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by aduitsis 2150 days ago
I've read many years ago that in low temperatures, the SR-71 was prone to leaking fuel while in its hangar. But that was not dangerous because JP-7 won't catch flame without TEB.

EDIT: oh yes https://theaviationgeekclub.com/the-story-of-the-sr-71-black...

3 comments

The SR-71 fuel tanks didn't fully seal until the plane was at cruising speed. The heat on the airframe tightened up the tanks.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_SR-71_Blackbird

If ever in Washington D.C. I highly recommend the Udvar-Hazy Center at Dulles airport. There is an SR-71 on display there (along with just about every other important plane in US aviation history) that you can walk right up to. It's surprisingly small IMO.

Haven't seen the one in DC, but I've been within arms reach of one of the old NASA SR-71's that's on display (not accessible to the public unfortunately) several times. "Small" is just about the last word I would have ever used to describe it.
Not if you are a child and never meet your heroes as a grown-up!
Funny, I saw the SR71 at Udvar-Hazy, and thought it was HUGE!
Oblig. link to the story about the fastest guys in the desert.

https://oppositelock.kinja.com/favorite-sr-71-story-10791270...

Recording of him reciting it in person:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8AyHH9G9et0

An SR-71 video that gives more context https://youtu.be/dG6gnJc6XeU