>>>In a former life, I used to work on spy planes. The SR-71 has a
titanium skin. I don't know what the coefficient of expansion is for
Ti, but when they park the SR-71, they pile sawdust up underneath it,
because it leaks like a sieve when it is not at supersonic speed,
which causes the Ti skin to expand due to friction heat.<<<
Yow, some absolutely fascinating people here! And while the Blackbird
looks black on the ground, it turns darkblue at supersonic speeds. There
was a book about it, written by a pilot. _Sledgehammer_ I believe it was
called, but now I can't find it. Anyway, in the end, he talks about the
camera he used for photoing while in the 'Bird: an FM2T, IIRC, because he
would have it against the window (extreme heat!)
Hey, have you seen it do the crowd pleaser trick at airshows? (one engine
at idle, the other at full throttle with afterburners and full opposite
rudder on a low flyby?)
/Acer Victoria
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