Not impressed yet? What if I tell you this plane was designed in the 1950's?

Such an amazing piece of engineering.

They were originally going to put guns on it, but found that it would fly faster than any bullet, so used it as a reconnaissance plane instead. (it also flys faster than any surface-to-air missile, so by the time it was detected it was already out of range)

1960's actually, but no less impressive for that.

The blackbird is just an incredible machine. When I was a kid, one of my lifes ambitions was to fly one. Sadly, I'll never get to do that, but I did get to see one in person on the USS Intrepid in New York. Also they have a Space Shuttle there! I highly recommend it.

Myth. Who could have been in a position to want to "put" something on a Blackbird and not known that planes can (and do) run into their own bullets already at speeds close to the speed of sound?

*promote

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This is why we need laser-guns, people! LASERS!!

It was quoted by an engineer in a documentary from the 90's, I doubt it's on youtube... It doesn't mean they actually tried to bolt one on and test fire. The "who" was some military guy who didn't quite conceive of how fast this plane would actually go.

It was built in the 1960s, but the actual SR-71 design and prototyping of some of the new concepts were done in the 50's.

Here's one mention of it: http://www.space.com/16666-sr-71-blackbird.html

The writers of Real Genius had the same idea!
http://youtu.be/rthHSISkM7A

(though it wasn't on a Blackbird)

I stand corrected.
I knew the concept was proposed in the 50's, but I didn't think the design work started until 1962 with a maiden flight in 64.

Either way, it's still goddamn awesome.

Minor (admittedly pedantic) nit: the plane on display on the Intrepid is an A-12, not an SR-71 Blackbird. The SR-71 is slightly longer and heavier, and can carry a larger sensor payload while the A-12 can fly faster and higher, but they are otherwise fairly similar (the Blackbird is a refinement of the A-12).

Still the closest many of us are ever going to get to a real SR-71 though.

And I second ChaosEngine's recommendation: if you are an aviation buff, the Intrepid is definitely worth a visit. The shuttle is really impressive up close too; it's amazing they got something so big and truck-like off the ground.

No you don't.

*learn

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