ORG> Sender: news@trantor.harris-atd.com Reply-To: mjt@super.UUCP (Michael J. Tighe) Organization: Harris GISD, Melbourne, FL Lines: 80 In article <6782@super.ORG> mjt@super.UUCP (Michael J. Tighe) writes: >In article <13987@elroy.Jpl.Nasa.Gov> david@elroy.Jpl.Nasa.Gov (David Robinson) writes: >>My dates may be wrong (so please don't flame me) but I was told once >>that the SR-71 first flew in 1962 and was known to the public until 1968. >>An ex roommate's father who was an Air Force mechanic at the time said that the >>flight line was always cleared on landing (always at night with no lights) >>and as soon as it stopped a tarp was thrown over it. So secret that he >>had no idea of what type of plane it was (i.e. boomer or recon). >> >This is not a flame. Lyndon Johnson leaked the existence of the A-12, (which >he called the A-11) on February 29, 1964. Then on July 24, 1964 he leaked >the existence of the RS-71, (which he called the SR-71), a plane dedicated >to recon. > >Ironically, when LBJ leaked the A-12, he used photos of the YF-12a, serial >number 60-6934. The speed records were on May 1, 1965, so it was clearly >in the public by then. >-- >------------- >Michael Tighe >internet: mjt@super.org > uunet: ...!uunet!super!mjt Well, LBJ didn't exactly "leak" the existence of the blackbird -- he announced it at a press conference! He announced it as the A-11 and it was left unclear whether it was a fighter or recon. The plane was originally intended as a recon plane but after Gary Powers got shot down over USSR and JFK promised no more overflights, the builders of the plane had political dilemma. They solved it by calling the plane a fighter even though it was clearly intended as a recon plane. There were abortive attempts to hang missles on it and reclassify it as the YF-12A but, personally speaking, I don't think these efforts were serious -- I believe they were just political damage control efforts. The politics of LBJ's announcement were interesting. Keep in mind the times: JFK had been assasinated four months earlier, the nation was still in shock, and there was an election in nine months. Also, the "Supersonic Transport race" was in progress. The SST race was like the "space race" with the Russians except the competition was Great Britain, France, and others who were probably considered more formidable competitors. The perception at the time was that the US was BEHIND in the SST race (seems like the US was behind in everything about that time). To make matters worse, the US was planning to build a mach 3 SST whereas the rest of the world was planning mach 2.5 SSTs. It was "common knowledge" that mach 3 put the US at a schedule disadvantage since such speeds required stainless steel or titanium aircraft and there had never been a titanium aircraft built before. Basic titanium metallurgy techniques were a mystery. So LBJ's announcement of the blackbird was laden with political objectives: o He wanted to divert national attention from the JFK assasination and convey a sense of "the world marches on". o He wanted to get some attention ("Hey, there's a new president in town. Look at me for cripes sake!"). After all, 1964 was an election year. o He wanted to make it know that (Oh, by the way) the blackbird was made of titanium and was already in flight testing Of course LBJ couldn't just come right out and say all that so he said he was making the blackbird public for the safety of airline pilots flying over Edwards who would no doubt be startled by its sighting. The only photo of the plane released to the press was a side view and there was considerable speculation as to its configuration, fuel load, weapons, etc. Some months later, techies from the various SST contractors were allowed to visit Lockheed's "Skunk Works" to get the low-down on titanium technology, etc. The plan worked -- the US was henceforth perceived as the leader in the SST race and the "we're ahead technology-wise" feeling probably helped LBJ in the '64 election. Politics and technology is a strange mixture. Chuck Ferguson Harris Government Information Systems Division (407) 984-6010 MS: W1/7732 PO Box 98000 Melbourne, FL 32902 Internet: ferguson@cobra@trantor.harris-atd.com uunet: uunet!x102a!x102c!ferguson