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Researching SR-71 Ground Equipment


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Does anyone know about this piece of ground support equipment used with the Blackbirds?  A model number, drawings, its function, and any other information would be greatly appreciated.
 

Air-Water Separator

I've been told it's an "air/water separator," which makes sense as all the pictures I have seen show it operating in damp or humid weather. Air from an air conditioning cart or hangar installation entered the tapered end via a large hose and exited out the other end through a smaller hose that connected to the air receptacle in the SR-71 nose gear well.  Here it is being used to prepare the jet to leave  Bodø, Norway after an emergency landing. The A/C cooled the cockpit and avionics bays.

 

 

bAQQYd0.jpg

This photo shows the A/C cart feeding the unit, which is partially out of the frame at right.

65hmZNp.jpg

I would like to scratch build a unit for a diorama, but I cannot find any information beyond what I have stated here.  An equipment designator, dimensions, drawings and/or more photos would be welcome. I have collected every photo and video screen capture I could find, which aren't much, but I did find the end of the Internet in the process.  I also tried to contact the Air Force Historical Research Agency online, but the form failed to transmit.  Then I tried doing the same with the Beale AFB Public Affairs office, with the same results. I was able to find an email address and send a message, but I doubt they will reply.

 

Any Habus out there who can help?

Thanks much.

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7 hours ago, X-Plane Fan said:

SR71-1-1.jpg

Does this help?

 

 

X-Plane,

 

One must admire your gift for understatement.  "Does this help?" you ask, to which I must reply...

 

Wow!  Does it ever!

 

I now know many times as much as I did before you posted this!

 

Seriously, this fills in information I've been seeking on and off for at least a couple of decades.  You have my gratitude, sir.

 

I also contacted Mr Jeff Houlihan, Director of collections at the March Field Museum.  He responded at almost the same time as your post.  He confirmed the unit's purpose and sent this photo:

 

TFpFmZt.jpg

 

If the unit is still on display, and if I could be allowed to take measurements, I'm considering making the drive from Phoenix to Riverside, CA to get a better look.  But in the meantime, I might be able to scratch build a reasonable representation, thanks to you and Mr. Houlihan.

 

Some years ago I was able to take detailed measurements of an AG330 start cart in order to scratch-build a pair.  I posted my drawings online (thanks Photobucket for killing that), and have heard from two manufacturers who have or will soon release kits.  If I have the opportunity to do the same with this gizmo, I intend to pay it forward by working up a set of drawings and posting them online.  Stay tuned

 

And X-Plane, thanks again.

 

Regards,

Bruce

 

Edited by Neptune48
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2 hours ago, habu2 said:

Try here:

 

https://www.sr-71.org/blackbird/manual/

 

although it doesn't look like it covers ground equipment

Habu2,

 

I appreciate your effort, but unfortunately, you are correct.  The site does not cover ground equipment except for the starter cart, which I am also scratch building.  Every other Blackbird site I have found online does much the same.  And for a chuckle, I thought I'd list the references in my library which also do not address the subject:

 

CIA  A-12 Manual-A-12 Ground Crew Manual 1966

CIA  A-12 Manual-Photographic Equipment Manual

CIA A-12 Manual- A-12 Flight Manual with Technical Data Change 1968

CIA A-12 Manual- Support Manual Grand Handling and Emergency Operations

CIA A-12 Manual-Pilot Photographic Equipment Manual

CIA A-12 Manual-Pilot’s Abbreviated Checklist - Modified Aircraft

Crickmore, Paul F.  Combat Legend SR-71 Blackbird  Shrewsbury, UK Arlife Publishing, Ltd. 2002 

Crickmore, Paul F. Lockheed Blackbird: Beyond the Secret Missions  Wellingborough, Northants UK Osprey Publishing 1993

Crickmore, Paul F. Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird  London, UK  Osprey Publishing Limited 1986

Crickmore, Paul F. Lockheed SR-71 Operations in Europe and the Middle East  Botley, Oxford, UK Osprey Publishing, Ltd. 2008

Crickmore, Paul F. Lockheed SR-71 Opetations in the Far East  Botley, Oxford, UK Osprey Publishing, Ltd. 2009

Crickmore, Paul F. SR-71 Blackbird  Oxford, UK  Osprey Publishing Ltd. 2015

Crickmore, Paul F. SR-71 Blackbird: Lockheed’s Mach 3 Hot Shot  London  Osprey Publishing, Ltd. 1987

Davies, Steve & Crickmore, Paul Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird Owners’ Workshop Manual  Newbury Park, CA Haynes North America Inc. 2012

Drendel, Lou  SR-71 Blackbird in Action  Carrollton, TX  Squadron/Signal Publications, Inc. 1982  

Goodall, James C & Miller, Jay  Lockheed’s SR-71 ‘Blackbird’ Family: A-12, F-12, M-21, D-21, SR-71  Hinckley, UK Aerofax 2002

Goodall, James C.  SR-71 Blackbird  Carrollton, TX  Squadron/Signal Publications, Inc. 1995

Goodall, James C.  SR-71A Flight Manual  Osceola, WI  Motorbooks International 1992

Goodall, James C. Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird: The Illustrated History of America’s Legendary Mach 3 Spy Plane Atglen, PA  Schiffer Publishing 2019     

Goodall, James C. SR-71 Blackbird Walk Around Carrollton, TX  Squadron/Signal Publications, Inc. 2003

Graham, Richard H USAF (RET) SR-71: The Complete Illustrated History of the Blackbird, The world’s Highest, Fastest Plane , Minneapolis MI Zenith Press

Graham, Richard H. USAF (RET) SR-71 Revealed: The

Inside Story  St.
Paul, MN  Zenith Press 1996

Graham, Richard H. USAF (RET) The Complete Book of the SR-71 Blackbird  Minneapolis, MI Quarto Publishing Group USA Inc.

Jenkins, Dennis R. Lockheed SR-71/YF12 Blakbirds Warbird Tech Series North BranchMN Specialty Press 1997

Landis, Tony R.  Lockheed Blackbird Family A-12, YF-12, D-21/M-21 & SR-71 Photo Scrapbook  North Branch, MN  Specialty Press 2010 

Merlin, Peter W. From Archangel to Senior Crown: Design and Development of the Blackbird  Reston, VA  American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Inc. 2008

Merlin, Peter W. Mach 3+: NASA/USAF YF-12 Flight Research, 1969-1979  Washington, D.C. NASA History Division 2002

Remak, Jeannette & Ventolo Jr,, Joseph  The Archangel and the OXCART  Victoria BC, Canada  Trafford Publishing 2008

Shul, Brian Sled Driver: Flying the Word’s Fastest Jet Chico, CA Mach 1, Inc. 1991

Shul, Brian The Untouchables: Mission Accomplished Chico, CA Mach 1, Inc. 1993

Thornborough, Anthony M. & Davies, Peter E. Lockheed Blackbirds  Shepperton, Surrey UK  Motorbooks International 1988 

Regards,

Bruce

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18 hours ago, Neptune48 said:

.  And for a chuckle, I thought I'd list the references in my library which also do not address the subject:

Regards,

Bruce

 

But of course.  It's TOP SECRETE !!

 

C2j

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