Blackbird Carrier Aircraft Query

Cobra · August 03, 2010, 12:42:26 AM

Hey Guys, Just had a Q pop into my Head:Would the SR-71 be good as the Basis for a Carrier Based Strike Recon Aircraft? something i've often wondered about. thought also that the Blackbird could use a 'Gerry Anderson' touch. What Say You? thanks for looking.Dan

Fulcrum · August 03, 2010, 01:26:52 AM

Maybe if you have a SUPER large carrier Way larger than the largest U.S. Supercarrier & enough force possible to catapault these things off the deck.

Sorry, it is simply too large for carrier-based operations.

TsrJoe · August 03, 2010, 03:04:03 AM

there was an actual proposal for a carrier launched SR.71, i think a drawing of the proposal was in Jay Miller's Aerofax on the type, obviously the concept was never intended to go 'below deck' and probably a feasibility study to acertain if it could be done in a similar wein to the U.2 operations from carriers.. but 'what if' ...!

cheers, Joe

Weaver · August 03, 2010, 04:38:16 AM

You can launch anything from anything else with a big enough rocket booster, particularly if you're operating with Gerry Anderson Physics....

Recovery? Well it's got a very flat, slightly boat-shaped underside, so what if the intake cones could slide forwards to completely seal the intakes, and you then glided it to a sea-landing alongside the carrier? One thumping great crane (or seriously big helijet) later and you're back in business.

ChrisF · August 03, 2010, 01:55:33 PM

Since they did manage a KC130 once id be interested to see someone try....

Turns out you can fit much bigger aircraft than you'd think...

GTX · August 03, 2010, 02:49:32 PM

They also flew U2s off carriers. That said, I think the major issue with a Blackbird or derivative would be getting enough lift to take off or to land safely. Perhaps some sort of retractable canards or high lift devices to help plus, as mentioned above, rocket boost for take off. I can imagine the angle of attack on approach!

Regards,

Greg

Cliffy B · August 03, 2010, 04:08:15 PM

I'm going to be "that guy" here:

Biggest problem with a carrier based SR-71; the NON SELF-SEALING fuel tanks!!!! Those things poured gas ALL over the runways and continued to leak it until the skin of the plane heated up enough and closed the tanks. They always needed to hit a tanker right after takeoff as a result and I'm talking a full KC-135, not a Superbug with a buddy pack either! Pouring gas all over a carrier flight deck is NOT something the Navy likes doing

That's the major problem you'd have to overcome in order to make a Blackbird carrier capable. I'm not saying it couldn't be done but I don't think it would be easy either. If it didn't have to go Mach 3 then you'd be fine. If it did....

sequoiaranger · August 03, 2010, 04:16:04 PM

An arrested landing would probably tear the SR-71 apart. But...

...Maybe put a tailhook on it, let it START its "take-off" engaged to an arrestor wire, and see how fast the carrier speeds up with the SR-71 attached with the engines going full out!!

Cobra · August 03, 2010, 04:22:56 PM

Guys,Think a ZELL System would work with the SR-71? that was part of what i was thinking.Dan

deathjester · August 03, 2010, 05:54:05 PM

It's a fantastic image, but I seriously doubt an SR-71 is stressed for that sort of thing, not to mention the messed up airflow would probably cause one or maybe both engines to 'unstart' which is where air comes out of the intake instead of the exhaust, generally resulting in a huge crash. On the plus side, the special fuel (JP-5 ?) used by Blackbirds, is reputedly extremely difficult to ignite, so a spill shouldn't be a problem, after all, I've never heard of a Blackbird igniting it's own leaked fuel....
Maybe better to launch the D-21 drones from a carrier using ZELL boosters, as it is kind of designed for rocket assisted launches!

frank2056 · August 03, 2010, 06:46:24 PM

The X-Plane flight sim had/has both a carrier (I don't remember the length) and an SR-71. It's total fiction, but I could "land" an SR-71 on the carrier by flying it at just over stall speed and break hard as soon as the gears touched deck (within a feet or so from the start of the deck at the stern).
The hardest landing to do was a 747 on the carrier. Ignore the fact that the starboard wing slices through the superstructure, you can come to a full stop with the nose gear within feet of the front of the carrier.

Taiidantomcat · August 03, 2010, 08:19:17 PM

Quote from: Weaver on August 03, 2010, 04:38:16 AM
You can launch anything from anything else with a big enough rocket booster, particularly if you're operating with Gerry Anderson Physics....

Recovery? Well it's got a very flat, slightly boat-shaped underside, so what if the intake cones could slide forwards to completely seal the intakes, and you then glided it to a sea-landing alongside the carrier? One thumping great crane (or seriously big helijet) later and you're back in business.

I like the way you think!

TsrJoe · August 04, 2010, 04:06:13 AM

i recall the drawing was for take off's only, the hook being a 'hold back' along with some other modifications, obviously the type wasnt designed as 'carrier capable' (or even carrier suitable, as Cliffy pointed out!) the proposal no doubt based upon the operation of U.2 aircraft for deployment where in transit overflights may have been unsuitable or for emergency use re same

truth is often stranger than fiction re 'real world' design concepts