...crunching the sound barrier
29 Jul 2008 11:53:02 UTC
Topic 193785
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Quote:
The military jet type I've always been fascinated by is the A-12 / SR-71. It is well noted that the subsonic performance is terrible, with the plane having to dive to be able to break the sonic barrier. Once supersonic though, nothing (we know of) can match it. If a missile is fired at it, the standard procedure is to just accelerate and/or accelerate and climb...
I would agree with you - the SR71, Blackbird, is a fascinating aircraft, but there was one weapon system that would bring it down - The UK's Bristol Bloodhound.
The SR-71's cruise height was 92,000 feet at Mach 3.0, and the maximum operational height was 130,000 feet.
The Bloodhound was able to cruise at mach 4.5 for 45 minutes, and it's maximum operational height was 135,000. So, theoretically it was capable of bringing an SR-71 down.
...crunching the sound barrier
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Declassified speeds are cruise of 3.2. Most people suspect higher, on the order of 3.6-4.0, some even as high as 5 or 6... Also, what I can find is the altitude record is at 85,000ish...
From what I'm reading, the Bloodhound was actually only capable of 2.7 and an altitude of 65,000...
RE: RE: I would agree
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No! It was much much higher, as I quoted.
I used to build the booster motoes for the main missile
Shih-Tzu are clever, cuddly, playful and rule!! Jack Russell are feisty!
RE: RE: RE: I would
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We're highly off topic, but I'm sorry, not according to the information at www.wingweb.co.uk/missles/Bristol_Bloodhound_SAM and the Wiki entry...
RE: RE: RE: I would
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In my time in the UK Army I had a short period in 1967 providing communications for 36 Regt Royal Artillery which used the similar Thunderbird missile.
I witnessed four firings, and on each occasion the missile on firing went to over 100,000 before swooping down onto its prey. Its normal operating high was for targets over 20,000, but they did one test with the target at 2,000 which it did successfully. I also saw some of the pre in service test of the Rapier which the UK used for low level targets.
Back to target discussion on
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Back to target discussion on the runout of the S5R3 WUs.
But, the Bloodhound was a smashing missile system, and did real performance beyond the link you showed.
I was involved in their 1977-1980 system and missile upgrade and re-deployment. The last machines were decommissioned from service in 1993.
It is interesting that so much 1950s technology is now lost - this system, Concorde and the SR-71.
Shih-Tzu are clever, cuddly, playful and rule!! Jack Russell are feisty!
Continued from another thread
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Continued from another thread that went "slightly" of topic. Hope you don't mind.
Bikeman Thanks for this
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Bikeman
Thanks for this thread creation, and apologies for our partial hijack of the S5R3 thread - it was wrong.
The subject was of interest, and may continue in this new thread which may be more appropriate to the general Cafe rather than here in NC
Assuming it does not cause you much work, on a thread that may well not have much more activity.
Shih-Tzu are clever, cuddly, playful and rule!! Jack Russell are feisty!
RE: Bikeman Thanks for
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No prob (moved thread to Cafe as requested :-) )
Bikeman