Message posted by Vern Moore (Member since 02/19/2012) on April 14, 2023 at 14:05:40 PST:
Doing that Google search leads to an interesting early 2000s thread on Above Top Secret. A lot of what is discussed sounds very similar to the aircraft Smythers mentioned as victim of the "Aviation murder of the 20th century". A fleet of 5 aircraft, Mach 5 to 6 capable, LOUD rumbling takeoffs, all 5 airframes produced taken into the desert, destroyed and buried... Also similar to the program mentioned in an old thread here about the mid-1990s SR-71 shutdown with no replacement: (paraphrased) "Air Staff hated us and they hated the SR-71 even more. Our existence threatened their Blackbird X project funding and they wanted us gone. In 1995 the Clinton Administration closed us down with the SR-71, citing million dollar per flight fuel costs." For those interested in the ATS thread:
In Reply to: Re: To Smythers - is it *just* a regular SR71 in your eyes? posted by n01_b4_flash on April 14, 2023 at 8:24:48 PST:
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