SR-71 startup and takeoff

[Dave Williams]

A bit long, but pretty cool.  Note the fuel leaking from the tanks of the cold airframe, the green flash of the TEB (Triethylborane) used to ignite the JP-7 fuel for engine startup, and the afterburners lighting up for takeoff.  An awesome sight we probably won’t see again.

 

 

[MikeC]

Thanks for sharing.  They were certainly an awesome sight in the air!  I don't think those of us gathered around the Mildenhall fence just after Farborough 1974 quite realised how privileged we were to see it.

[Troy Molitor]

That was simply amazing.  Wow. Thank you for sharing that.   I'm certainly not a jet fan for the following except the English Electric Lightning.  F-102 and F-106 and that spectaculer SR -71 and well maybe that Mig 25 FOXBAT.  Well now.  Thanks for sharing this with us.  

 

Troy 

[Oldbaldguy]

I was lucky enough to be parked behind an SR-71 decades ago when it started.  I was in a staff car with the airfield commander and we both wanted to see the green flash. True and moving experience.  What an absolutely stunning country this once was to be able to build these airplanes without a second thought as if anyone could do it.  No one else ever did; and no one has done it since.

[Stokey Pete]

What a machine!

I was blessed to have witnessed it in flight a couple of times at Mildenhall Air Fete in 87 & 88.

There was something primal, an almost guttural roar coming from the motors in reheat. You could feel it through the body. 
Only the B-1 has come close to matching that feeling for me since. 

[Troy Molitor]

I've never heard or witnessed one fly (Sr-71) but I'm in awe every time I see one up close.  A couple weeks prior for me I was in Tucson, AZ. The PIMA air Museum is so awesome.  The B-52 "All high and mighty " with a copy of the X-15 slung under the Starboard wing was also really cool to see up close and to touch!  The B-58, F-102 & F-106.  No less than 6 Harriers on display.  What a Museum to see in person.  I went back two days in a row to take it all in.  Thanks for sharing the video.  

[Cheetah11]

 

Thanks for sharing the awesome video Dave. For the petrolheads there is also the sound of the two V8's.

Cheers

Nick

[MikeMaben]

On 1/10/2025 at 4:40 PM, Oldbaldguy said:

I was lucky enough to be parked behind an SR-71 decades ago when it started.  I was in a staff car with the airfield commander and we both wanted to see the green flash. True and moving experience.  What an absolutely stunning country this once was to be able to build these airplanes without a second thought as if anyone could do it.  No one else ever did; and no one has done it since.

My Dad was an instrumentation engineer on these (also YF-12A) and so got to start them up once in awhile.

Being all top secret at the time he would never talk about them but said if he did we'd all be bored silly.