Once in a lifetime find!

[RAD2LTR]

Re: Once in a lifetime find!

Is that one aircraft at the Boeing museum actually a CIA A-12 Blackbird?

Yes, it was one of the original A12s, however the Q-bay behind the pilot was modified to hold a second person (launch control officer) for the drone. All the original A12s were single seat. There are a few other small differences between an A12 and an SR71. The two most notable are the pointed nose, and the tail tip/fuel dump exit. On the SR71 the nose is wider as it blends into the chines, and the fuel dump protrudes further back. The fuel dump is the easiest way to tell an A12 from an SR because its nearly flush with the trailing edge of the wings. The pointed nose is harder to tell, but its noticeable if you look head on.

Will

[AirDOGGe]

Re: Once in a lifetime find!

I am not understanding. These items are up on E-bay while ALL the retired Australian Air Force F-111's are to be chopped up and destroyed, later to be buried at a classified location due to technology transfer concerns ?

Why would they bury the scrap when simply melting everything down for recycling would do as well?

I've never heard of aircraft parts being buried except under toxic reasons, such as becoming radioactive after some form of nuclear-related testing or accident.

[King]

Re: Once in a lifetime find!

Why would they bury the scrap when simply melting everything down for recycling would do as well?

I've never heard of aircraft parts being buried except under toxic reasons, such as becoming radioactive after some form of nuclear-related testing or accident.

See article from Australia -

http://www.couriermail.com.au/questn...-1226204896564

[RAD2LTR]

Re: Once in a lifetime find!

Why would they bury the scrap when simply melting everything down for recycling would do as well?

I've never heard of aircraft parts being buried except under toxic reasons, such as becoming radioactive after some form of nuclear-related testing or accident.

They tried to burn the remains of Sr71 978 (aka "Rapid Rabbit") at Kadena in '72 after it crashed on landing (severe crosswind with 0 visibility). The remains are still there burried at the end of one of the runways. I think there is one of the early SRs burried under the horse stables at Edwards as well.

Will

[AirDOGGe]

Re: Once in a lifetime find!

They tried to burn the remains of Sr71 978 (aka "Rapid Rabbit") at Kadena in '72 after it crashed on landing...

Will

SR-71s are mainly made of high-temp titanium with a melting point around 3000 degrees F. I think some stainless steels are onboard too in the engine nacelle area.

F-111s are the subject of this dump&bury topic, a plane whose airframes are mainly aluminum, a metal which melts at a much lower temp (1100-1200 deg F), within the range of liquid fuel or even wood fires.

See article from Australia -

http://www.couriermail.com.au/questn...-1226204896564

Well, I clicked the link, read the text and watched the video, but I still haven't seen nor heard a reason WHY they weren't melted down and recycled , as obsolete aircraft usually are. Such a waste of a lot of good re-usable material.

It DID say the good ol' USA instructed them on how to dismantle the planes. I assume that was to preserve portions considered too confidential to stick in the ground so some baddie could dig it up later. it didn't say WHY bury and not melt-down the remains, or "hulks" as they called them.


Is it some sort of anti-pollution issue?