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The secret engine technology that made the SR-71 the fastest plane ever
On December 17, 1903, the Wright brothers flew the first airplane ever at 6.8 mph (10.9 km/h). Only 61 years and five days later, the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird took off. It's still the world's fastest airplane with a speed of 2,193 mph (3,530 km/h.) This fascinating video reveals how its top secret engine technology works. (sploid.gizmodo.com) Más...Sort type: [Top] [Newest]
And the Skunkworks did all this with 1/1000th the computing power of our smartphones!
They used a more powerful computer than any smart phone, their brains.
You got that right! Brains and slide-rules.
Would you believe - not one - but two dedicated Cray's!
Think Kelly Johnson without a General looking over his shoulder. He ran the design side of the skunk works from which the U2 SR and somewhere in there the F104 took flight. Pretty sure he was in on the T33, but that would be pre Skunk. The old saying a camel is a horse designed by committee is a perfect descriptor of modern USAF aircraft design. Too much money, too many generals, no Kelly Johnsons! Oh and somebody had to come up with the J58 and they did!
The first model to come out of the Skunkworks was the P80 jet fighter for the US Air Corps - later re-designated the F-80. The T33 Trainer was a stretched F-80. BTW - Kelly had a hand in designing the F-104, but it was not built in the Skunkworks.