SR-71 in RAF Service Query

[Cobra]

Hey Guys, i was Surfing Google,trying to Answer a Question:Did the RAF Ever consider Buying the SR-71 for it's Own Strat Recon Use? i ask because it's a Question that's Been Bugging me for A While! another Reason i ask is Because Maverick once did some Awesome Profiles of the Blackbird in RAF Livery and i wondered about that! Thanks for Looking. Dan

[Hobbes]

I don't know if they considered the SR-71, but the RAF had a requirement for a high-speed, high-altitude reconnaisance aircraft. The spec (OR.330) was drawn up in 1954, the Avro 730 was chosen for development until the project was cancelled in 1957.
The SR-71 was developed in the same timeframe, but public announcement of the program wasn't until 1964, so the RAF may not have known of its existence before then.

[PR19_Kit]

And I bet the US wouldn't have sold us one either.........

[andrewj]

And I bet the US wouldn't have sold us one either.........

How about a USAF SR 71 with RAF markings, in a similar fashion to that of the earlier RB-45's that carried RAF roundels. If circumstances dictated, then why not ?.

Andrew

[PR19_Kit]

That may have been more possible, yes. I can just see an SR-71 with those very RAF tall fin stripes. 

[TsrJoe]

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[RussC]

That may have been more possible, yes. I can just see an SR-71 with those very RAF tall fin stripes. 

Wouldn't mind seeing that either, or the squat fin flash covering the leading 50% of them. PRU blue with black leading edges and places of highest expansions.

When Iran was mentioned, how many here in the darkest recesses of our minds envisioned a Iranian blackbird in the hands of al-Quaeda going after skyscrapers?

Canadian Blackbird or YF-12 ?

[TsrJoe]

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[Gondor]

Very nice Joe, pity its too small to make out much

Gondor

[Cobra]

Guys. Thanks for Responding,but i think it's Time to Pull the Plug before this Subject Breaks the Rule about Politics! Dan

[kerick]

Back to the original idea, If the US would have provided SR-71's to anyone, it would have been the UK. The UK had the need and the close relationship with the US.

[Old Wombat]

I think we are/were on the verge of discussing the Nature of Man (Humanity, if you prefer), rather than either politics or religion.

Islam is not some monolithic group of wild-eyed fanatics with a single set of beliefs and single purpose.

That'd be like saying all Christians were the same, or Jews, or Buddhists, or Hindus.

Now, if we could only squish all religions, sects, cults, atheisms, agnosticisms & sub-groups into one, single all encompassing super-religion that everyone agreed to follow in exactly the same way, then maybe..... just maybe! .....we could enjoy a modicum of peace.

Of course, we'd have to do exactly the same for politics, football, cricket, baseball, basketball, golf, canasta ............. ............ Forget it!

World peace would require everyone in the world to either be dead or mellowed out to the point of near catatonia.  Ain't gonna happen

Exactly my point & even then I'm pretty sure we'd be arguing about "Who is deader, thee or me?" & "Where do you draw the line between catatonia & comatose?"

[thesolitarycyclist]

I wonder if they were ever flown by RAF exchange pilots or bo
rowed for operations as the RAF allegedly borrowed U-2's.t

[TsrJoe]

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[Mossie]

Maybe the RAE could have leased one for high mach research?  Not likely I know for a number of reasons, but might make for an interesting model.