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Courtesy of Lt. Porter.
https://www.popularmechanics.com/mi.../?src=nl&mag=pop&list=nl_pnl_news&date=050218
https://www.popularmechanics.com/mi.../?src=nl&mag=pop&list=nl_pnl_news&date=050218
SR-71 Story
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The story teller is Brian Shul. What many folks don't know about Brian is that he was burned horribly in a T-28 crash in Southeast Asia and was not expected to live. When it finally looked like he would survive he underwent months of painful therapy and skin grafts, and was never expected to fly again.
Not only did he survive, but fought back to flight status and ultimately was chosen to fly the SR-71. He wrote a book about the experience, "Sled Driver".
I got to spend a day with Brian back in the seventies when he came through Reese AFB in Lubbock, TX to give a safety briefing about his experiences. He was (is) the epitome of the fighter pilot "can do" spirit.
One of my favorite poems, "Because I Fly", was written by Brian. The last line is near and dear to pilots everywhere: "Because I fly, I envy no man on earth."
http://www.war-stories.com/poems/poem-because-i-fly-from-brian-shul-1977.htm
Not only did he survive, but fought back to flight status and ultimately was chosen to fly the SR-71. He wrote a book about the experience, "Sled Driver".
I got to spend a day with Brian back in the seventies when he came through Reese AFB in Lubbock, TX to give a safety briefing about his experiences. He was (is) the epitome of the fighter pilot "can do" spirit.
One of my favorite poems, "Because I Fly", was written by Brian. The last line is near and dear to pilots everywhere: "Because I fly, I envy no man on earth."
http://www.war-stories.com/poems/poem-because-i-fly-from-brian-shul-1977.htm
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Believe it or not, just last week my son asked me if I had that book. I'd never heard of it. I might have to get it for him for Father's Day--and then borrow it back sometime.
My favorite part of the story: "And then the 12-year old reached for the mike...the Navy must die...but I was flying the family model...." That is comedy GOLD right there, folks.
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Yep, not a whole lot makes me laugh out loud anymore.
But that did.
But that did.
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RotflmRao.
yours, sw
yours, sw
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Brian is truly a funny guy. He told a great story about going to speech therapy for the first time after his crash. He was depressed and didn’t want to go, but the head nurse had no sympathy and sent him anyway.
Now, you have to understand that Brian was pretty good looking before the accident and somewhat of a ladies man. In the fire all of his face below his helmet visor had been horribly disfigured, and his mouth had to be reconstructed. At the time he was sent to speech therapy a lot of it was still held together with stitches. He was self conscious about his looks, especially around the ladies, but who should walk in to conduct his therapy but a gorgeous young woman. He was mortified, and didn’t want to look at her.
Very cooly, she picked up his chart, silently examined it, then matter-of-factly proclaimed, “This should be easy.”
He gave her a quizzical grunt.
“Well,” she continued, “it says here you’re a fighter pilot. According to the regulations, all we’re required to teach fighter pilots is how to say ‘sh*t hot’ and ‘f*ck’.”
He burst into laughter, and in the process ripped out a quite a few stitches. His mouth started to bleed profusely. They wheeled him back to the ward, where he was met by the nurse who had sent him to therapy. She took one look at the blood streaming out of his mouth and down his front and exclaimed, “My God, what did they do to you down there?”
Now, you have to understand that Brian was pretty good looking before the accident and somewhat of a ladies man. In the fire all of his face below his helmet visor had been horribly disfigured, and his mouth had to be reconstructed. At the time he was sent to speech therapy a lot of it was still held together with stitches. He was self conscious about his looks, especially around the ladies, but who should walk in to conduct his therapy but a gorgeous young woman. He was mortified, and didn’t want to look at her.
Very cooly, she picked up his chart, silently examined it, then matter-of-factly proclaimed, “This should be easy.”
He gave her a quizzical grunt.
“Well,” she continued, “it says here you’re a fighter pilot. According to the regulations, all we’re required to teach fighter pilots is how to say ‘sh*t hot’ and ‘f*ck’.”
He burst into laughter, and in the process ripped out a quite a few stitches. His mouth started to bleed profusely. They wheeled him back to the ward, where he was met by the nurse who had sent him to therapy. She took one look at the blood streaming out of his mouth and down his front and exclaimed, “My God, what did they do to you down there?”
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Just checked both Amazon and Abebooks for a copy. Talk about sticker shock!:shock: Cheapest one I found was $317, and prices in four figures weren't uncommon--sometimes the first figure wasn't even a one! :shock:Believe it or not, just last week my son asked me if I had that book. I'd never heard of it. I might have to get it for him for Father's Day--and then borrow it back sometime.
Wonder what else he might like for his first Father's Day....:duh:
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I remember a briefing at the USAF museum, the speed of the SR-71 was dependent on the density of the air at very high altitude and the air frame heat.
Geoff
Who needs to visit again.
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Per either former sled-driver Rich Graham or thermodynamicist Ben Rich, the hard limiter was the Exhaust Gas Temperature, redlined at 860 degrees F. Really cold air let you go a little faster.
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