OT. 8 foot SR71 Blackbird Wind Tunnel Model on ebay.

[RAD2LTR]

Re: OT. 8 foot SR71 Blackbird Wind Tunnel Model on ebay.

Those tail feathers off 955 are interesting. Since 955 is the only remaining original test aircraft it makes it even more cool. I guess the real question is, what tail is on 955 now and why was the original removed. They retired 955 Jan 24 1985. It only went overseas once, July '83 to test the new ASARS (Advanced Synthetic Aperature Radar System). When it did, it was dressed up as 962 to disguise it.

It moved to its current location April 3, 2002 a the Airforce Flight Test center museum.

Will

[AirDOGGe]

Re: OT. 8 foot SR71 Blackbird Wind Tunnel Model on ebay.

I think the canopy isn't THAT valuable even though it's a one of a kind.

The A-12 only existed in mock-up form and was never built except for a few assemblies, and so never acquired any history to attract collectors. It really was only a plane on paper and in pretty pictures.


That alone might reduce demand for such an item. Now if they had completed at least ONE airframe, even if it never flew and ended up in a museum, then I think more aviation collectors would want that canopy and be willing to pay more.


DESIRE and DEMAND drives collector prices more than rarity.


That said, I must say that the canopy on this A-12 Avenger II model certainly looks like the full size item being offered, it makes me wonder if anyone might build a complete (non-flying) airframe around it. Now THAT would be a worthy project:

[FuryFan]

Re: OT. 8 foot SR71 Blackbird Wind Tunnel Model on ebay.

Those tail feathers off 955 are interesting. Since 955 is the only remaining original test aircraft it makes it even more cool. I guess the real question is, what tail is on 955 now and why was the original removed. They retired 955 Jan 24 1985. It only went overseas once, July '83 to test the new ASARS (Advanced Synthetic Aperature Radar System). When it did, it was dressed up as 962 to disguise it.

It moved to its current location April 3, 2002 a the Airforce Flight Test center museum.

Will

I think I remember reading about a similar situation previously. Apparently it wasn't unheard of to change out a vert. stab. with a refurbished one from another aircraft. It makes sense that there must have been new spares built from the beginning, and once those have been "used" they would refurbish the take-offs or ones possibly recovered from airframes that had salvageable parts. Seems logical to me...

I just want to know how a private party, at least I'm assuming it's a private party, get's hold of an artifact like that?

Kevin

[FuryFan]

Re: OT. 8 foot SR71 Blackbird Wind Tunnel Model on ebay.

"You charge 1 million dollars for a piece of scrap metal and won't even pay for the shipping."

I'll deliver it for the price of the fuel, but you gotta let me keep it for a couple of months first!

Kevin

[SkyvanDelta]

Re: OT. 8 foot SR71 Blackbird Wind Tunnel Model on ebay.

I asked the seller if $1,000 would buy it. He said $1,500. So who wants it? It's near Kansas City, Missouri, about mid way between North/South, East/West in the US. I think it's cool. I'd love to have it but don't have the money or the space for such. I guess if you bought it, you could make a mold from it and mass produce SR71 lawn models.

[IcePaq]

Re: OT. 8 foot SR71 Blackbird Wind Tunnel Model on ebay.

[RAD2LTR]

Re: OT. 8 foot SR71 Blackbird Wind Tunnel Model on ebay.

That very well might not be a model but the real deal. A12 925 (now found aboard the USS Intrepid) spent time upside down on a pole the summer of 1962. They didn't fit the composite chines and leading edges till after these tests.

Its a cool picture no less. Even if its not 925, its clearly a full scale mock up of an A12 based on the pointed nose on it. Also the fuel dump tail is short on it.

Will

[AirDOGGe]

Re: OT. 8 foot SR71 Blackbird Wind Tunnel Model on ebay.

Where did you find that bad boy?


Looks a bit like a radar test sitting upside-down on that pylon. If so, then I wonder why the vertical fins were left off?


These look like they may have come from the same test (found via Google image search). The description of the first photo claims that it's a real A-12 being prepped for a radar test:

[RAD2LTR]

Re: OT. 8 foot SR71 Blackbird Wind Tunnel Model on ebay.

That is exactly what they were doing with 925. The book "Blackbird Rising" goes into a little detail about this. The early days of the SR/A12 program were pretty hairy. Talk about peeling back the edge of the envelope. These guys were exploring new territory like Chuck Yeager was with the X-1, but going 3 times as fast with air breathing engines. It was a whole new ball game.

We need to go back to chasing that demon that lives out past Mach 4. Heck, Mach 3+ would do especially if it involved a bird with wings of Titanium and a pair of Pratt and Whitney J58s pushing it along.

Will