The Amazing LA Speed Check Story- Reaction Video

[@michaelrandy8764]

You should listen to Brian Shul's entire story, went from being shot down in Vietnam, 60%+ of his body burnt to a crisp, Docs didn't think he would live, then 2 years of surgeries and physical therapy, finally passed a flight physical, went back into the Air force for 10 more years and then was selected to be an SR71 pilot. Inspirational to say the least

[@josephdonais4778]

I do not like the knock off vid they are watching, give credit where it is due.

[@MelesaEFary]

I actually grew up with the "Bird!". My father was a supervisor at Site 1 at Lockheed (no Martin back then) in Palmdale, CA! He was one of many who helped develop and test it. Hearing sonic booms several times a week and sometimes 2 a day was normal! No one came to his funeral from Lockheed! I told my sister that Daddy must have been a real asshole at work! When we got back to the house afterwards, the SR 71 flew over our house with a chase plane out of formation and dipped his wing twice over our house. I guess he wasn't such an asshole after all!

[@demmyglubber2496]

My Grandpa also worked on it, but the Burbank Skunkworks. I live near Palmdale...like 10 mins away, I see wild shit in the sky constantly. The sonic booms from the shuttle were window rattling haha. Anyways, my point was that they weren't allowed to talk about much of anything. It wasn't that he was unlikable, more unreachable. Hell, my grandma didn't even know what he was working on until the late 80's and she worked on the P38 Lightning WITH him.

[@MelesaEFary]

@@demmyglubber2496 once in a while my dad would go to the Burbank plant! I would never move back to AV again. Too hot and crowded! I moved away 22 yrs ago to the Giant Redwoods in Northern Calif, no sonic booms up here! We have bears 🐻 instead as a nuisance!!

[@jameskoralewski1006]

If you liked that speed check story, you might want to hear the entire speech, unedited. It is a great speech from one of the few remaining SR-71 pilots. The speech is called "From Blackbirds to Butterflies" and he tells many facts about his plane the SR-71. Here's the video link for the pilot's speech. kzbin.info/www/bejne/iXPTnIZoqqxnndU

[@karlnitz1126]

It helps explain the, "twelve year old" comment. Amazing piece of history.

[@cherylann9781]

I absolutely recommend listening to the Brian Shuls entire presentation.

[@bobkonradi1027]

The video is divided into two parts. Part 1 is Brian Shul's fighter plane crash during the Viet Nam war and his long recovery from it. He essentially willed himself back to life and to functionality. In and of itself, its equal to the best motivational story you'll ever watch. Part 2 is his return to "normalcy" with the USAF and then his entry into the SR-71 program, where he scored the 6th best physical exam test after being first being told, 1). you'll never walk again, then 2). you'll never fly again, and 3). you'll never pass the SR-71 entrance exam. There were only 96 men ever accepted into the SR-71 program, half were pilots and the other half were electronics officers. After being written off as a dead man walking, he became on of only 48 pilots for the plane. If you have 1:10:00 of spare time, watch the entire video. As to the L.A. speed check story, it begins at the 56:00 mark.

[@jaywilliamson9860]

You guys had a laugh over the term "hitting a tanker". My uncle was an SR-71 pilot and they did not take off without at least 2 tankers already in the air to refuel them. The plane leaked so bad on the ground they had to fly fast to get it hot and seal up the fuel tanks and by that time they were almost out of fuel. After hitting the first tanker they would go and head towards their mission and refuel again before going in to photograph whatever they were going to "look " at that day.

[@MrYy3]

SR-71BB for sure and the Lockheed Martin SR-72 is making it's way , but is still very classified

[@jameskoralewski1006]

If there will ever be a replacement for the SR-71, It will probably be called the SR-72, it will be unmanned and should approach Mach 6. But after Biden gets done spending all the money on his pet projects, there will probably be no money left for expensive military projects!

[@jameskoralewski1006]

If there is an SR-72 it will be unmanned. What color was the Blackbird SR-71 outside fuselage painted? Indigo Blue!

[@tirpitz6259]

Yas

[@billtroxell2148]

I've heard that story 3 times now, still love to hear it, never gets old, ha

[@GatBlackistan]

Air Force vet here. That story was oddly arousing for me.

[@mattmarcotte5476]

"arousing" is a hilarious word choice.

[@jackrasbeary4156]

Same here. USAF: we have the best shit

[@Lonewolfmike]

And you can tell in his voice that the Navy pilot must go down in flames and in the worst way. LOL

[@mattmarcotte5476]

@@Lonewolfmike I loved armed forces banter.. Marines say to navy "thanks for being just a water taxi".. Army to AF "yeah real dangerous flying in a $100m jet.." etc. Rivalries are fun.

[@Lonewolfmike]

@@mattmarcotte5476 Army to A-10 pilots "RAIN DOWN HELL ON OUR ENEMIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!" LOL

[@Surfbird11]

Blackbird was the official nickname but it was also commonly called the Habu after the Japanese word for a black cobra found on the island of Okinawa where they were based for years.

[@Reblwitoutacause]

Never heard that tidbit. Thanks.

[@The_Keh27]

I refuse to call it a "hashtag!" Maybe pound or number sign, but I will forever be team "octothorpe"!

[@MeanLaQueefa]

Pound sign forever.

[@donaldcake1]

or the hash sign cause that is actually what it is in the context, the tag part is the words

[@mattmarcotte5476]

If by a crazy twist of fate I live to retirement home age... I'm going to insistently call it the pound sign.

[@jeffburdick869]

If you want to see an SR-71, there is one in a museum in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Its pretty impressive to see close up.

[@sammencia7945]

Designed and manufactured using chalk, chalkboard, and sliderulers.

[@jameskoralewski1006]

They paid 33 million dollars to make each SR-71 and they cost $85,000 an hour to operate each one.

[@paulbeck6410]

Yup, been there, seen it.

[@ajzwiebel]

Also one at WPAFB in Dayton Ohio.

[@saxonxander6283]

@@ajzwiebel I was on leave while in the USAF (I was a B-52G mechanic), and went to Wright-Patt. They were just putting the SR-71 next to the XB-70, and a curator was there. We got to talking, and I was permitted to go look at the cockpit. The back seat was off limits due to classified equipment, but the front seat wasn't. Very cool. I have also seen the one at Kalamazoo, MI, and another one at Castle AFB, CA. At least I think it was @ Castle. This was back in 1990.

[@bobp1016]

The navy pilot had to go back to his base with his head hung down in shame!

[@mikehenthorn1778]

i had a resident when i worked in apartments who work on the U2 and the SR71 for Lockheed. he had stories too.

[@rosshoppus333]

So in college I heard this story. I went to college to be a pilot. Now I’m in the military not as a pilot but as a weather forecaster for them. So I’m always surprised when they look at me after I give them that same “sing song voice”. Having a background now in both fields makes me useful. It’s my little jealous joke to them but some of my pilots appreciate the humor

[@singerkgreen]

Classic! I've never seen a reaction to this. Great job as usual gents.

[@1ListerofSmeg]

Walter... is the man! (I did have a final line spoiler here. Edited out.) The pilot has a really interesting life story..its worth checking out.

[@waynejones5635]

The Avro Arrow was primarily a casualty of politics. The Arrow program was a high profile Canadian aeronautic engineering feat, which faced political pressure at home and US military establishment. The project was eventually cancelled due to "cost overruns" and changing priorities. All traces of the aircraft and its blueprints were ordered to be destroyed. The US ended up selling Canada some surplus F101 Voodoos, which were inferior aircraft to the Arrow. After the program was cancelled many of the engineers from the Arrow program were scooped up by NASA and various US military aeronautic developers.

[@williamstreet4304]

First to Melesa - Awesome comment. I don't have that kind of connection to these stories. Almost all SR-71 stories are awesome. There is another called "Buzzing the Tower" about an SR-71 doing a fly-bye at Sacremento Metro Airport. The fly-bye was amazing. But the story about the Air Traffic Controller who was on-duty is just top notch. There's another about a fly-bye of a military airport in GB where the pilot almost stalled the plane then hit the afterburners over the secluded field. I haven't been able to find that one recently. Please watch and comment on more.

[@Aussie1276]

I have heard that story more than once and I laugh every time I hear it

[@anklebiterwoodworks2818]

I built the SR-71 Estes Rocket back in the 90s. Such fun.

[@Bill_H]

Interesting footnote. The SR-71 was designed in the day of slide rules, by the famous Lockheed Skunk Works. Recently they took the design, put it through the most up to date aircraft design software, and lo and behold, the software couldn't improve the design! I volunteer at the National Museum of the US Air Force near Dayton Ohio, and you can see a Blackbird, and many other unique, historic and one-of-a-kind aircraft there, all for free! Largest military aviation museum in the world, nearly 20 acres under roof with around 350 aircraft and vehicles on display!

[@alfredmartinez6166]

You should check out the "Buzzing the Tower" story. You'll love it.

[@kalzyoung]

Negative Ghostrider

[@SylvesterCarl]

@@kalzyoung ...DAMN that guy!

[@WyattFromCanada]

The Avro Arrow was a fantastic plane. It was ended because prime minister diefenbaker killed the project because the costs, technical delays and government budget reductions became a problem. The Avro was basically ahead of its time in the 50’s it could go 2,150 kmh (1,335 mph) at 10,000 ft. It was also capable of carrying 2 unguided nuclear missiles or 8 AIM-4 Falcon Homing Missiles. It was quite a remarkable aircraft and it was a shame it never was made again.

[@m1t2a1]

The Bomarc missile ended the Arrow, and turned Canada into a nuclear power for a while.

[@vintagethrifter2114]

Most people don't know about that, not even Canadians, or The Canadian aircraft carriers up to the early 1970s. Canada lost a lot more than a good aircraft. At one time, in the 1950s, Canada was a major contender in the space race. It had the will and the minds to get there. That all changed with the same policies that ended the CF-105. After the cancellation, a lot of the Canadian engineers went to work for NASA on the Apollo program.

[@m1t2a1]

@@vintagethrifter2114 Canada put America on the moon.

[@nancysexton4364]

@@vintagethrifter2114 This is news to me (I'm an American, but always interested in Canada cuz they were our closest neighbors growing up outside of Detroit.) I wish Canada would advertise more about itself. You never hear much about it once you move away from the border states.

[@jrus690]

Watch THE ARROW, a overly dramatized portrayal of the CF-109, the plane that of course could do anything, except of course, tell the LIBERALS not to build it. Canadians like to buzz about it but it was too big for them. Canada is a vast country that has to build monster infrastructure programs because everybody forgets that all your people live in a north-south zone smaller than Austin to Houston. Canadians talk about it like it was better than anything else out there, but of course, that part is dramatized. The USA was already working on the X-15 and the SR-71. They hint at a potential space program but of course that is off the wall, APOLLO was off the wall too but the USA was in that rare moment when it was willing to blow billions to do that stuff.

[@u2mister17]

The SR 71 took off with half fuel BECAUSE the delta wing design and no flaps caused over 200 MPH lift off speed, the tires were shredding at that speed. They had to take weight out of the equation. Fun Fact... The Concord (SST) used the same delta no flap design. The engineers and operators knew about the tire problem but ignored it. The Concord, when density altitude was high, weighed 300,000 LBS and needed 245 MPH to get off the ground. U.S. commercial airliner left debris o the runway....yea right.

[@CanadiansReact]

Hi terry!

[@chemislife]

Another plane that needs a runway check after it lands or takes off due to the tires blowing up is the worlds largest airplane the Antonov An-225 the thing is IMPRESSIVE to watch

[@jamesgraham4825]

The main reason is because of the titanium used.. The material used does not seal on the ground. Because it expands with with heat, if they were sealed they would over expand. While stationed and RAF Mildenhall, one was over fuleled and leaked all over pad.

[@michaelrandy8764]

Correct, they didn't take off with 1/2 load of fuel because it all leaked out, they took off with half a load because it would enable them to abort takeoff if an engine failed and it also put a lot less stress on tires, brakes etc etc

[@jerrydc818]

I’m smiling throughout the video. Hey, if your fastest, baddest in the sky... why not! The was such a cool story. I live an hour from Beale, took my kids to Castle Air Museum in Atwater, CA along Hwy 99 to see the Blackbird. This is such a cool museum with many military aircrafts from fighters to bombers. U can get up close too. Great vid✌️

[@samsignorelli]

Major Shul gave a Commander's Call briefing when I was in USAF tech school in 1985 and he was still actively flying the jet, and no one --- I mean NO ONE, from the rawest Airman basic to the base CO (a bird colonel, IIRC) -- wanted it to end!

[@dda40x1]

All done with his best "Alice's Restaurant" voice.

[@michaelwellman2079]

Brian Shul is the mans name, he's the pilot. Google him and read how he survived a crash in a jet, cause he could not eject. It was the Butterflies.

[@CanadiansReact]

Awesome thanks for the insight!

[@dennissvitak5475]

David Letterman's interview with Kyle Carpenter. Worth it.

[@zurnie]

One of my favorite stories about one of my favorite planes.

[@dasfarm8]

Wait what, Canada has an Air Force? Haha just kidding. Cheers from rural Minnesota.

[@mattmarcotte5476]

Dunno what you're making fun of... MN is basically Canada. 🍁😳

[@kg4wwn]

Canada has the largest most fear-inspiring Air Force in the world. Mostly made up of geese.

[@mattmarcotte5476]

@@kg4wwn they trained them to crash at least one airliner.. Terrorism? 😂

[@mattmarcotte5476]

@@kg4wwn oh and thank you for making me giggle like a Japanese schoolgirl by the way...

[@AFmedic]

Old USAF vet here. Back in 1970 there was an Airshow at the Base I was stationed. Besides the Thunderbird's there was also the Canadian Flying Team (can't remember what they were called). I'm loyal to the USAF but have to admit that the Canadians out-did the Thunderbird's. I swear if they could figure out a way to fly the planes in reverse they would do their stunts backwards. So YES! Canada does have an excellent Air Force!

[@helensarkisian7491]

Love, love, love this story. I smile every time I hear it. I would so very much like to see and hear it fly.

[@jerrydc818]

It was originally designated as RS71 but Linden Johnson misread it as SR71. The USAF figured it was easier to call it SR71 than correct the President.

[@RobertJones-ux6nc]

Try SR-71 buzz the tower, that's a great one.

[@RobertL.JonesJr-hz8vl]

Try the time the SR-71 Blackbird buzzed a control tower at a civilian airport. It is by the same pilot Maj. Schul.😅😊😂

[@susanwahl6322]

You should listen to when they buzzed the tower.

[@michaelrandy8764]

Different Habu, That was a pilot named Maury that did the Sacramento airport buzz the tower.

[@cshubs]

How far out from an air strip is an SR71 when it has to start losing speed for landing?

[@MU-rx1tc]

Makes my laugh 😂 every time !

[@mikakamppi4826]

That model of the SR-71 will never reach 2000 Knots across the ground no matter how hard you throw it. 2000 Knots = 2301.559Mph (3704 Kph)

[@oldmanfunky4909]

There's always a bigger fish. lol

[@operator0]

There was never an official reason as to why the Avro Aero was canceled, but I think we can all make the assumption that it was canceled because it would have stolen a lot of fighter sales from the American Military Industrial complex. As to the construction of the SR-71, the biggest hurdle was learning how to machine and fabricate Titanium. Up to that point, knowledge about how to work with Titanium was quite limited, but it was really the only material that could have worked for an aircraft like this, so they spent years in R&D just learning how to work with it. The Russians built the MIG-25 in response to the SR-71, but it was built out of Stainless Steel. The MIG-25 was fast, but it was heavy and it had very short legs.

[@benrast1755]

Great plane. Leaked like a sieve until the engines got hot and all the seals expanded into place. It was meant to fly high and fast.

[@kz03jd]

It did leak, but it was more like weeping than a big leak. And it wasn't the engines that had to get hot, it was the entire airframe. The jet as a whole would lengthen by about ~6in when flying at Mach 3+

[@jeffcon123]

God damn... I love the sr71 could u imagine that cool kids club? Like... the elite top gunners but these dudes are astronauts almost... 2000mph... that’s like... to maybe stand in one spot and actually witness this plane at MAX speed.. at an altitude u can see with your eyes... that would be a spectacle

[@jsullivan9238]

The Avro Arrow was murdered by politics. Nuff said. I met Brian Shul in Sacramento a few years back and spent an hour listening to him tell his life story: 'Blackbirds to Butterflies' You can find it here on youtube. Not only is Brian cool AF, but a 'Don't tell me what I can't do!' kinda guy.

[@jeffhughes7964]

I had and made the same one dad flew f16. Oh love the shirt Eh

[@wolfmanjack3451]

Aviation humor I love it!

[@DonaldHolben]

Avro Arrow engineers Where hired to help them work titanium, They needed our help.

[@Tyrannosaurus_STFU_III]

He's such a good story teller..

[@stevecsorgojr2830]

Check out that pilot Maj Brian Shul. He has a great story of his Air Force career!

[@EnterTheNameHere_Bohemian]

You can do the other story too: kzbin.info/www/bejne/roWtioGnaayEd6c Oh, #yourrequest

[@philrichards9232]

Have you ever heard the US navy vs Spanish lighthouse.

[@l-jpersson7532]

Swedich Air force is always there..

[@appa609]

2000 ktas would be a world record

[@nancyjanzen5676]

Should look up SR 71 buzzing the tower.

[@johnzee691]

listen to Brian shul speak about his early days. his life is interesting and learn whats meant when he mentioned 12 year old. there is also the video of another sr pilot titled buzzing the tower...another good one e.

[@livetosurvive4558]

2,000 knots is more like 2,300 mph.

[@nathanlawson313]

It's called: the x-men plane

[@Highice007]

They have a great movie about the Arrow from CBC kzbin.info/www/bejne/l3vac3uqjq18l9k Diefenbaker didn't like the owner of Canadian Avero. Also he thought it would be cheaper to buy American missle defense systems. He scrapped the program, and caused the draining of Canadian aeronautics talent when lots of out of work Canadian engineers went to the US to work for companies like Lockheed Martan and General Dynamics.

[@CanadiansReact]

Awesome thanks!

[@m1t2a1]

The Arrow ended because of the Bomarc missile. An American, ground to air missile. Bomarc was a nuclear missile, so now Canada was a nuclear power. See, Bomarc missile crisis.

[@joshuabuck5104]

React to SR-71 blackbird buzzing the tower

[@jan_phd]

Then... a TR-3B popped in and...

[@kokomo9764]

The SR71is a great plane but the A12 was an SR71 on steroids. It was very similar to the SR71 except it was bigger, faster and could fly higher.

[@michaelrandy8764]

Actually the A12 was slightly smaller, carried only one pilot and weighed quite a bit less, so it was slightly faster and had a slightly higher ceiling, but only like 10000ft and 200-300mph faster

[@Kevin-ev3le]

You guys need to react to lemmino

[@CharlesRWJones]

Not sure if you seen Mark Felton's clips about the Lightning vs U2 kzbin.info/www/bejne/bnXHhqp_na5gkKM, but very interesting watching. Enjoy

[@livingourdestiny9075]

Oh wouldn't have been nice to see what the Arrow could have done..or what Avro would have come up with next...shame

[@davidcalvin4215]

Forget what book about the Arrow I was reading. There were variants on the drawing board that would have been competitive with the SR71.

[@tomjones2121]

Arrow built 5 flying and a 6th was ready to go when Diefenbaker cancelled the project , ordering it cut to pieces to protect the secrecy of the technology , which was eventually stolen by the U.S along with it's engineers who then built not only the SR 71 but the Apollo mission lunar lander , and designed NASA's space suits ... yeah , Major Canadian brain drain ...by the way recently they discovered one of 2 existing Iroquois engine that went to the Arrow in England and both are now in Canada's air museum in Ottawa , both are functioning engines , all they have to do is build the damn plane , ( projected maximum speed ( 1,800 mph at 70,000 feet ..... just sain , faster then anything out there right now really faster then Canada's F18 ...

[@CanadiansReact]

Thanks for that! -Adam

[@sc1338]

Wrong! Your country canceled the order not America’s fault. It’s really easy to blame on others. I’m pretty sure we could build the sr71 without the handful of engineers that immigrated lol

[@jerzeyguy71]

the Canadian fighter was cancelled because America said, really.. what are you gonna do with that, dont worry great white north, we got this.. lol