Customer Reviews

SR-71 Blackbird: Stories, Tales and Legends

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Colonel Graham has put together unique memories of 19 former pilots and RSOs for the 3 Blackbirds, (A-12, YF-12 & SR-71) in cronological order from the first A-12 ejection through the retirement of the SR-71, (both times). Most of the chapters deal with the SR-71 at it's two deployment detachments, Det 1 at Kadena AB, Okinawa and Det 4 at RAF Mildenhall, United Kingdom.
These are fabulously interesting insights into the lives and times of the best men in the US Air Force who were chosen to fly the best plane in the US Air Force, the titanium wonder-bird, SR-71.
It doesn't provide much in the way of facts, figures, drawings and detailed photographs, but that was not the intent of this book. It is one of the most interesting books I have ever read.
All profits from the book go the J.T. Vida memorial fund to help maintain SR-71 # 17972 at the Smithsonian Musuem at the Dulles Air Port west of Washington, DC. Lt Col Vida spent 16 years as an RSO and amassed nearly 1400 hours in the SR-71, the most of any crew member. He was the RSO for 972 on it's record breaking flight from LA to DC in March of 1990.

A number of books have been written about this remarkble aircraft. Most good, a few not so. This book definitely falls into the good (no, excellent) category. It is not as technical as some of the other books (although some technical concepts are very clearly explained) as much as it is a book relating some of the tales of those who actually operated the aircraft. It gives a wonderful insight into what is probably the best reconaissance system the US ever had. Even today, we have no systems that are capable of doing all the things the SR could. For one thing it was the only atmospheric system that could safely penetrate defended airspace. For another, it remains the only system that can do wide spectrum multi-sensor reconaissance of a given target on the same mission. This book relates some of the missions that demonstrated this as well as what was involved "behind the scenes" in pulling off these successes. Although satellites are wonderful, there are things they simply can't do that the SR-71 could (For one thing, since the orbits of the satellites are known, the bad guys know when to hide the stuff they don't want seen. The SR could surprise its targets).

The last part of the book is valuable in relating the real reasons this remarkable system was retired. It wasn't for cost and it wasn't for lack of capability. The hard numbers provided and the stories of the shenanigans pulled to "justify" a bad decision are almost worth the price of the book itself.

Col. Graham has done it again and this is a worthy companion piece to his excellent "SR-71 Revealed" book

Rich Graham has followed the winning formula he used in SR-71 Revealed: The Inside Story with this book. Who knows as much about something, as those that operate it, and Rich and a select group of aviators flew the amazing Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird.

In SR-71 Blackbird: Stories, Tales and Legends Rich has written about squadron life and what it was like to fly and operate this amazing aircraft over some of the most politically hot spots around the world. There is a great mix of historical information, aircraft facts, and funny stories to keep everyone's attention.

There is more in-depth stories about the program, and what it was like to fly the fastest aircraft in the world.

Rich also invited fellow 'Habus' to relive moments from the operational life of the program. These ARE the people that walked the walk, and you get to sit in the ejection seat on exciting missions, and know what it was like to fly the Blackbird.

For aircraft enthusiasts at a non professional level this is a well written book with a wealth of information about this amazing plane. It truly gives a feeling for the heroic men who first flew this aircraft , the first of its kind for power and speed. In an easy to understand way it imparts the difficulties and struggles of developing this plane. True pioneers and men with vision put the Blackbird in the air. Pity we only get to see them on the ground now.

The SR-71 is one of the most interesting subjects to read about. Unfortunately the author seems to have taken the easy route in writing this book. Specifically...
Mr. Graham does not search out really interesting stories, events, or participants. He mainly interviews his HABU friends who only occassionally provide gripping stories, compared to the wealth of subject matter available. There is so much more that is truly interesting to read about this plane and the events and people associated with it.
This book comes across more as a cut-and-paste effort concerning his friend's off-the-cuff recollections. In summary: a fairly interesting book that does not live up to it's potential.

A great read on a great aircraft.I don't think the general public will ever give the SR-71 it's just deserve or fully realize how this A/C affected their lives while operating in top secret mode. Even today after being retired long ago the A/C still holds so many speed records to this day. When you think of a bullet traveling at 2850 fps losing velocity as soon as it exits the barrel as in high-powered rifle & here's an A/C that's cruising at over Mach 3 , 3000 + ft per second constant velocity , high in the atmosphere, 80,000 ft above ground level there's got to be a story to be told and I think Richard along with others in his book have done a fine job ! Also well worth reading are Richard's other two books: " SR-71 Revealed " The Inside Story, and " Flying The SR-71 Blackbird ". All three make a nice companion set of books for reference and of course they're entertaining for any pilot or aviation buff interested in the SR-71 Blackbird.
THANKS Richard and to the other contributors for letting us in on what was once restricted and sharing your experiences.

This book is a huge disappointment. There is only one interesting story; an engaging account by a survivor of an SR-71 crash. In its totality, however, the title "Stories, Tales, and Legends" is unjustified. I consider this book overpriced.

This book [was bad]. How anyone could take such an interesting subject and make it boring is beyond me. I have read a lot of aviation books and this one tops my list of one to skip. There were a couple of good stories about engine failures at high altitude and mach numbers but mostly it was a celebration of the eliteism of the SR-71 crew members. The only thing greater than the performance figures of the airplane were the apparent egos of the crew. This book was obviously written for other SR-71 crew members. It constantly relives the things they had in common with each other but not with the rest of the Air Force
or us mere mortals. The special orange flight suits, the pressure suits, the drinking parties with the acceptible SR-71 jock drink 'The Basic Hook'(vodka tonic to us). Wasn't the simulator tough. Wasn't the physical thorough. Didn't you sweat the crew selection interview. [Wasn't it bad] that the Pentagon cancelled the program. Over and over and over, but from a different guy. And most of the stories were from the back seaters. Who wants to hear from those guys? I wanted to hear what it was like to fly the beast. How bad things could really get. What it felt like to land and take off an SR-71. Disappointed.

For those who are already familiar with the bird (and for those who aren't as well!!), this is one of the most entertaining books out there. Col. Graham managed to put together several stories told by several different people involved with the program, and each story makes you feel like reading all the book in one single shot! I can't wait for Volume II!

An interesting aircraft and interesting folks who flew her. I have a picture on my wall of one such SR-71 making a fly by at Travis AFB, CA years ago during an air show event. I can't read the tail number, but what a great picture!

The acceptance standards and training of Habus to be was most specific and obviously necessary! Almost incomprehensible!. That's a hand full of jet aircraft! Truly Amazing! The pilots, RSO's, mechanics, and builders have done their duty well. Thank you and thank you taxpayers.

Sunk Works has built many aircraft that Americans can be thankful were for "our" side. Like all useful tools, joyrides, they do end, with the exception of the B-52 (tongue in cheek).

As years advance and new technologies arrive (satellites) and honed UAV's, one must also be prudent to relent and be most thankful for what they were once paid to do. Not many can stake that claim.