You got to wonder at the fuel load required to do all that. The SR-71 was that fast, but needed to tank up as soon as it took off and reached altitude, and not long after a speed run, IIRC.
You got to wonder at the fuel load required to do all that. The SR-71 was that fast, but needed to tank up as soon as it took off and reached altitude, and not long after a speed run, IIRC.
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The reason the SR-71 had to fuel up soon after take-off was that it took off with only a partial fuel load, both to reduce the stress on the aircraft, and improve (i.e. make possible?) single engine flight in case they lost an engine on take-off.
Which happened more than you might think.