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Groom Lake (A-51) & Project Oxcart

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What an absolute gem. I would have thought that even within the Skunkworks, all photography would have been prohibited. Anyway, it's amazing this stuff has been sitting in a box untouched for a long time, to be discovered and generously donated for public viewing. This aircraft was just amazing. Am I right in thinking it used to leak somewhat until it up at altitude? Something to do with the tolerances being so tight when in flight, but down on the ground it used to leak oil or fuel or something. It may have been the B-2 or something but certainly a top-secret aircraft, now declassified.

You have to laugh at the 12th pic down, on front of the truck is a large sign saying 'WIDE LOAD' which is utterly dwarfed by the load itself. Like that sign was needed at all! A bit like a water boiler for coffee/tea that says 'caution, hot liquid' - like DOH!

Great link Don, thanks man.:)
 
Goggs Mackay said:
What an absolute gem. Am I right in thinking it used to leak somewhat until it up at altitude? Something to do with the tolerances being so tight when in flight, but down on the ground it used to leak oil or fuel or something.



Great link Don, thanks man.:)
Click to expand...

Yes Goggs, you are correct. The skin of the aircraft had to reach supersonic speed, heat up and with the heat came expansion and the aircraft "sealed up." They would only put enough fuel in the aircraft to get it up there they it would "top off" from an in-flight fuel plane. I saw the SR-71 flying in and out of Kadena Air Force Base in Okinawa and brother .. was that a sight! And by the way ... you are welcome!

Decker
 
I knew there was something to do with leaks.

Lucky you getting to see that beauty in action. Closest story I have is that I was at an airshow in Midland, Tx in about 2006. Plenty of WWII aircraft (it was put on by some society that keeps war planes in working condition) and they kept one particular aircraft a secret until it was literally about to come into view. It was an F117 Stealth and what a beauty it is! The pilot banked hard as he traversed the route of the runway, so the crowd could get to see it in all its' glory. Truly a weird looking thing and I got a great buzz thinking that 20 years before, this aircraft was as secret as they come.
I wonder if the Serbs ever back-engineered the skin of the stealth fighter that was downed during the Balkan conflict? I remember that a lot of the aircraft was intact and there were pictures of the Serbian military gloating over pieces of the fuselage, knowing full well that the composition of the skin played a huge part in the small radar cross-section, along with the angles of the outside of the craft.
While we are on the subject of jets and the Balkans, I remember Cpt Scott O'Grady, who ejected from his F-16 and managed to escape and evade pursuing forces until he was rescued by some US Marines. He was so magnanimous on return saying, 'I'm no hero, if you want heroes, talk to the marines who came to rescue me' - what a guy, and in the best traditions of those who go through adversity, was quick not to take the glory but spread it around (quite rightly) amongst all those involved.
I'll bet he was grateful for the SARRS training that special forces and pilots must go through - it's not at all pleasant but absolutely necessary for guys downed in enemy territory. And salute.:)
 
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