Lockheed Blackbird Scrapbook

[AL]

http://www.specialtypress.com/vstore/showdetl.cfm?DID=8&Product_ID=2206&CATID=1

Not really a "projects" book but I think this will interest many people here, especially the camouflage schemes.

 

[F-14D]

http://www.specialtypress.com/vstore/showdetl.cfm?DID=8&Product_ID=2206&CATID=1

Not really a "projects" book but I think this will interest many people here, especially the camouflage schemes.

Interesting find. Thank you. I just came across this one, Convair Advanced Designs: Secret Projects from San Diego, http://www.amazon.com/Convair-Advanced-Designs-Projects-1923-1962/dp/1580071333/ref=reg_hu-wl_mrai-recs myself.

 

[SOC]

I wonder if "never-before-seen special camouflage schemes" is yet another reference to people finally figuring out that '934 first flew with unpainted chines!

The F-117A photo scrapbook was really good, so this should be a great addition to my Blackbird shelf.

 

[AL]

Got it today.

First of all, let me say that the "never-before-seen special camouflage schemes" was a big disappointment. It consists of the picture of the pole model that was in the last Miller Blackbird book and a photo that was composed by pasting cutouts of the same RCS model twice on a background to show two A-12's flying in formation. So much for a SEA scheme or a scheme like on the Have Blue.

The first chapter is on the development including photos and drawings of Suntan, Fish, Kingfish and the A's. There are a couple photos of the Kingfish RCS model I haven't seen before.

The one completely new photo is one of a pole model of an early design for the D-21 drone. It's more a pure delta than the double-delta used. The intake and exhaust must be on the top of the craft because all you see is a fairly smooth bottom.

Compared to the Miller book, this being a "Photo Scrapbook", it has lot more photos, most in color. Text limited mostly to captions.

 

[Blackbird_Fan_12]

Thanks for your straightforward review of the new Blackbird book and I have to say that based on the ad copy that Specialty Press was putting out, this book will be a surprise to those who buy it. I fought long and hard against them using the 'camo scheme' and 'over 100 new photos' in their ads (and cover text) but obviously I was overridden. The new policy's there also contributed to the magazine-like cover design versus something that would resemble a serious book. You compare this work to Jay Miller's projects which is really unfair. This book was meant to be just a photographic history of the program and nothing in-depth like Jay produces, hence the 'Photo Scrapbook' title.
In Specialty's defense, there are numerous 'new' images in there and not just the D-21 as you described. Fish and Kingfish art/photos, in-flight shots of the first bare metal A-12, a small photo of two (real) A-12's in formation (not just the retouched image), photos and art of the A-12 cameras and camera bay covers, D-21 images that were just released by Lockheed, NASA D-21 proposals and engine removal pics, etc.
Is it what Specialty played it up to be, no way, which is one of the reasons I have no plans to write for them again any time soon. Is it worth the $13.50 Amazon is selling it for, absolutely. If you're looking for an in-depth program history then you will be seriously disappointed but if you want a book that photographically covers the program from initial design to the SR-71 parts being scrapped in Barstow then pick this up.
Personally I would recommend sending Specialty a nasty note for their questionable advertising practices. They certainly don't listen to their author's but they have no choice but to listen to their customers. Here's their info: info@specialtypress.com . Thanks for letting me rant on a bit. This certainly didn't turn out to be the special tribute to the Blackbird that I originally envisioned it could be.

Tony Landis

 

[SOC]

I just ordered one from Amazon ($12.20!). I'll add it to the list of reviews here after I read through it: http://geimint.blogspot.com/2009/06/blackbird-reading-list.html

I will say that I personally don't think the cover is too bad. It isn't much different from the cover of the F-117A Photo Scrapbook (which is awesome), save for the "a bunch of new photos" text and the yellow stripe at the corner. I don't care if it looks remarkably serious, I know the product line (the Photo Scrapbooks) and the topic (the Blackbird family), and the topic alone pretty much guarantees that I must buy one! Plus, anything with Tony's photos is always good.

Specialty Press's page for the book is here: http://www.specialtypress.com/vstore/showdetl.cfm?Product_ID=2206&DID=8 Tht right there doesn't seem too outlandish of an ad to me, based on what I expect to get out of it as a Photo Scrapbook series volume?

Eh, whatever. I'm gonna buy one, it's a new Blackbird book. Pretty much the end dof the story right there. I'll reserve comment about what is or isn't in it until after I actually have it in my hands.

 

[AL]

Tony, I want to apologize. I cut my review short and left the impression I was comparing it against the Miller book unfavorably. I did not mean to to that. I have the Miller book and would still recommend buying your book.

 

[SOC]

Personally, I recommend buying anything with the words "Lockheed" and "Blackbird" in the title ;D

 

[AL]

I would recommend anything by Tony Landis.

 

[Steve Pace]

Personally, I recommend buying anything with the words "Lockheed" and "Blackbird" in the title ;D

Good! Maybe you'll buy mine.

 

[SOC]

Too late, I've already got that one ;D

http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,8710.msg77889.html#msg77889

If I don't have it, it's either a reprint or an earlier edition (like Crickmore's Secret Missions Exposed, I got Beyond The Secret Missions and saw no reason to go back and get the original, shorter edition).

 

[SOC]

I updated the Blackbird Reading List on my blog with my latest two finds, Rich Graham's SR-71 Revealed (1996) and Tony Landis's Photo Scrapbook: http://geimint.blogspot.com/2009/06/blackbird-reading-list.html

Ok, so Tony didn't fit a bunch of text into his book, but big deal. It's basically a picture book, most of it is in full color, and I like it. LOTS of new stuff in there. There is a bunch of interesting stuff in a lot of the captions as well, they can basically be treated as the "text". The Thunderbirds story was hilarious, and I never realized that the A/R receptacles on the YF-12 and SR-71 were in different positions. My only issue is that he refers to the AIM-47 as being "nuclear-tipped", when the 0.25 kT W-42 nuke warhead was dropped in 1958, and the nuke warhead idea in total by 1959.

Here's a question-why have no images ever surfaced of a D-21 with leading edge probes being carried about by an M-21? As I mention towards the end of the reading list, I can prove that this was not a D-21B modification-just look at the launch video from the back of 06941. I've never found an answer to that one.

 

[shockonlip]

I updated the Blackbird Reading List on my blog with my latest two finds, Rich Graham's SR-71 Revealed (1996) and Tony Landis's Photo Scrapbook: http://geimint.blogspot.com/2009/06/blackbird-reading-list.html

Ok, so Tony didn't fit a bunch of text into his book, but big deal. It's basically a picture book, most of it is in full color, and I like it. LOTS of new stuff in there. There is a bunch of interesting stuff in a lot of the captions as well, they can basically be treated as the "text". The Thunderbirds story was hilarious, and I never realized that the A/R receptacles on the YF-12 and SR-71 were in different positions. My only issue is that he refers to the AIM-47 as being "nuclear-tipped", when the 0.25 kT W-42 nuke warhead was dropped in 1958, and the nuke warhead idea in total by 1959.

Here's a question-why have no images ever surfaced of a D-21 with leading edge probes being carried about by an M-21? As I mention towards the end of the reading list, I can prove that this was not a D-21B modification-just look at the launch video from the back of 06941. I've never found an answer to that one.

Agree on Tony's Scrapbook - just got mine, well worth it.
Lot's of new shots and info. Also enjoyed the T-birds at Norton AFB story.
Since I'm a propulsion freak, I especially enjoyed the shot of
the outer wing panel rotated up with the J58 in situ (not pulled
out and hanging for J58 service). You can see how the J58
sits in the duct wrt the inlet and ejector nozzle. Cool!

>Here's a question-why have no images ever surfaced of a D-21 with leading edge probes being carried about by an M-21?
Well here's one!
http://www.museumofflight.org/aircraft/lockheed-d-21b-drone

Did you ever think that maybe they were there, but possibly removed for the earlier photos?

I recall a discussion about this at one time when I was working on SMOF's exhibit.
If I recall correctly.

 

[SOC]

My current line of thinking, which is not backed up by any source by the way, is that perhaps the captive carry D-21s didn't have the flight control systems onboard, and therefore lacked the air data probes. Most of the captive carry images on the M-21 show the frangible nose/tail covers, and we know that they did stop doing that pretty early on due to separation issues. We've also only got one image of 06941 carrying a drone, and it also has to be before they started firing them, as the covers are in place.