At the limit of FS

[ozzy72]

Polcat check your messages

[kipman725]

Awsome shots
I also have that model.. it's as realistic as FS can do.  Any news of updates?

the sr-71 was retired in quite mysterious circumstances. my memorys a little fuzzy and so some detials may be off

The sr-71 was retired sudenly and many senetors objected as how were they to take satilight photos if it was cloudy?
some the senetors that objected then had a closed doors meeting with the people who had decided to retire the SR-71 and the campain to keep the sr-71 flying fizzled out.  

[polcat]

The altered VC is so much better than that of the original!  It's so much more realistic.  There's one thing I can't stand about flightsimming is that there are so many addons that are definitely unreal.  A HUD in the blackbird is not as real as it gets!

[beaky]

Awsome shots
I also have that model.. it's as realistic as FS can do.  Any news of updates?

the sr-71 was retired in quite mysterious circumstances. my memorys a little fuzzy and so some detials may be off

The sr-71 was retired sudenly and many senetors objected as how were they to take satilight photos if it was cloudy?
some the senetors that objected then had a closed doors meeting with the people who had decided to retire the SR-71 and the campain to keep the sr-71 flying fizzled out.  

The SR-71 generally operated well above any clouds, so there's no advantage there over satellite photos. Infrared imagery might work better at closer range , so maybe that's the reason they were upset.
I think they got built more for their value as research platforms for many other  kinds of studies of high-speed, high-altitude ops- especially fighter- and missile-safe delivery of nuclear weapons, which was what the original notion behind the project was, if I remember correctly.

[maulepilot117]

Yankee logic  ???
So when will we be expecting Boeing to launch their 707 again to replace the 787  ;D

If I remember correctly they are still a couple around being used as test beds for new engine projects.   One in particular used the SR-71 as the test bed for new scramjet technology.


Ozzy, we might need to check you into a hospital...the lack of aircraft in usual attitudes is disturbing

[simonmd]

Great shots, love the Blackbird! What model is it, the Pilots one?

[quote]

The SR-71 generally operated well above any clouds, so there's no advantage there over satellite photos. Infrared imagery might work better at closer range , so maybe that's the reason they were upset.
I think they got built more for their value as research platforms for many other

[HABU]

Just to clarify a couple of things. The SR-71 in its later years mid eighties until retirement had a radar nose so cloud wasn't an issue, nor was time of day. Earlier the SR had to appear over the 'target' at a certain time of day to provide a level of ground shadowing and contrast for the people who analysed the imagery. This radar capability meant they could get great detail day or night whatever the weather.

Also there are no airworthy SR-71s. The last SR-71s at Edwards were sent to museums a couple of years back.

The key advantage over satellites was that they were timely. You could get an SR-71 over or adjacent to a 'target' in less time than you could get a satellite rocketed around in orbit over the territory you want imagery of. A rockets propellant is limited once in orbit.

The fact that the General in charge of Desert Storm requested how long it would take to reactivate a Blackbird, and again after 9-11 the Pentagon asked if it was possible to bring back SR-71s shows what a mistake its retirements were.

The main reason for the loss of favour with the SR-71 was that the the air force was paying for a program that provided them with nothing. The results from SR-71 missions in the later years were used more by the US Navy and the National Reconnaissance Office than the USAF.

In the ideal world the aircraft should've been considered a national asset and paid for accordingly.

I recommend the two books on the SR-71 by Rich Graham (Ex Colonel and SR pilot) and the superb complete historical/technical breakdown in Paul Crickmores SR-71 books.

Sorry but I'm a fanatic as you can see  ::)