Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird Manual: An Insight into the Design, Operation and Maintenance of the Secret US Cold War Reconnaissance Aircraft

I did not think the Haynes manual on the Apollo Lunar Module and Saturn V Moonrocket could be excelled for the quality of information given but here is a book that has surpassed all my expectations.When you see a new publication about possibly the most impressive jet ever built being the Lockheed SR71 you hope that there may be yet unbublished photographs and new information to discover on this remarkable jet.I can promise you some of the photographs are totally new and one in particular will make your eyes pop out, if you buy the book you will know the photograph i mean, it's only a shame it covers two pages because i think the photograph was taken from onboard one of the refuelling aircraft and would make a trully remarkable poster for any enthusiasts wall.What marks this book out as something really special is the new information about how the jet was built and operated, and possibly for the first time we are taken on a very detailed tour of the jet.It's almost as if the American Government have decided to release all the blueprints and technical knowledge surrounding the jet.Take the fuel tanks and the various fuel pumps controlling the Pratt & Wittney engines, we are told how many there are and where in the jet they are situated and how they are constructed.Also the design of the wheels and tyres including their dimensions right down to the exact pressure they took aswell as the special silver paint that covered the tyres to aid cooling due to the extreme temperatures they had to endure.It's the amount of detail we are given that will fasinate the reader because i cannot recollect any book going into this amount of detail, and not that many years ago some of the information given would be very sensitive indeed.This is the first book ive read on the SR71 that actually goes into great detail on how the jet is construced,the use of asbestos and a particular shade of black paint to cover the titanium spaceframe, even how the angle of the chines on the wings reflected the radar signals.That kind of detail is still in use with today's American airforce Stealth technology, obviously things have moved on considerably since the early 1970s butnot that long ago such information would have been highly classified.This is the first publication of many on the SR71 that has let us in on the secret of Stealth radar technology.The detailed description of how the Pratt & Wittney J58 engines work and are maintained, this section on the engines gets rather technical and confusing but it's still great too be able to read about it.A very interesting section on the David Clark pressure suit and just exactly how the pilot puts it on, and the different layers and materials used.Quite an indepth analysis on the various surveillance cameras used with photographs showing where in the plane they were installed and actual photographs taken during a mission.We are even told the exact model camera and length of film aswell as how sensitive they were at various altitudes.The one section i thought that would never be put in print is the various missions the SR71 undertook over North Korea, Russia, during the Gulf conflict and the famous Cuban missile crisis.We are even told in some detail about how during one mission above North Korea the oil pressure reached critical levels in one engine resulting in the jet having to fly at Mach 1.2.The jet was identified on North Koreas radar instruments and a surface to air missile was launched.If several USAF jets had not been in the area and coming to the SR71 assistance it would probably have been shot down.We are even told which SR71 was involved during this incident including the name of the pilot and roughly the kind of mission they were undertaking and the airbase they had to make an emergency landing at.The book really is unique in that vertually everything that can be told to a reader without compromising US security is finally revealed.I am sure the majority of readers may have guessed that the SR71 was called into action over North Korea and during the Gulf War but here it is in print in quite revealing detail confirming the facts.This i believe is the first publication on the SR71 that has been written over the many years that has revealed once classified information.That up until now was classified information and has not been featured in any book on the SR71 past or present.The authors Steve Davies and especially Paul Crickmore have written about the SR71 in other publications but obviously certain classified information has been declassified and even though the information is not in great detail we are told exactly where a particular SR71 visited during the Cold War.By Haynes standards it's quite a small publication with only 155 pages but it's a book you simply cannot put down once you have opened it.Ive looked at quite a few books over the years about the development and testing of the SR71 but one chapter in this new publication amased me, that being the testing and servicing of the Pratt & Witney J58-P4 engines.There is a chapter by itself describing how the technicians serviced these engines with some simply stunning photographs showing the engines being removed from the aircraft and how the engines worked.If the book had only included this chapter i would have been pleased because i have never read any other publication on the Sr71 that outlines the servicing and repair of these amazing engines.The book also explains how the engines worked at different altitudes and temperatures and the photographs included show technicians covered in aviation fuel, simply stunning (THE BOOK IS WORTH IT ALONE JUST FOR THESE PHOTOGRAPHS)The jet had the ability to fly at around 85,000ft at near Mac 3.4 with the pilot being able to control the temperatures and thrust of the engines to suit the altitude and outside temperature.One very interesting aspect is how the engines nose cone could be manually adjusted to suit the engines thrust and temperatures.Remember the Pratt & witney J58 engines were developed so that they would work continually using the afterburner, and still remain unique in aviation history because the pilot flying the SR71 was able to adjust the internal temperatures of the engines, used because of the incredible heights the jet could fly at.There are quite a few new photographs in the book that i believe have never been published before, and if they have then in only very obscure publications that few people have seen.There will be few books that will be in big demand once they go out of print, but i can see this publication being hot property on the secondhand market once it goes out of print, and usually a book goes out of print very quickly indeed.If you only have the slightest interest or are a avid fan of the fastest jet ever produced then this book is a must purchase.I was hoping the book was going to be a good one before i ordered it but nothing could have prepared me for the contents of its pages.GET IT BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE I AM CONVINCED YOU WILLNOT BE DISAPPOINTED

It's hard to know what to reasonably expect of this book as there is isn't the access to detailed information that exists for other types. That said, there is plently to learn, with particularly good sections on the J58 engines, temperature control and sensors.The book is excellent at synchronising pictures with the text, which not all the Haynes manuals do well. Having personal accounts included from both a pilot and crew chief helps compensate from the relative lack of pure technical detail. Their recounts are well written and really give an impression on the complexity of the Blackbird. The summary of an operational sortie from preparation to landing is a highlight.In summary, this book cannot be as technically comprehensive as others but makes up for this in being well written and edited.

This book is a fascinating study of perhaps the most amazing aircraft ever built and how it emerged in a world where technology, risk and pushing every envelope were the normal state of affairs. In a more peaceful world (in a global sense) like we have now, nothing like this will ever exist again as the momentum for keeping that step ahead has gone. I will always remember seeing the blackbirds fly at selected air displays and take off for operational sorties from RAF Mildenhall. The SR-71 is a remarkable machine in 2012, so its impact in the mid 1960s can only be imagined.The book clearly illustrates how each and every aspect of the design was a huge technical challenge and to think that it was done in the age of analog computing is even more remarkable. It is divided into a sensible and logical series of sections that together give a good understanding of the technology, design and operation of this machine, plus the experiences of the crews that flew them.A fascinating read for enthusiasts and for the casual reader alike.

I've never been disappointed with a Haynes pseudo manual and this one does nothing to change that. The SR-71 is one of the worlds most incredible and fascinating aircraft and this book really explores it in fantastic detail. The reader will be amazed by the technology contained by this machine, fully illustrated and explained section by section. There are also sections on the flight experience by pilots that flew it in service, servicing and maintenance by engineers and ground crew, mission examples, etc etc. Many of the illustrations have never been previously published, so that in itself is a treat. Fascinating cover to cover. Highly recommended.

I've been buying a lot of these Haynes "Owner's Workshop Manual" recently. They are an excellent reference item when building model kits and easy to read as a stand alone book. They follow a standard format- history, variants, Use and Maintenance. The books are usually written by former user/experts and are always very informative. Also, the quality of photos and illustrations are second to none, often showing the unseen/hard to get to areas. Haynes are onto a winner with these, as they are an excellent addition to a reference library.

Nicely balanced between a full-blown nuts & bolts guide to the aircraft and a pretty picture book. Definitely recommended for anyone with even a marginal interest in the subject - a worthwhile read when there's nothing on the TV ;)If buying it as a gift, I'd suggest it would be suitable for anyone of teenage years and upwards. It's probably a bit too 'technical' for younger kids.A worthy purchase - I for one will be buying a few more titles in the series.

Using this to help my rc build of the model.