Warbird Information Exchange

Today I learned something new. I always thought Blackbirds were
black. Today I learned they were originally Indigo Blue. The A-12
at Battleship Park in Mobile, AL. has a 'bird they are repairing from
damage suffered during Hurricane Katrina. They replaced one of the
strakes with a new one from the USAF. It was packed in a crate dated
1967 and was Ingigo Blue. The contrast between it and the rest of
the aircraft was very pronounced.

That's interesting...I've always thought black, only ever seen black. Every book I've ever read on the Blackbird says black. When the Airzoo's Blackbird needed some replacement parts due to damage while in transit from California, I'm almost certain those parts were black as well. Could it be that this part is unfinished, was was to have been painted after installation?

John

I recall hearing a long time ago that the indigo blue paint turned black very shortly after the aircraft entered service due to airframe heating. Anyone know if there's any truth to that rumor?

_________________
Dean Hemphill, K5DH
Port Charlotte, Florida

Zero cowlings were thought to be black, but now known to be indigo.

K5DH,

I think that is an unsubstantiated rumor...my understanding is that the paint was black from the beginning. But, I've been wrong before. I'm at work now, and don't have access to my reference books. When I get home I'll see what I can find, unless someone else answers the question first.

John

I have a book on the Blackbird, very extensive information. It says the color is indigo blue. I'm guessing the heat could turn it black.

I remember when we would get parts in for the SR-71 when I was at Mildenhall RAF in the UK, the parts or skin were Blue and they would take one flight and they would cook and turn black.

I guess that makes it a subsantiated rumor then
I always wondered about this as well. They say Pilots wore asbestos goves so...

_________________
"I knew the jig was up when I saw the P-51D-20-NA Mustang blue-nosed bastards from Bodney, and by the way the blue was more of a royal blue than an indigo and the inner landing gear interiors were NOT green, over Berlin."

Cubs,

What is the name of the book you're referring to? I can't find that information in any of my Blackbird books.

Thanks,

John

You might want to visit this website:

http://www.wvi.com/~sr71webmaster/sr-71~1.htm

This one is more about the A-12 and Oxcart programs, but still great info:

http://roadrunnersinternationale.com/index.html

A young co-worker of mine was taking flying lessons a couple of years ago, and his instructor is a former Blackbird pilot who had lots of cool tales to tell (as one might hope!). He said that they ate "space food" that was served in those tubes that look like toothpaste tubes, fed through a socket on the front of their helmets (just like the astronauts). To heat the food, they held the tube against the inside of the windshield for a few seconds. Why? Because the temperature of the inside of the windshield was about +350 deg F!

_________________
Dean Hemphill, K5DH
Port Charlotte, Florida

When I worked for David Clark I use to make alot of the parts for the helmets and space suits worn by both the Blackbird and Shuttle crews. One for the things was the mold for the straw/opening tool for the food in those toothpaste tubes,it screwed on and punctured the the top to let the food go through and up the straw you had to make sure that the foil it removed didn't go up the straw.

Now do you want to talk about the Relief System?

Phil

vg-photo,

I've been to that site, and found no reference to blue paint...only black.

I'd still like to see the source that says they were blue.

John

Sorry, I thought it was there somewhere. I do remember reading that the color was indigo blue that changed to black after 2 flights because of the heat. I remember seeing them at Mildenhall in the late 80's and being able to notice new parts because of the color difference.

A friend that is a modeler said that the Federal number (FS#) for the color is indigo blue (I don't have the number off-hand).

VG-photo and others,

Please don't get me wrong...I'm not doubting first-hand experiences. If they were blue, then they were. I'd just like to see it in print someplace so that if others question me (I'm a docent at the Airzoo, where we have the SR-71B) I can point them to the information.

Thanks,

John