High res virtual tour of SR-71 blackbird cockpit

[MrRiplEy[H]]

http://nmusafvirtualtour.com/media/068/SR-71A%20Front%20Cockpit.html

[Gman]

Thumbs up, good post. 

I recently read a book written by an SR71 pilot, he's doing a lot of speaking engagements, and has the largest collection of Blackbird photos around, many of which he took himself.  Very interesting missions in that thing to read about.

I always wondered about the perfectly bisected front window, with that pillar there, did the pilot just lean towards his dominant eye and mainly look out that side, or did he just sort of focus around it, or what?  Always wondered that, I'm sure somebody here knows, as it hasn't been covered in any of the books I've read about the Sr71 or other fighters with a similar set up.

Amazing technology, considering it was built over 40 years ago.  The cameras are what's spooky tech, the res they could pull back then makes me think current ISR and sat tech means they can count freckles now.

[Dragon Tamer]

 

[Sombra]

Recently a pilot and soon after an RSO answered users questions in one of reddit's "ask me anything" (AMA). I remember them saying top speed of SR-71 is classified, but also that they knew fellow pilots that took  the plane to mach 3.4.

http://www.reddit.com/r/SR71/

BTW, a complement to your virtual cockpit I've just found (It's the same pilot that answered questions on reddit)

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=674_1391299493

[saggs]

I've wanted to get a copy of Brian Shul's book "Sled Driver" for years.  Sadly it is out of print and remaining copies are going for several hundred dollars.  I have read bits and pieces of it though.

As for the top speed.

So how fast does the SR-71 really go.......?
The fastest published speed of the SR is Mach 3.5. There are several factors that limit the speed of the SR, one is the shock waves generated by various parts of the plane, at around Mach 3.6- 3.8 the shock wave off the nose of the aircraft narrows enough to go into the engine, while there is the inlet spike (which slows the air to subsonic before it enters the engine), the shock wave bypasses the spike and causes the engine to unstart.

Second is the heat generated by the plane moving through the atmosphere, even titanium has it's limits, and the heat generated by the SR brings the fuselage to the brink. Just recently I found out that during a Lockheed Skunk Works study to see how much money and development it would take to get the SR to go faster than it's designed top speed 3.2- 3.5, the designers discovered (among other things) that the metal divider between the windshield was heating up so much above mach 3.5 that it was affecting the integrity of the windshield, and at that point they had stretched the glass technology to the max! So Mach 3.2 to a max of 3.5.

Now according to Richard Graham: "The design Mach number of the SR-71 is 3.2 Mach. When authorized by the Commander, speeds up to Mach 3.3 may be flown if the CIT limit of 427 degrees C. is not exceeded. I have heard of crews reaching 3.5 Mach inadvertently, but that is the absolute maximum I am aware of."

from: http://www.blackbirds.net/

[Nypsy]

 

[aztec]

 

[rpm]

There's a bunch of 360 cockpit views on there. P-40, B-36 and more. Cool stuff.