Posted on 04/20/2024 11:21:30 AM PDT by MAGA2017
On March 20, 1971, a specially modified US Air Force B-52 bomber from the 4200th Support Squadron took off from Andersen Air Force Base in Guam carrying a unique aircraft mounted under its wing.
The aircraft, shaped like a dart and painted black, was a D-21 supersonic reconnaissance drone. It was to be the fourth such drone to conduct aerial reconnaissance of China's Lop Nor nuclear test site in northwestern China, and despite its sophistication, it would crash into the very country it was intended to spy on. Created by the renowned Lockheed Corporation, the D-21 was the most advanced unmanned aircraft of its time. Intended to bridge a gap between burgeoning satellite technology and manned reconnaissance flights, the drone's development was filled with ambition, urgency, and tragedy.
Ultimately unsuccessful, the drone would be relegated to the annals of aviation history if not for the appearance of a strikingly similar Chinese drone unveiled at a recent military parade. This delta-shaped drone of similar size also requires being launched by a mothership. But Chinese engineers claim advances that go much farther than the D-21, reaching 30 miles into the atmosphere and speeds up to Mach 6.
(Excerpt) Read more at msn.com ...
If they didn’t get the idea from the crashed plane, I’m sure Clinton or Obama gave them the plans anyway.
It crashed so the Chinese had to copy it but it’s probable worst ,LOL
Clickbait.
China is a big place to send a drone.
Especially the D-21.
The one that had inlet unstart led to the loss of an SR-71 / A-12 whichever it was.
The launch control officer in the backseat took his helmet off when he hit the ocean.
His suit filled up with water and drowned him.
Ray Torick? Guessing from memory.
I read the book almost 35 years ago.
Although, to be fair, there’s gonna be a very narrow variability as to how one could design a plane like this.
More likely, this is just Business Insider (ie, beholden to Democrats) trying to stir the pot.
Agreed
Yep
Business Insider is Democrat propaganda garbage
Just like NewsWeak
About the design, “form follows function”.
They’re both black.
Is that it’s Code Name , Clickbait ? LOL
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Yeah, probably not going to look like this:
I read where Clinton also gave the technology about our sub’s propeller and how to grind them; something to do with how the prop is shaped to give super quiet running.
re-engineered?
IIRC Iran shot down two US drones during Sotero’s reign of error. Now they seem to have hundreds. Wonder if they are american re-engineered.
THAT is a really really “Modified” B52.
Anti cavitation props.
“Thank” G. W. Bush.
Okay. Anyway they were secret stuff on how they were ground on a machine and Clinton gave that technology away to China.
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