Back in 67, my father was one of the few authorized to re-fuel the SR-71. They were not allowed to re-fuel on the flight-line they were required to pull fuel lines into a blacked out hanger - with AF Security armed with M-16's stationed every 10 feet - with orders to shoot anyone (regardless of rank) that approached - maybe 10 ppl in total were allowed near it. He told me a story about the base Colonel (full bird) attempting to enter the hanger - he almost got shot - before a Major intervened and escorted the Colonel away. This was the time when the mere existence of the SR-71 was classified. Pilot flew it out in the dead of night - base went on full lock-down & blackout. Awesome to hear him talk about it.
When I was shooting for the Burbank Leader way back I got assigned to photograph Mr Johnson’s funeral at Forrest Lawn. I took it as an honor. What a legend!
I cannot believe we will never see this marvellous bird Grace our skies again 😢 technology has moved in so far yet feels like we have gone backwards as it has no soul
Saw one take off from Kadena,AFB,Okinawa in1972. It took off from inside a hangar ! First over the P.A> system said "All nonessential Personell off the flight line! What is this about? Then the sr71 took off. Semper Fi.
Yes , and it was recovered (in bits), engine seizure . Blair Bozak and Dan house rescued by Phillipino fisherman who proclaimed the as "Gods from the skies"
It landed for an IFE. We local manufactured a hydraulic line in the wing. Took 2 weeks for a b-nut to arrive through supply. As a Buck Seargent I went to the 13:30 to report AWP for 2 weeks. I was so glad to see that little part arrive. Took it to fab shop, the next day she went back home to Kadena ab.
I was there as the son of one of the guys who took care of the electronic equipment that was used for the plane, everything was top secret when we went there in 1969. Most awesome plane and still is.
I saw it take off many times from Kadena the runway lined with armed guards I also was with the USMC at Camp Foster-very impressive don't expect to see another plane to top it-the "Habu"
Awesome aircraft !! I witnessed an SR-71 take off at Kadena, AB in Japan. I was stationed at Clark, AB with the 3rd CRS. I thought that the F-4's were fast. HA.
@dawndarkangel true, placing a base in northern Luzon would be a perfect strategy location for defending Taiwan for possible invasion from China. away from volcano's of course.
@ Pievac Am a UA-cam subscriber to Philly in the Philippines he needs some help with his old pictures/videos project. When you have time please watch his UA-cam channel. And those other subscribers please watch the video clips of Philly in the Philippines.
Yup, i just remember growing up. We have 20ft high yagi antenna with booster above our two story house just to get FEN signal, watching nba & nfl with my dad early morning.
Funny story about NAS New Orleans. An SR-71 had to land there one day with an engine problem. The base commander was told in no uncertain terms to get a hanger empties ASAP and be prepared to post security around it because the airplane was going to taxi in with the engines running and shut down once it was inside the hangar. The base commander was not happy but he could not say no.
I was a dog handler at Clark 87-89. SR-71 made an emergency landing and we were told to go out and prevent pictures, some were pulling the film (remember film) out of peoples cameras. Obviously the Armed Forces Network didn't get the order. :)
A plane ahead of its time like the B-58 Hustler. I saw an SR-71 in person on static display on board the USS Intrepid Sea, Air, and Space museum moored at Pier 86, NYC. Also went aboard the Concorde G-BOAD. I have not been able to find a scale model of the BOAD. Probably too expensive if I did find one.
I worked as a carpenter at Beal AFB several times a week I was late for work. Blackbird on the flight line I told me boss I will make up for being late I wii go home early.
The fuel tanks leak heavily on the ground. As the aircraft heats up at high speed it expands an fuel leakage stops. For this reason they don't fill the tanks till it was airborne.
I remember a Reader’s Digest article on the SR-71: the journalist who was taken up in one was asked to touch the windscreen after going supersonic...even with a thick leather glove, he immediately pulled his hand away - it burnt through the glove.
i was at driden / edwards watching shuttle challenger come in. a bb was following it to inspect the tiles as the bb was the only ac that was capable to keep up w challenger as she landed .this guys style reminded me of the old newsreel reporters .
Around 1969 or so would see it almost daily flying around Northern CA. when I was a kid it was stationed at Beale AFB a few miles from where I grew up.
@WPC1961 This was a deversion of A/C 967 to Clark AFB because of fuel transfer problems Nov.1978, 967 remained there for 2 days..,after the Senior Crown program shut down in 1990, A/C 967 was one of 3 USAF Habus put into flyable storage at LM Plant 10 Palmdale this A/C plus 2 others were reactivated in 1995 and spent 3 years at EAFB until Bill Clinton defunded the Big Safari reactivation program in 1998, THX
Saw one fly over Lackland during BMTS,drill sarg asked if anyone knew what it was,i was the only one who could identify it,got a little bit of respect from my compadres after that!
This machine literally pisses fuel out of it until it “swells” to seal itself. Ironic that this beast was designed in the late 50’s and is still unchanged for its performance. BRING IT BACK!!
THE FASTEST AIRCRAFT ARE PLANES WITH JET ENGINES. THE WORLD RECORD WAS SET BACK IN 1976, WHEN THE USA'S SR-71A REACHED AN AMAZING 3530 KILOMETERS AN HOUR! IT WAS NICKNAMED Blackbird.
@@kevinkarg4464 They converted it to economic use but honestly, US bases do provide economic benefits even if they were intended for military use. When there's a US serviceman, that means consumption. When there is consumption, that means demand. When there is demand, that boosts local economies of communities surrounding the bases. This has been the case for Spain under Franco, their economy boomed when Franco enacted economic reforms as well as opened a US naval station at Rota in the 50s. The same applies to Germany, Japan, and South Korea.
Got to see this plane many times growing up in Rome n.y back in the early 70s . Sitting outside of Griffis air Force Base on penny street Rd! That plane would come dreaming off the runway and in a few moments it was gone! What a sight to see!
One of the greatest planes ever built. :)
Right behind the Herculies.
@@manmatt445 LOL :D
Bar none!!!
To this day there is no aircraft so amazing as the SR-71.
She is still stunning.
Have to disagree the B1B lancer is a kick ass plane
Yeah, the entire Blackbird series was awesome!
I still think its the only aircraft ever designed, that used less fuel, the faster it went.
That's clever use of a slide rule
I agree, I lived on an airbase that hpused the SR-71 and the sight and sound of it
Back in 67, my father was one of the few authorized to re-fuel the SR-71. They were not allowed to re-fuel on the flight-line they were required to pull fuel lines into a blacked out hanger - with AF Security armed with M-16's stationed every 10 feet - with orders to shoot anyone (regardless of rank) that approached - maybe 10 ppl in total were allowed near it.
He told me a story about the base Colonel (full bird) attempting to enter the hanger - he almost got shot - before a Major intervened and escorted the Colonel away.
This was the time when the mere existence of the SR-71 was classified.
Pilot flew it out in the dead of night - base went on full lock-down & blackout.
Awesome to hear him talk about it.
I was stationed there when the SR-71 made an emergency landing. It closed down the entire flightline. I still get chills when I think about it.
I do hope the poor beast was alright
I was stationed there as well when this took place. 3AGS Blue Section. What an amazing memory.
I was the radio operator that worked this bird's emergency traffic with Manila Control. It was NOT a pretty conversation - either way !
I was there when this occurred in the late 80's same.
Kelly Johnson's masterpiece.
Lockheed skunkworks, it was get it done...paperwork to follow....
@@ronnietoots6797 just designed...with a slide ruler. No computers.
When I was shooting for the Burbank Leader way back I got assigned to photograph Mr Johnson’s funeral at Forrest Lawn. I took it as an honor. What a legend!
The man with the plan
Sounds like the narrator had no idea what it was.. How incredible it must have been to see an SR-71 back then.
I cannot believe we will never see this marvellous bird Grace our skies again 😢 technology has moved in so far yet feels like we have gone backwards as it has no soul
The one airframe I did not get to see fly when I was in the Air Force. Those people were insanely blessed!
Saw one take off from Kadena,AFB,Okinawa in1972. It took off from inside a hangar ! First over the P.A> system said "All nonessential Personell off the flight line! What is this about? Then the sr71 took off. Semper Fi.
I was there off Mitchell Hwy observing the takeoff. The bird was in an open hangar for like 2 weeks. Still the most beautiful plane I've ever seen
any idea of the date?
@@roberthall9336 don't rember the date... I was only in the 6th grade. It was either late '89 or early '90
@@eddieblackford4919 89 I believe. Just before I PCS'd to Japan.
Still an absolutely beautiful jet.
We departed Clark in 1989. Incredible few years! I remember when a sled crashed north of Luzon, into the ocean.
Yes , and it was recovered (in bits), engine seizure . Blair Bozak and Dan house rescued by Phillipino fisherman who proclaimed the as "Gods from the skies"
Not bad progress in a hundred years eh?😆🇺🇸❤
Very cool video as footage from Clark and Subic from back in the day 70s to 90s is not easy to come by.
Ohhh, Olongapo...
UA-cam algorithm got me here...I was so amazed that this clip was posted 12yrs ago...got curious so I clicked..
one year later for the same reason
The SR-71 still holds the world record for the coolest airplane ever built.
Darth Vader's personal jet?
Seriously, an amazing accomplishment, and with 1960's technology!
1950's
Wow 😳
It landed for an IFE. We local manufactured a hydraulic line in the wing. Took 2 weeks for a b-nut to arrive through supply. As a Buck Seargent I went to the 13:30 to report AWP for 2 weeks. I was so glad to see that little part arrive. Took it to fab shop, the next day she went back home to Kadena ab.
one of the best birds ever
My dad was a chief engineer lockheed scunkworks. Miss those days!
My father made some of the parts for this very wonderful aircraft.
Skunk Works
probably the fastest jet of it's era and officially the fastest jet ever. Maybe Aurora is faster if it's even been built.
i think so, Sir. It was the first and the very last time I actually saw a Blackbird in flight. Awesome sight.
stationed at clark ab , 89-90 transportation , i sure miss them days and the trips down town
If you thought it was wild then, you should've been there back in the early 70's - that's all I'll say here.
johnslaughter1967 They develop clark now. Only for those who can afford.
1961st com. Group. 67- 68. Had a lot of
Fun down town. Miss the old motley crews Ernest Fontanou, Tony Montlion,
Skip Ship, IRA Hitt.
Why the frick did they retire these things?!?
I use to watch the SR-71 leave Kadena AFB, on Okinawa while I was in the USMC stationed at Camp Foster between Aug 74 to Sep 75. AMAZING!
I was there as the son of one of the guys who took care of the electronic equipment that was used for the plane, everything was top secret when we went there in 1969. Most awesome plane and still is.
@@cliffordstetler9423 agreed. Most Marines called the SR-71, "The Habu" after the snake on Okinawa.
I saw it take off many times from Kadena the runway lined with armed guards I also was with the USMC at Camp Foster-very impressive don't expect to see another plane to top it-the "Habu"
Semper fi. I was at foster in 87-88. The SR-71 WAS THE GREATEST
Habu
Its still looks like something out of this world.Awesome beautiful.
During a recon mission in libya, the sr71 reportedly outflew a surface to air missile.
The SR 71 outflew every surface to air missile ever fired at it.
Awesome aircraft !! I witnessed an SR-71 take off at Kadena, AB in Japan. I was stationed at Clark, AB with the 3rd CRS. I thought that the F-4's were fast. HA.
@dawndarkangel true, placing a base in northern Luzon would be a perfect strategy location for defending Taiwan for possible invasion from China.
away from volcano's of course.
That's why they left, because of Mt. Pinatubo.
Record holder of fastest Recon jet ever built
Sweet, love the non hd
Me too
@ Pievac Am a UA-cam subscriber to Philly in the Philippines he needs some help with his old pictures/videos project. When you have time please watch his UA-cam channel. And those other subscribers please watch the video clips of Philly in the Philippines.
Ahh, the days of F.E.N. The only way to watch the NBA, NFL live in Luzon Island back in the 80s
Yup, i just remember growing up. We have 20ft high yagi antenna with booster above our two story house just to get FEN signal, watching nba & nfl with my dad early morning.
Funny story about NAS New Orleans. An SR-71 had to land there one day with an engine problem. The base commander was told in no uncertain terms to get a hanger empties ASAP and be prepared to post security around it because the airplane was going to taxi in with the engines running and shut down once it was inside the hangar. The base commander was not happy but he could not say no.
it was 1990 , i was there and saw it in a hanger
I was a dog handler at Clark 87-89. SR-71 made an emergency landing and we were told to go out and prevent pictures, some were pulling the film (remember film) out of peoples cameras. Obviously the Armed Forces Network didn't get the order. :)
I remember that.:)
A plane ahead of its time like the B-58 Hustler.
I saw an SR-71 in person on static display on board the USS Intrepid Sea, Air, and Space museum moored at Pier 86, NYC. Also went aboard the Concorde G-BOAD.
I have not been able to find a scale model of the BOAD. Probably too expensive if I did find one.
It's an A-12 on the Intrepid. That's a predecessor of the SR-71.
@@jeffsanders663 I goofed. Thanks for the correction.
The only thing I saw is the Saab 900i in the beginning of the video 😁
Awesome, wish I could have been there to see it !
Mysterious, you ain't seen nothing yet
Такую штуковину создать в 50х это конечно круто
Awe inspiring "Magic"
I worked as a carpenter at Beal AFB several times a week I was late for work. Blackbird on the flight line I told me boss I will make up for being late I wii go home early.
So, it can't take off with a full load of fuel?
The fuel tanks leak heavily on the ground. As the aircraft heats up at high speed it expands an fuel leakage stops. For this reason they don't fill the tanks till it was airborne.
Richard Schmitt I’ve heard that.
Cant touch this
I remember a Reader’s Digest article on the SR-71: the journalist who was taken up in one was asked to touch the windscreen after going supersonic...even with a thick leather glove, he immediately pulled his hand away - it burnt through the glove.
i was at driden / edwards watching shuttle challenger come in. a bb was following it to inspect the tiles as the bb was the only ac that was capable to keep up w challenger as she landed .this guys style reminded me of the old newsreel reporters .
I miss the green age.
Around 1969 or so would see it almost daily flying around Northern CA. when I was a kid it was stationed at Beale AFB a few miles from where I grew up.
STILL HAVE MODELS OF SR71 B36 B58 B52 EVEN A B29 N B17 THEY R HARD TO KEEP CLEAN BUT N THERE DAY. ALL I CAN SAY IS WOW!!!
Sweet...
I always see the model version in Lackland AFB :)
Back when news was informative and insightful.
@WPC1961 This was a deversion of A/C 967 to Clark AFB because of fuel transfer problems Nov.1978, 967 remained there for 2 days..,after the Senior Crown program shut down in 1990, A/C 967 was one of 3 USAF Habus put into flyable storage at LM Plant 10 Palmdale this A/C plus 2 others were reactivated in 1995 and spent 3 years at EAFB until Bill Clinton defunded the Big Safari reactivation program in 1998, THX
The SR-71 was, is and always will be my favorite aircraft, the skies will never be the same.
Saw one fly over Lackland during BMTS,drill sarg asked if anyone knew what it was,i was the only one who could identify it,got a little bit of respect from my compadres after that!
I remember that voice. Rusty Barfine. :D Jeeze what year is this? Did he ever get out of there?
Look at that beautiful Blackbird
I recall when we were called to duty one day when one of these birds had crashed into the ocean, North of Luzon.
This machine literally pisses fuel out of it until it “swells” to seal itself. Ironic that this beast was designed in the late 50’s and is still unchanged for its performance. BRING IT BACK!!
Analog video tape along with video noise. Thank god for digital video of today. Much clearer.
So it's a spy plane 🤔
THE FASTEST AIRCRAFT ARE PLANES WITH JET ENGINES. THE WORLD RECORD WAS SET BACK IN 1976, WHEN THE USA'S SR-71A REACHED AN AMAZING 3530 KILOMETERS AN HOUR! IT WAS NICKNAMED Blackbird.
Yeah! Made in Burbank baby!
Brilliant footage
VERY NICE!!! 👍👍👍
During those days it can outrun a SAM
Best airplane ever built period
I really miss Clark AB- best base in the world...
I remember one at Davis-Monthan idling out my door in the late 70's. It sounded like something out of a UFO movie.
wow
Uh..huh!
id doesn't look like todays Clark Airbase but it is
Untouchable.
@boogernights Hey, don't forget The Simpsons! I remember being at Clark when that show first came out.
Saw these at Kadena when I first got there. Then they retired them.
@pongskiman69 bowangs blow off fingers
ihope ragman is in a better place not plaridel2 near the thai resturaunt
@Clubhouse729 Yes.
WoW!!
amazing... absolutely amazing
Is this in Clark Airbase,,, in the Philippines???
After 10 years.. Yes
What happened to Clark Airbase after Mt. Pinatubo erupted? Did they restore it? It must have been a horendous mess after that volcano blew.
@@kevinkarg4464 They converted it to economic use but honestly, US bases do provide economic benefits even if they were intended for military use.
When there's a US serviceman, that means consumption. When there is consumption, that means demand. When there is demand, that boosts local economies of communities surrounding the bases.
This has been the case for Spain under Franco, their economy boomed when Franco enacted economic reforms as well as opened a US naval station at Rota in the 50s.
The same applies to Germany, Japan, and South Korea.
if it get s to maximum cruising speed the pilots die
BULLSHIT 👎👎👎
Got to see this plane many times growing up in Rome n.y back in the early 70s . Sitting outside of Griffis air Force Base on penny street Rd! That plane would come dreaming off the runway and in a few moments it was gone! What a sight to see!