That’s pretty awesome... Flying math... Sat through a lecture during open cockpit day at Castle AFB with a sled-driver... Stellar bird! It had not dawned on me until then that max speed and altitude where a function of weight. Thrust levers were essentially at the detents and as fuel was consumed, the aircraft climbed and increased in speed. They essentially ran out of fuel before they ever hit the maximum possible speed and altitude.
I think it’s interesting that so much of that plane’s abilities are still classified.
“Sled Driver”...now there’s a book I want in the worst way. I love the stories on that plane posted here on FR from time to time and available on the net. The story about the ‘altitude check’ is hilarious.
Also, My daughter and I stopped at the Tucson museum on a trip. She had never seen a 71 in real life. For all her time with the 117, she still stood there slack jawed when she realized that they built that thing with slide rules and 1950s tech.