Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!att!cbnews!military From: munnari!vaxa.uwa.OZ.AU!G_AHRENDT@uunet.uu.net Newsgroups: sci.military Subject: Blackbirds, etc Message-ID: <14301@cbnews.ATT.COM> Date: 25 Feb 90 06:12:07 GMT Sender: military@cbnews.ATT.COM Lines: 44 Approved: military@att.att.com From: munnari!vaxa.uwa.OZ.AU!G_AHRENDT@uunet.uu.net >The YF-12C was an SR-71A (64-17951). It was "detuned" for NASA use. Since >it was an SR-71A it did not have a dual cockpit, I doubt it was used as a >trainer. Incorrect, the YF-12C was 60-6937, it's fuselage was lengthened to provide for a dual canopy not cockpit and extra fuel and it served as the prototype for the SR-71. >There was only one SR-71A that was converted to SR-71B specifications. It >was 64-17956. The only other dual cockpit aircraft in the family were an A- >12 (60-6927), and an SR-71C (64-17981) which was constructed from parts of >a YF-12A (60-6934). Also incorrect, two SR-71A's were converted to SR-71B's : 64-17956 & 64-17951. You are also incorrect in saying that 60-6927 was a A-12 as it was an A-11. And again in saying that the SR-71C was constructed from the original YF-12A 60-6934, as it was a converted and electronically updated SR-71A 64-17981. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- >I have seen photos of the YF-12A carrying one of the drone look-alikes between >its canted-in verticals, and it definitely had a bare-metal/black paint scheme >on it. These were A-11's not YF-12A's, two of which were capable of carrying a GTD-21 Oxcart drone aircraft powered by a Marquardt ramjet. 40ft*17ft, 38 constructed between 64-69, they look similar to the J-58 engine pods. The drone could carry either reconnaissance sensors or a nuclear weapon. After a collision incident, the ramjet was replaced with a rocket booster and transferred to B-52's in Project Tagboard over SE Asia. Note that the Blackbird's are painted in a special high-emissivity dark blue paint that looks black. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- >The next time any of you YF-12 fans are near the Dayton, Ohio area, >the Air Force Museum at Wright Patterson Air Force Base in nearby >Fairborn has a YF-12 on display. Rumor has it that they will receive >one of the decommissioned SR-71s as well. The only remaining XB-70 >is parked nearby. If you're into aircraft, this is one "must-see" >place. When was the Valkyrie moved from the Strategic Aerospace Museum in Belevue Nebraska which also houses a B-36! B-58! B-29 B-47 & B-17?