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The SR-71 Blackbird it's origin in the X-15 one of the X-planes
A rare picture of early YF-12 A-12 And A picture SR-71 Blackbird

yf-12 lower fins squarer blockier no black paint picture. sr-71 blackbird spy plane lighter frame slecker shape


The early YF-12s shows it is the result of the research of the X-15 far more than does the SR-71 Blackbirds does. The X-15 was given a shape that would allow it to power it's way up to very high hypersonic speeds. The blunt back end was meant to add a large amount of drag behind the center of gravity when the engines were off. The lower fin on the X-15 was for control at high speed and high angle of attack. This theory was from the pictures in different books and thinking of how they were doing what they say they are doing. The stability needed for the high performance plane the X-15 was not needed for SR-71 Blackbird spyplane so the lower fin was eliminated and the upper fin was reduced in size and strength. To see the next difference all three the X-15, YF-12 and the SR-71 must be examined. Right in back of where the pilot sits at mid body line on the X-15 and the YF-12 is where the lifting bodies area is ends. On the SR-71 the this is extended all the way forward to the nose. In later flights of the X-15 (mid 1960s) this change in shape was found to cause problems. They formed another shock wave that caused problems. See how the YF-12s were modified in to the YF-12C with the other fins. This will be lead to a complete recalculation of the strength needed in the airframe for the SR-71 . The SR-71 Blackbird is a much lighter design then YF-12s or A-12. (The Russians will begin working on the Mig-23 Foxbat to counter a plane we will not develop.) The missiles that were to have gone here were better than anyone had hoped and did not need this much plane. They will find there way on to the F-14 and F-15 after the Vietnam War. (One dud missile on the ground is more trouble than any losses.) This is the basic history of this part of the X-planes. Then if, one wants to develop a plane to leave the planet one must look at the X-15 because the SR-71 Blackbird design was limited so that it could better perform the mission of high speed spy plane. The top fin and out wing are hinged. This is to give access to the engine for remove.

There was a ramjet/scramjet shaped model engine tested on the X-15. The A-12, YF-12, SR-71 Blackbird used a ramjet with dumps to feed a turbojet engines at speeds above mach 1. At top speed half of the air that entered the ramjet was being dumped before it entered the turbojet engine. This air increased the air resistance way beyond that of just the bare airplane shape. The plane was not really capable of going much fasted.

x-15 rocket plane blacked metal finish note lower fin as on yf-12. picture x-15 on ground lower surface removed piture. yf-12 flying nose up picture.

The Design Of The A-12, YF-12, and SR-71 Blackbird Are From The X-15

The X-15 was the start of what is a called the lifting body type shape. It still had wings like a normal plane though. The first of the SR-71 family of planes the YF-12 / A-12 really show that the blunt shape of the X-15, as shown in the following pictures. The first picture of the X-15 and third picture of the YF-12 tail sections looks so much like the tail of the X-15. In the second picture of the X-15 on the ground a bottom section of the lower vertical surface has been ejected. In the third picture the A-12 / UY-12 the predecessor of the SR-71 Blackbird has it's lower surface is in the middle it will fold over for take off and landing. They will over time decrease and later do way with the lower vertical surface on the SR-71 Blackbird. There is no need for lower control surfaces unless the upper control surfaces are out of the airflow as in a high angle of attack. As a spy plane the SR-71 Blackbird is not required to ever do such a maneuver. SR-71 most likely has had it's frame lightened accordingly. The long area ahead of the wings is at a high angle than the wings to support itself during flight and to lift the SR-71 off the ground at takeoff. The SR-71 Blackbird body is then not suited for this type of flight. The X-15 would be it's closest relative but with out close inspection it may be assumed to be like the A-12 YF-12 and SR-71 Blackbird. This would be due to the engine requirements for the X-hybrid. The reason though for choosing the lifting body style is to bring strength to the wings not for the lift.
model of x-15 in wind tunnel mach 3.5 shockwaves picture. model of x-15 in wind tunnel mach 6 shockwaves picture.

There is also the fact that every change in shape at more than Mach 1 will introduce another shock wave so a smooth or clean form is best. These pictures are of the shock waves off of two models of a X-15. In the first picture model of the X-15 is going Mach 3.5. The second picture is of the model of the X-15 is hypersonic going Mach 6. Notice the difference in angles of the shock waves between the two sets of pictures. Notice also the where the body of the X-15 flares the shock wave is as strong as off the nose. Not pictured is the X-15 with the scramjet / ramjet attached to the top of the vertical control surface. These shock waves will crush the scramjet / ramjet when at a right angle of attack, right Mach number at relatively high air pressure. The engines, etc. that are at an angle to the shock wave must be far enough away so that at high Mach number the shock waves do not strike them. Other wise they will require unnecessary strengthening. So the body will look like a SR-71 Blackbird in the smooth clean form with feature that was supposed to be on the X-15 but was not used. The purpose will be different though on the X-Hybrid.

The x-15 has flown within a few feet of what is considered to be the maximum altitude at which flight can occur.


All that aside the SR-71 is a very impressive machine
sr-71 afterburner on full at liftoff.


The lifting body line is different from the wing's line this angle gives extra lift the lifting body needs to keep the nose up. This as side gives the SR-71 a narrow speed to altitude flight corridor. This is nothing new the U-2 had the same kind of flight corridor at high altitude and high speed. Higher speeds require the lifting body line and the wing line.

Bob L. Petersen

Stats On Supersonic Sr-71 & Hypersonic X-15
Length Width Height Weight Wing Area

lENTGH WIDTH HEIGHT WEIGHT WING AREA X-15 Rocket Plane SR-71 Spyplane
Length 50 ft 6 in 107 ft
Width 22 ft 3 in 55 ft 7 in
Total Horizontal Area 11 ft 7 in 18 ft 6 in
Weight Loaded 33000 lbs 140000 lbs
Weight Empty ^12000 lbs 55000 lbs
Total Horizontal Area 452 sq ft 2080 sq ft


YF-12s lined up in a row
Yf-12 lined up all in a row.


Everybody, do you remember how we park? Sr-71
sr-71.




Bob L. Petersen

My favorite Movie Fly Over At Dyden It was shot on my favorite day February 15 and this one most important of all.



Thank you to Dryden Air Force Base and NASA for the movies.

Bob L. Petersen