It’s true....leaked like a sieve when on the ground. It all sealed up in the air at altitude. I used to watch them while on the flight line at Kadena headed west to parts supposed to be unknown.
Watched them coming back, too. One high altitude loop/descend around the field and landed from very high start point. More like a controlled crash.
I was lucky enough to see one heading into Beale AFB while outside for lunch during my sophomore year of highschool in 1986. I’d been a fan for years before that, but seeing that beauty flying low over my school was like a personal hat tip to my fondness and respec of the blackbird.