This is from a friend of mine that flew this bird. He's one of only 125 to ever do so.

https://youtu.be/dG6gnJc6XeU


Flying at the edge of space is quite different from flying from NYC - LA .

Truly amazing

The closest I've been to this aircraft was at my brother's AF Academy graduation ceremony. Unbelievable piece of American Engineering.

I've always been fascinated with this aircraft. Thanks for sharing the video.

(12-09-2016 01:06 PM)tigertom Wrote:  This is from a friend of mine that flew this bird. He's one of only 125 to ever do so.

https://youtu.be/dG6gnJc6XeU


Flying at the edge of space is quite different from flying from NYC - LA .

One of my co-workers at the airport worked on them while in the AF. How much I don't know. As far as I know he was a flight line maintenance man and those guys don't really work on them, they're really only like gas station attendants, they service them and help the pilot. The real work is done in the Repair and Reclamation hangars and a little in the Phase Dock hangars. Still, he can say he worked on them because it wouldn't be fake news it would be for real.

There used to be an A-12 Blackbird on display at the ANG museum here in Minneapolis, but the new security after 9/11 meant that the museum was closed more than it was open so the CIA stole the plane and put it on display at CIA HQ in Langley.

http://www.post-gazette.com/life/lifesty...0701260182

There is one on display in Huntsville, Al at the NASA Space Center, an Amazing Aircraft.

(12-09-2016 01:41 PM)CardFan1 Wrote:  There is one on display in Huntsville, Al at the NASA Space Center, an Amazing Aircraft.

yep, and you can get real up-close and personal with it. (or at least you could last time I was there.)

(12-09-2016 01:12 PM)South Carolina Duke Wrote:  The closest I've been to this aircraft was at my brother's AF Academy graduation ceremony. Unbelievable piece of American Engineering.

Very interesting. Many issues I would never have imagined being engineering problems.