Unobtainium

[Dustbuster]

This word has been seen across the web in many places, but I actually procured a piece that was actually a part of a SR 71 Blackbird.. The plane was taken out of service and destroyed. A retired af guy that served on a sr71 support element was able to procure some Unobtainium and machine up some cool stuff out of it.
When I was stationed in Okinawa Japan I used to stop, wait, and watch the blackbirds take off and land as it was just fun and intriguing to watch.
Now I own a piece of an actual flown sr71.
The skunk logo is the old mascot of Lockheed Martin skunkworks group, the team that developed and produced the SR 71.
So below is my real Unobtainium

Edited June 20, 2015 by Dustbuster

[musicman]

Very cool!

[buck1032]

Yes, that is cool! I have a few things I have picked up through out my 20 years in the Navy. Ash from Mt Pinatubo, 5 inch shell casing, etc. But that significant.

[hipower]

Color me envious! Awesome souvenir of your service time and a grand aircraft.

[peejman]

That's awesome! Coolest airplane ever.

[Dustbuster]

I'll share this with our neighborhood:
http://www.mach3ti.com/Pages/default.aspx

Dan freeman owns the site. He still makes wedding bands from Unobtainium... Good guy. Cool site, neat little treasures. Enjoy!!

[TNWNGR]

I'll share this with our neighborhood:
http://www.mach3ti.com/Pages/default.aspx

Dan freeman owns the site. He still makes wedding bands from Unobtainium... Good guy. Cool site, neat little treasures. Enjoy!!

Nice. I've viewed that site before and its incredible. One of the rings would be a nice thing to own but not necessarily to wear on a daily basis. If you have a hand injury where its either cut off the ring to save the finger or finger to save the hand things get real serious.

[monkeylizard]

When I was stationed in Okinawa Japan I used to stop, wait, and watch the blackbirds take off and land as it was just fun and intriguing to watch.
 

 

I was there from 1st through 3rd grade and I can still remember that roar. Night flights were especially cool watching those afterburners go from two bright flames to one, to none, but you could still hear it. It was a semi-regular occurrence to see one launch, but it still had people standing in their front yards watching it. We had an F-15 pilot next door and even he would stand out and watch it. One of the most unique school field trips was a visit in 3rd grade to the hangar and operations center. We got to try on the space helmets and eat peaches from a tube, then we got to go out to the hangar and see the Habu up close. Amazing.

Edited June 19, 2015 by monkeylizard

[monkeylizard]

Here's one of my favorite SR-71 stories from Brian Shul: http://oppositelock.kinja.com/favorite-sr-71-story-1079127041

Edited June 19, 2015 by monkeylizard

[No_0ne]

Here's one of my favorite SR-71 stories from Brian Shul: http://oppositelock.kinja.com/favorite-sr-71-story-1079127041

 

A good read.  It was always cool to hear former pilots of the Blackbird tell stories of outrunning SAM missiles, in over 1000 attempts to shoot one down, no missile ever got close to it ...

[E4 No More]

I was there from 1st through 3rd grade and I can still remember that roar. Night flights were especially cool watching those afterburners go from two bright flames to one, to none, but you could still hear it. It was a semi-regular occurrence to see one launch, but it still had people standing in their front yards watching it. We had an F-15 pilot next door and even he would stand out and watch it. One of the most unique school field trips was a visit in 3rd grade to the hangar and operations center. We got to try on the space helmets and eat peaches from a tube, then we got to go out to the hangar and see the Habu up close. Amazing.

It's been awhile since I've heard someone else refer to it as the Habu.

[monkeylizard]

My dad is a retired chaplain. When we were at Kadena he was assigned to a refueling squadron so he got to go up with them on lots of missions, including refueling the Habu. He said they'd go up a few hours before the SR-71 would launch and go into a circling pattern. After it got up, it would be on their position in a few minutes. They'd go as fast as they could go and the SR would go about as slow as it could go. After gassing up, it would throttle up and be gone in a flash. He said watching it in flight out those back windows was incredible.

Edited June 19, 2015 by monkeylizard

[TN-popo]

Very cool.

I never saw one fly (I was USAF during Desert Storm).

But, while in Basic, Lackland AFB has that static SR-71 that I saw all the time.  Very cool plane.

 

I always loved watching fighters (thought the F-15 was flat-out beautiful), but the most impressive plane to me was the B1-B Bomber.

Huge, but it could do a vertical take off.

I would have loved to see an SR-71 fly.

Edited June 21, 2015 by TN-popo

[NoBanStan]

Very cool. I was a few feet away from an A-12 not long ago. I think the SR-71 is better looking though.

 

I mean.... look at that thing...

 

[peejman]

Dads got a copy of Brian Shul's book. Really cool stories. I got to meet and listen to Col Rich Graham give a talk about flying and being the wing commander. He's written some neat books as well.

[TNWNGR]

Very cool.

I never saw one fly (I was USAF during Desert Storm).

But, while in Basic, Lackland AFB has that static SR-71 that I saw all the time.  Very cool plane.

 

I always loved watching fighters, but the most impressive plane to me was the B-1 Bomber.

Huge, but could do a vertical take off.

I walked around the SR-71 you mentioned prior to 9-11 while watching my step son graduate from Air Force Basic. It was amazing, many of the SR-71's now on static display in museums were cut up, then pieced back together forevermore rendered flightless. But then I doubt anyone will ever see another SR-71 ever take flight again. 

[buck1032]

Very cool.

I never saw one fly (I was USAF during Desert Storm).

But, while in Basic, Lackland AFB has that static SR-71 that I saw all the time.  Very cool plane.

 

I always loved watching fighters, but the most impressive plane to me was the B-1 Bomber.

Huge, but it could do a vertical take off.

I would have loved to see an SR-71 fly.

I was Naval Aviation, stuck in helo's for 20 years, so I never got to maintain "cool" aircraft. Back in the late 80's we would fly out Sikorsky in CT to ferry rebuilt H-3's back to San Diego. We would airport hop our way home, and on occasion we would stop over at an Air Force base. We hit Wichita a few times and they would park us right in front of the 'ready" B1B's. Absolutely a beautiful aircraft. We were given a guided tour of the interior and exterior of the aircraft. I will have to try to dig out a few photos.    

[monkeylizard]

 But then I doubt anyone will ever see another SR-71 ever take flight again. 

 

Nope. Too expensive and the gear needed to maintain them is probably all gone too, along with much of the knowledge, I'm sure.

[TN-popo]

I was Naval Aviation, stuck in helo's for 20 years, so I never got to maintain "cool" aircraft. Back in the late 80's we would fly out Sikorsky in CT to ferry rebuilt H-3's back to San Diego. We would airport hop our way home, and on occasion we would stop over at an Air Force base. We hit Wichita a few times and they would park us right in front of the 'ready" B1B's. Absolutely a beautiful aircraft. We were given a guided tour of the interior and exterior of the aircraft. I will have to try to dig out a few photos.    

 

When you get a chance, please do.

I remember the first time I saw a B1-B take off in person.  Before it had even gotten to the end of the runway, the pilot had the plane completely vertical and it was shooting up like a rocket.

Stunning.  A massive bomber, that looks like a fighter, and it can do that.

 

BTW, that wasn't a normal everyday take off.  ;)

It was during one of those AFB "Commander's Day" presentations.

Edited June 21, 2015 by TN-popo

[hipower]

Although I never got the opportunity to see an SR-71 in person, I can say that it is for me, one of the most visually stirring aircraft I've ever seen photos or videos of.

 

It ranks right up there with my Warbirds favorites; the P-38 and P-51.

[BigK]

My father-in-law was in charge of the refueling detail at several Air Force bases before he retired. He's seen them take off/land a lot of times up close...I'm SO jealous. Most awesome aircraft ever built, IMHO.

[expendable]

The thing that boggles my mind is they were designed with slide rules on drafting boards back in the 50's, just amazing!

 

Kurt

[peejman]

Kelly Johnson was a genius.

If you've not read "Skunk Works" by Ben Rich, you should.

[expendable]

Kelly Johnson was a genius.
If you've not read "Skunk Works" by Ben Rich, you should.

I have not read it, but I am familiar with the Skunk Works.
I was stationed in Tonopah NV and worked on the F117 in the early 90's.

Kurt Edited June 20, 2015 by expendable

[Dustbuster]

i was always in awe, as i waited for the habu to clear kadena and take off. the smell of the fuel , the noise, the thunder was exhilirating. at the time top speed was classified, but it was just one of those things that would stop all on lookers as that work of art went wheels up and thundered off to lord knows where. very impressive...........