SR-71 Cronicals, Not a Speed Check Story

"PyroHoltz f@h Oppo 261120" (pyroholtz)
08/18/2020 at 23:22 • Filed to: Planelopnik, Aerospace, SR-71, Skunk Works

Excerpt from “ !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!

I’ve been reading this book for the 2nd time and found this section especially comical.

Lt. Colonel William Burk Jr. (Air Force pilot) In the fall of ’82

I flew from Mildenhall on a mission over Lebanon in response to the Marine barracks bombing. President Reagan ordered photo coverage of all the terrorist bases in the region. The French refused to allow us to overfly, so our mission profile was to refuel off the south coast of England, a Mach 3 cruise leg down the coast of Portugal and Spain, left turn through the Straits of Gibraltar, refuel in the western Mediterranean, pull a supersonic leg along the coast of Greece and Turkey, right turn into Lebanon and fly right down main street Beirut, exit along the southern Mediterranean with another refueling over Malta, supersonic back out the straits, and return to England.

Because Syria had a Soviet SA-5 missile system just west of Damascus that we would be penetrating (we were unsure of Syria’s intentions in this conflict), we programmed to fly above eighty thousand feet and at Mach 3 plus to be on the safe side, knowing that this advanced missile had the range and speed to nail us. And as we entered Lebanon’s airspace my Recon Systems Officer in the rear cockpit informed me that our defensive systems display showed we were being tracked by that SA-5. About fifteen seconds later we got a warning of active guidance signals from the SA-5 site. We couldn’t tell whether there was an actual launch or the missile was still on the rails, but they were actively tracking us. We didn’t waste any time wondering, but climbed and pushed that throttle, and said a couple of “Hail Kellys.”

We completed our pass over Beirut and turned toward Malta, when I got a warning low-oil-pressure light on my right engine. Even though the engine was running fine I slowed down and lowered our altitude and made a direct line for England. We decided to cross France without clearance instead of going the roundabout way. We made it almost across, when I looked out the left window and saw a French Mirage III sitting ten feet off my left wing. He came up on our frequency and asked us for our Diplomatic Clearance Number. I had no idea what he was talking about, so I told him to stand by. I asked my backseater, who said, “Don’t worry about it. I just gave it to him.” What he had given him was “the bird” with his middle finger. I lit the afterburners and left that Mirage standing still. Two minutes later, we were crossing the Channel.

DISCUSSION (12)

wafflesnfalafel > PyroHoltz f@h Oppo 261120
08/18/2020 at 23:55

so that’s why France is still PO’d...

ttyymmnn > PyroHoltz f@h Oppo 261120
08/19/2020 at 00:25

We didn’t waste any time wondering, but climbed and pushed that throttle, and said a couple of “Hail Kellys.”

Love it.

“Don’t worry about it. I just gave it to him.”

“ We were...commun icating.”

SBA Thanks You For All The Fish > PyroHoltz f@h Oppo 261120
08/19/2020 at 00:31

That’s GREAT! Thanks for making the end of day so memorable.

SBA Thanks You For All The Fish > PyroHoltz f@h Oppo 261120
08/19/2020 at 00:31

That’s GREAT! Thanks for makign

PyroHoltz f@h Oppo 261120 > ttyymmnn
08/19/2020 at 00:36

Glad you enjoyed it, have you read the book?

ttyymmnn > PyroHoltz f@h Oppo 261120
08/19/2020 at 00:43

A few years ago. Very enjoyable.

Dead_Elvis, Inc. > PyroHoltz f@h Oppo 261120
08/19/2020 at 00:51

I’ve had this on my to-read list for a while. This was enough of a reminder that I just bought a copy on eBay for less than $6, shipped.

Thanks for the nudge!

PyroHoltz f@h Oppo 261120 > Dead_Elvis, Inc.
08/19/2020 at 00:59

There are a lot of stories like this one and just a ton of good history told very well , I’m sure y ou’ll enjoy it.

Dead_Elvis, Inc. > PyroHoltz f@h Oppo 261120
08/19/2020 at 01:01

It’s been recommended by plenty of friends IRL & otherwise. Looking forward to it immensely, esp since I’ve been craving some good non-fiction lately.

chaozbandit > Dead_Elvis, Inc.
08/19/2020 at 08:22

I got mine on Google Books for dirt cheap. Well worth the read, Ben Rich has a rich history too.

McMike > PyroHoltz f@h Oppo 261120
08/19/2020 at 10:02

We made it almost across, when I looked out the left window and saw a French Mirage III sitting ten feet off my left wing.

If that French Mirage snuck up on them, maybe Syria should shoot those instead of SA-5 missiles.

user314 > wafflesnfalafel
08/19/2020 at 10:12

When are the French not pissed off?

/I kid, I kid