[Leica] was "State of the Art" now: Off topic, sr-71

[Dan Cardish <dcardish@microtec.net>]

At 08:48 PM 08-05-98 -0500, Eric wrote:
>
>An SR-71 (older than the old 35 M Summilux <G>) Blackbird is the fastest
>airplane in the world. They still won't admit how fast it will go. It's
>state of the art. But I wouldn't want to fly to Oregon in one (more than
>once just for the experience) and I couldn't afford it if they'd take me!
>

From a web page that seemed quite authoritative:  "The Blackbird,
code-named Oxcart during its development, flies on a tremendous 65,000 lbs.
of thrust at an altitude of 100,000+ feet at Mach 3.5, and has a range of
four thousand miles. That is not only four times faster than the U-2 but
seven miles higher - and the U-2 was then the current high-altitude
champion. For a long time the Air Force claimed a maximum speed of Mach 3.2
and an operational ceiling of 85,000 feet, but we now know that the SR-71
can soar above 100,000 feet. Some military pilots claim altitudes in excess
of 125,000 feet but this is probably stretching it a=A0bit."

from:  http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/Lab/3993/SR71.html

Dan C.