Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird by goodoleboy
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Description
Captured on film back in April 2001, on Visitor's Day at the March AFB Museum in Riverside, CA., the same day and place I took pics of the famed P-38 interceptor and B-29 bomber, which are on display in my gallery.
I was so inspired by yesterday's positive response to my B-29 posting, at least by the number of viewers that took a peek, I decided to also drop this one into the mix for all to enjoy.
The Lockheed SR-71 was an advanced, long-range, Mach 3 strategic reconnaissance aircraft developed from the Lockheed A-12 and YF-12A aircraft by the Lockheed Skunk Works. The SR-71 was unofficially named the Blackbird, and called the Habu by its crews, in reference to a snake. Clarence "Kelly" Johnson was responsible for many of the design's innovative concepts. A defensive feature of the aircraft was its high speed and operating altitude, whereby, if a surface-to-air missile launch were detected, standard evasive action was simply to accelerate. The SR-71 line was in service from 1964 to 1998, with 12 of the 32 aircraft being destroyed in accidents, though none were lost to enemy action.
Source: wikipedia encyclopedia
I would have snapped shots of the awesome nose and cockpit area, but being visitor's day, that section was literally covered by platform ramps and railings for the folks to use to take a close look. In fact, the middle shot showing the aft portion of the Blackbird was taken from a visitor's ramp. And I had to shoot in a hurry because of the line of people impatiently waiting behind me.
Anyway, Google the bird if you want to see pics of its front section and/or the entire aircraft in flight. Lots of info on the plane also.
Incidentally, the middle photo shows a Martin B-57 Canberra bomber in the background at the extreme left, and a couple of McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantoms in the middle.
Please excuse all the film noise, i.e., grain, in these shots, especially on the sky. Didn't have the time necessary to postwork it out without destroying the entire image.
Thankx for coming by, and have a sensational Sunday.
Comments (14)
The shape of this "bird" is geometrically quite pleasing...I like the bottom shot best since it shows this part of it. The grain rather adds to the feeling of the image, I think. And I've always liked dark-colored vehicles :)
What an awesome bird that is, Harry! The Lockheed plant in Fort Worth used to be General Dynamics, I used to go there to watch cells of B-52's take off and land on the runway they shared with the Air Force base. Sometimes they would test engines on the runway, and my God, what a terrific noise they made! This Blackbird is much larger and longer than I imagined it to be, and I wonder at the sound those engines make! Cool shots!
wonderful shot of this plane
Massive bold angles! Love the middle shot a best. Fantastic view all the way and "finish" with the Phantoms, can't ask more.
Very well done. 5+.
I had a big model of this plane, Amazing plane love to have gotten close to look at it.
Whoa... quite the view!! Glad you got in some good ones!
A true space edge bird. Imagine 80,000 feet and more than Mach 3. You did well to get what you did considering the crowd you had to contend with:)
you got the sweep of the planes in each shot, the middle one is quite dramatic; and each shot has an angle that asks us to feel the many personalities of this plane. (Some plane shots are so 'photogenic', they lose the plane's power; here, I feel power in each shot.) Another fine & bold triptych from you, it's very imposing, and it's fine that you didn't spend the time 'fixing' the shot: Sometimes a little grit & imperfection is just what we need, it reminds us we're human & trying to capture a lot in a little time with a lot happening around us. The sweep of the shots is what counts. I really like these.
Wonderful photos.
My most favorite plane of all time! My parents were both in the USAF and I've seen this baby on many occasions, but never this close. You lucky thing, you! And the F4 bonus! Another one of my favorites. Great shots. Thanks for sharing these.
Great montage! Nice to see! Any shots of the Martin?? Thats a rare over here in the UK.... Cheers for this. Rob.
Boy that must be one fabulous experience seeing this in person. Wonderful captures O'lboy!
excellent series...but the middle is very cool, great POV and details, congrats!