Flying the Cold War Blackbird SR71 Spyplane (27)

Cold War Conversations - "vivid & compelling" The NY Times

Ian Sanders

Society & Culture, Documentary, History

4.8 • 863 Ratings

🗓️ 15 September 2018

⏱️ 54 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Today we are talking about the SR71 Blackbird spy plane. Only 32 Blackbirds were ever made, and they were in service from 1964-1998. The great defensive ability of the plane was its high speed and altitude. Standard evasive action was just to accelerate, which made it almost invulnerable to the attack technologies of the time. The top speed of the plane was mach 3.3 (2,200 miles/hour that’s 36 miles/minute). Thanks to all those who are supporting the podcast with monthly pledges and donations. It is much appreciated and will allow us to expand the scope of the podcast. If you would like to support the podcast further and get access to some exclusive extras go to our website at coldwarconversations.com and click on the “support the Podcast” menu option. Back to todays episode…our guest knows a bit about the SR71…Buz Carpenter accrued 777 hours flying SR-71 planes. He flew Blackbirds as an aircraft commander and later as an instructor pilot, with over 60 operational missions. He also flew in the C-141, RF-4C, and T-38 planes, flying 150 combat hours in Vietnam. He worked in the Pentagon and served as Wing commander at Ramstein Air Base in German during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. He retired as a Colonel after serving as the 2nd Air Force Vice Commander, responsible for all the USAF Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance flying assets. He is currently a docent for the Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum, Udvar Hazy Center. We welcome Buz Carpenter Support the project! https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/ Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/ColdWarPod Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/coldwarpod/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/coldwarconversations/ Youtube https://youtube.com/@ColdWarConversations Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Welcome to Cold War Conversations, the home of real stories of the Cold War.
0:05.9	The two-star head of Strategic Air Command's Operations is there. Our deputy ambassadors to the United Kingdom is there.
0:14.2	The head of MI5 and MI6 is there. A number of British military individuals are there. So we go through the briefing.
0:23.6	They had no idea if we had a problem where we should land. They said that's up to you to try to figure out.
0:29.6	This is Cold War Conversations. If you're new here, you've come to the right place to listen to
0:38.6	first-hand Cold War history accounts. Do make sure you follow us in your podcast app or join
0:44.8	our emailing list at coldwarconversations.com.
0:50.6	Welcome to episode 27 of Cold War Conversations in association with the Cold War Museum. Today we are talking about the SR-71 blackbird spy plane. Only 32 blackbirds were ever made and they were in service from 1964 to 1998.
1:13.7	The great defensive ability of the plane was its high speed and altitude.
1:19.4	Standard evasive action was just to accelerate, which made it almost invulnerable to the attack
1:25.4	technologies of the time. The top speed of the plane was Mac 3.3.
1:31.6	That's 2,200 miles an hour to you, which equates to 36 miles a minute.
1:39.7	Now before we start, I'd like to thank all of those who are supporting the podcast with monthly
1:45.8	pledges and donations. It is much appreciated and will allow us to expand the scope of the podcast.
1:54.5	If you'd like to support the podcast further and get access to some exclusive extras,
1:59.9	go to our website at Coldwallconversations.com
2:04.2	and click on the support the podcast menu option.
2:09.3	Back to today's episode, our guest knows a bit about the SR 71 Buzz Carpenter accrued 777 hours flying SR-71 planes. He flew Blackbirds as an aircraft
2:26.7	commander and later as an instructor pilot with over 60 operational missions. He also flew in the C-141, the RF4C and T-38 planes, flying 150
2:41.1	combat hours in Vietnam. He worked in the Pentagon and served as wing commander at Ramstein
2:48.3	Air Base in Germany during Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm.
2:54.1	He retired as a colonel after serving as the Second Air Force Vice Commander,
	...

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