Can anyone give a clue as to why the crews called the Blackbird the HABU?
The McDonnell-Douglas F-4 Phantom II had several nick names including "The World's Largest Distributor Of MiG Parts", "Old Smokey", "The Big Ugly", and "America's Proof To The World That With Enough Power Even A Brick Can Fly".
Friday, 18 January 2008
45 Govt thinks thinks these are the sexiest zoomy things...
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Habu is a snake native to Okinawa.
As Fred said on Okinawa the locals nicknamed the Blackbird the Hubu as
it reminded them of the snake.
two J-79's in afterburner can kick it @ Mach2 +
A very small, and very poisonous snake. Kadena AFB in Okinawa was one of the main staging bases for the SR-71. I remember watching one take off from there during the late 80's/ early 90's. First they'd launch the refueler, so the Blackbird could tank after it had climbed to altitude, then the Blackbird would roll out of it's hanger about 20 minutes later, taxi directly to the runway, and launch. The whole thing took only a minute or two before it was out of sight.
Casca
During one flight from West Coast to East Coast, it requested clearance for final approach while still over Ohio....
While stationed in Okinawa, the AF Special Police were freaking crazy about security on these things. NO PICTURES!!!!!
Take offs were supposed to be secret.
So, of course, two hours before every take off, the airfield fence would be lined with camera toting Okinawans.
Especially night launches. Very cool. Straight up. Forever.
The F4 PHANTOM was technically described as a 'Demonstration of the triumph of thrust over aerodynamics'
I always thought that the F-4 was the ugligest sexy machine ever, and the SR-71 is/was beyond mere mortals...
Re SR-71: Kelly Johnson designed the American Spitfire - lovely curves.
Re Phantom: sorry, I misread the B in Brick for a P - bad eyesight and no talent prevented my flying career.
Re Phantom with RR Speys: how to increase thrust and reduce speed.
Also an F4E I think - steep climb, or is your pic on its side Theo?
45,
Judging by the horizon I'd say it was a 45 degree climb.
Pa Remittance once attended a lecture by some air traffic control bod. Amongst the many funny stories this bod related the tale of USAF flight transitting SE England. Pilot, using anonymous USAF callsign requests permission to transit London. ATC knows London is restricted airspace due to traffic but figures he'll play alomg and tease the guy iforeming hi m that the sky is clear above 70,000 feet and if he can get there, the sky was his.
USAF replies "Roger. Blackbird preparing to descend".
My favorite Blackbird story:
http://wesclark.com/burbank/sr_71.html
45Govt, actually it's an F-4G Wild Weasel. The WW on the tail, the EM sensor in place of the gun and the Shrike and Standard ARM missile armament give it away. "First in, Last out" was their motto and these folks had balls of steel! 20 years of flying fighters in the USAF, these guys were ones I always wanted to have in my strike force, always respected and never wanted to be. My hat's off to them.
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