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leaking planes Re: [really OT] (was: Re: [OM] OM] OT - Titanium)

Subject: leaking planes Re: [really OT] (was: Re: [OM] OM] OT - Titanium)
From: Jan Steinman <Jan@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Mon, 9 Aug 1999 11:42:50 -0700
From: Acer Victoria <siddim01@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>

... The SR-71 can get away with pissin' on
the ground because you pretty much /can't/ light the fuel by accident, so
no worries.

Jet fuel is pretty much like kerosene, in terms of volatility. ("Parafin" to Her Majesty's Subjects. :-) As I recall, the SR-71 burned ordinary JP-5, like other military jets. For some reason, the U-2 required JP-TS, which had to be brought in specially. This was apparently of some concern to counter-intelligence, since the location and rough operational schedule load could be figured out by someone who could keep an eye on JP-TS shipments. It was said that at one particularly sensitive location, JP-TS was purchased on the local economy, "shipped" on paper to an Air Force base near Dayton, Ohio, then "shipped" back, while never physically leaving the area.

One of the SR-71 jocks told me that it's gear-down stall speed is only a bit under the maximum loaded speed of a KC-135 tanker. (The SR-71 doesn't have flaps.) This apparently made for some "interesting" in-air refueling.

BTW: someone mentioned being wary of "leaky hydraulics." I would be too! The SR-71 is basically a big fuel tank with engines attached. It is the fuel that leaks through the cold-contracted skin, NOT hydraulic fluid.

This has gotten at least twice removed from Olympus, so I'll just let it drop now.


: Jan Steinman <mailto:jans@xxxxxxxxxxx>
: 19280 Rydman Court, West Linn, OR 97068-1331 USA
: +1.503.635.3229

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