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Book Description Rarely an aircraft career has been analyzed so completely. This volume is a gripping account of missions flown by Lockheed SR 71 during its operational life, a tribute to a fantastic aircraft and its technological legacy. The book narrates the story of plane birth as replacement to the famous spyplane U2. The operational requirements leading to U2 first, than to SR71, shaped these two futuristic reconnaissance platforms; but for the SR71, the author provides full coverage of its development as a aircraft family (interceptor and bomber versions). After introducing the CIA operations and the past highly classified programs, progenitors of Blackbird, a detailed description of aircraft design characteristics is presented, finally a vivid picture of most secret engineering data concerning the equipments and aircraft systems. This is a fascinating reading itself, especially after being entertained by "Skunk Works", the autobiography of Ben Rich, former director of the Advanced Development Projects branch of Lockheed and longtime friend of Kelly Johnson , Blackbird's chief designer. The legacy left by these outstanding scientists is simply gigantic and the technical description of one of their creature is well worth the price. In fact a precious facet of the volume is the cockpits instruments panels, the cutaway view with general internal layout and the inlet (or intake, as Britons prefer) airflow diagram, the first time that such a complicated duct system is described and printed. Also revealed for the first time are the missions operated by Air Force to monitor the Soviet nuclear submarines pens in the Artic during the peak of cold war. After many years of silent and classified operations, the most impressive airplane ever built is discovered in this engrossing publication. The author delivers outstandingly the technological marvel and the faithful "day by day" care required by the personnel in maintaining the recce plarform a viable military program, a lasting portrait of men who flew and overhauled the almighty Blackbird before its untimely retirement. About the Author(s) Paul Crickmore - During his time as an air traffic controller at the London Air Traffic Control Centre, Paul Crickmore gained a unique introduction into SR-71 operations from RAF Mildenhall, Suffolk. Teaming up with Osprey produced the first detailed book ever to be published on the subject. When additional information became available to him in 1990 following the initial shut down of SR-71 operations, Crickmore produced an even more detailed book, Lockheed SR-71 The Secret Missions Exposed - the standard reference work on the subject. The work was acclaimed by both the aviation press, Ben Rich (late president of the Skunk Works) and the crews that flew the SR-71. |
Select another plane: - F-22 Raptor - Joint Strike Fighter - F-117 Nighthawk - B-2 Spirit - SR-71 Blackbird «Other books about the SR-71 Blackbird
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