[MilCom] "BLACKBIRD" SR-71

Mon Nov 24 19:03:51 EST 2008

Thanks, glad you enjoyed it.  Not sure about the time frame
but I think during Vietnam B52's might also have staged out
of Anderson AFB in Guam (working from memory, hope that's 
right) and there might have been another BUFF base or two.

On the "saving your bacon" dept. - I've known a number of guys 
who served over there who have said much the same, and about
the ability to call in other airstrikes as well.  BUFF's were
NOT a "surgical" instrument but if one became aware of a large
troop or equipment concentration in an area that needed to be
taken out, a few 52's loaded up with iron dumb bombs would
do the trick.  From high altitudes, those bombs would dig
in pretty deep before blowing up and so crap would be thrown
all over the place and thoroughly wrecked or killed.  Yeah,
the NV's had a knack for bypassing those areas after the fact
and repairing cheap bridges and roads fairly quickly but whatever
was there DURING the strike was toast.  

They were pretty big targets, though.........and in spite of 
some of what I have written below, a bnuch of 52's taking off
from anywhere could be passed on as a general alert that 
somebody was going to get nailed and that SAM sites should
go on alert to be ready to shoot.

Yeah, I'm stumped by the oddball photo security thing as well,
ALTHOUGH.......I can tell you that during the "SAC years"
there were a lot of security issues which today seem like
cold war paranoia over trivia.  It's been stated that B52
photos were "controlled" because of the fact that the landing gear
allowed for some angle changes to account for crosswinds 
and so forth, and that this was considered a security issue.

Also, my recollection is telling me that B52D's with "Big Belly"
gear were frequently used over Vietnam, and while the most 
common payload was simple dumb bombs there could have been
other stuff which might have telegraphed possible targets.
Those BUFF's used the underwing pylon locations just outboard
from the fuselage to increase the bomb load above what could be
carried in the bomb bays alone.  Said pylon mounts have carried
quite a variety of stuff over the years and across certain
models of B52. While I can't say with certainty (and having just
recently moved across town with a lot of stuff sitting in boxes...
and a number of aviation books currently AWOL as a result) there
might have been some drone carriage done.  It seems clear that 
a LOT of recon drones were used over Vietnam, and were popular
targets for AA gunners who did get quite a few of them, again - 
photos of drones ON the 52's might have been a sensitive issue.
While I think that C130's probably did most of the airborne drone
launching, there were some fairly more "black" drones that may
also have been considered off limits to cameras.  Speculation,
of course....

My guess from what I have read and what I have been told, is
that in most cases there was VERY little about capabilities
that you could discern just from looking at or photographing
a Blackbird.  Certainly, one might notice certain types of 
chine bay lower covers where they were different for either 
oblique viewing cameras vs. side-looking radars.  With noses
being interchangeable, the nose that had the OBC (Optical Bar
Camera) would be a dead giveaway of a photo mission.  Certainly
agents of a foreign power who were instructed in these kinds of
items could have gleaned that much information but as to 
anything else, about all you'd know was that this was no
ordinary aircraft.  A knowledgeable observer would clearly know
that this was a bird meant for *speed*.....and one might deduce
*altitude*......but aside from that just looking at the airframe
doesn't give away much.  The all-black paint scheme also covers 
many things......if you see some of the museum birds up close and
you are really looking for "stuff", you'd note that in certain
places there are slightly odd looking panels and given that
they look like "plastic", they are probably locations of either
receive or transmit antennas either for RHAW, IFF or ECM gear.
But you can't see those from any distance and even up close
their purpose isn't specifically revealed.

So just the very design of the Blackbird tells you it is special
and probably designed for spying but there's nothing hanging
on it to tell you a whole lot more.  Sort of "visual stealth" :-).

Duane

--- On Mon, 11/24/08, John-RC Flyer <johnk1rc at verizon.net> wrote:

> From: John-RC Flyer <johnk1rc at verizon.net>
> Subject: Re: [MilCom] "BLACKBIRD" SR-71
> To: "milcom" <milcom at mailman.qth.net>, wb9omc at yahoo.com
> Date: Monday, November 24, 2008, 9:04 AM
> Duane,
>  
> Excellent overview of the Blackbird...  When I was
> stationed in Okinawa in '68/'69,
> there were 2 SR-71's at Kadena AFB. 
> The one bird that was lost was out of Kadena, if I remember
> rightly.
> We used to sit at the end of the runway and watch them take
> off.. 
> We had to use alot of cotton for our ears....... They were
> loud!!!!
>  
> The MP's would let us photograph the SR-71's, but
> wouldn't let us take pix of
> the B-52's taking off (loaded) on strike missions. Go
> figure.....
> The B52's sure saved out bacon a few times in 'Nam
> ('66-'68). We always 
> wondered where they came from. Glad they were on our
> side.....
>  
> Anyway, great reading.
> 73,
> John   K1RC
> 
> 
> --- On Mon, 11/24/08, Duane Mantick
> <wb9omc at yahoo.com> wrote:
> 
> From: Duane Mantick <wb9omc at yahoo.com>
> Subject: Re: [MilCom] "BLACKBIRD" SR-71
> To: "milcom" <milcom at mailman.qth.net>
> Date: Monday, November 24, 2008, 6:25 AM
> 
> That was quite a delightful presentation!!!  I have always
> enjoyed reading
> Blackbird stuff when it comes from those who actually flew
> it, as I think they
> have a unique perspective.
> //snip//
> That's a thumbnail on the subject; there are some
> excellent books available
> on the subject that give considerable detail.
> 
> Duane
> 
> 
> 
> --- On Tue, 11/18/08, Jack Nesmith
> <jnesmith2 at cfl.rr.com> wrote:
> 
> > From: Jack Nesmith <jnesmith2 at cfl.rr.com>
> > Subject: [MilCom] "BLACKBIRD" SR-71
> > To: "milcom" <milcom at mailman.qth.net>
> > Date: Tuesday, November 18, 2008, 11:10 AM
> > http://www.greatdanepromilitary.com/SR-71/index.htm
> > 
> > 
> > Jack
> > Deltona, FL
> >
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