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Date: Tue, 11 Oct 2005 23:24:43 -0400
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From: "Dan Schaefer" <dfs155@adelphia.net>
Subject: Re: Inflight breakup of an SR-71 at Mach 3.18
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Craig Berland's account of the SR-71 breakup is a fascinating read. I've
heard it before but it still holds one's attention, none the less.

It reminds me of a similar story of an inflight breakup of an early U-2
related at a recent QB meeting by the gentleman to whom it happened. This
breakup happened somewhere over the gulf coast very early in the U-2
program.

With a coffin corner so tight that the airspeed had to be held to +/- just a
couple of knots. There was an engine "anomaly" and the airplane went out of
control. On this very early bird, to get out, he had to open the canopy and
jump! Pretty tough when the airplane is spinning and coming apart all around
you. Anyway, won't go thru the details, but he landed in a tree in a swamp
and was subsequently rescued - by boat!

Talk about living on borrowed time!

Dan Schaefer