Message posted by psiuh88 on August 20, 2007 at 17:24:26 PST:
well at least this has led to some information I was not aware of. I did not know that extensive parts replacements on the Sr-71 occurred.
I had asked about this before, since I am aware of one of the principal manufacturers of titanium (especially the alloy in question) making a very large quantity of this alloy (13-11-3) in the late 1980's. many people there considered it odd given the timing of the SR-71's retirement just a few years later, and especially that they had nto made this alloy an many years (probably since the early 1970's), and they basically had to relearn how to make it. They even kept a small, off the books stockpile of the alloy in the early 90's in case someone from a company that doesn't really exist but on paper ordered more.
Nowadays there are other alloys, such as 21S that can perform a similar function, and while difficult to make, are not nearly so as 13-11-3.
In Reply to: Re: SR-71 Titanium Beta 120/Ti-13V-11Cr-3Al posted by Peter Merlin on August 20, 2007 at 15:36:47 PST:
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