Area 51 pictures from back in the day. Fascinating.

[Recluse]

The SR-71 project had been denoted as "Article 121" for purposes of transporting from the Skunworks to Groom Lake, also known as Area 51.

This is a fascinating write-up and picture essay of what all it took to move the Blackbird to Area 51.

Enjoy.

[wch]

Probably couldn't do that today, after all, that's Kalifornia.

[TXGunNut]

Wow, quite a project. Most folks have no idea of the logistics of moving normal articles, this is quite a story of a huge project well carried out.

[Smitty's Retired]

Thanks for posting. Very infomative for sure.

I had a friend that was in the U.S. Air Force as a turbine engine mechanic back in the '70s, and was stationed at a base in Turkey that had mainly KC-135's and various fighters. He told me a tale of a Blackbird that had to make an emergeny landing there once. In most instances he said that SR-71's usually made their landings and takeoffs at night. But this was late in the evening. So they brought in a bunch of other craft and lined them up on each side of the landing and taxie path all the way to a hanger. The only problem was the hanger was a few feet short to be able to totally enclose the Blackbird. So they cut a large hole in the doors at the end of the hanger for the nose to protrude through, and placed a quonset hut style maintenance tent to cover the nose.

Now, My friend had a lot of tales from when he was stationed there. How accurate were they??????? Not sure. But they do make entertaining tales. I was in the Army, and I know I have seen some things that some civilians that have never been around the military might question also.

[popper]

Talk about a wide load. So that's why the grapevine was such a wide road in the '60s! Worked with a photographer that processed the film from them ( and the shuttles). He showed us some really amazing(unclassified) photos. We got lots of wall size prints of that bird. People don't realize how big it really is. Thanks for the article and glad your doing better.

[44man]

I worked for UAL and seen a few SR-71's, Seen and touched the last when it came in for the museum.
No plane will ever match that bird!
Now there are rumors about the aurora! Is it true? I really think so.

[Duckiller]

Secret oversized loads are regularly moved on California streets today. When I was working I oversaw the issuance of the permits in LA County. Often we issued permits to move LARGE boxes. Never were sure what was in the box or exactly how big what ever was in the box was. All that was required was someone to declare that the load could not be reasonably reduced in size and that it was secret. Moved at night sometimes with men openly carrying guns, from memory they may have been Thompsons. By the time the SR-71 moved to area 51 the southern portion of 99 had been widened and straightened. It would have never made in on the original grapevine. The northern portion of the Grapevine exists as a back road that is mainly used by hunters and dirt bikers. Have driven it a few times, definately don't want to pull anything over those switchbacks. It was aptly named the Grapevine.

[Bad Water Bill]

There are rumors about the aurora! Is it true? I really think so.

SIR You do not have a need to know.

Heard that said more than once.

Stood next to an airman apprentice when a retiring 4 star Admiral asked him a question about our aircraft.

SIR You do not have a need to know. The Admiral simply said "carry on" and walked away.

Welcome back RECLUSE. Hope all is well.

[GaryN]

Very interesting!! Thanks.

[Iowa Fox]

Recluse, Thanks for sharing those photos with us. Looking at the trucks, cars, police vehicles, and the populated photos really took my mind back in time. As a young LEO just a few years latter I remember some of the things we escorted. Some pretty interesting things went down the highways in the 60s.

[472x1B/A]

To what Smitty's Retired posted above I can not attest to what was done in Turkey. But while I was stationed at U-Tapoa Thailand '73-'74, SR-71's and U-2's were landing and taking off at least once a week. What a site to watch, just as interesting as a BUFF coming in for a langing with half a load of wing bombs still hung and swinging on the hangers. Thoes were the 'good ol days'.

[quilbilly]

I have a fun Area 51 story. It was about 1966 and I had just learned to drive an old VW bug. A friend and I were out exploring the Nevada desert and found an old mining road cut between two cliffs so took it. It went out on a plateau to what I later figured was an old cinnabar (mercury) mine and the plateau had wildlife everywhere including antelope, wild horses and burros, plus the usual rabbits and predators. Soon we got buzzed by an F-4 Phantom and we saw a whole bunch of vehicles coming our way several miles distant. He hotfooted it out in the VW never knowing what was going on but came back the next day to find the cliffs blown up and the road gone. We had blundered into the back door of Area 51.

[encoreman]

Thanks for that story, have always been enamored by the Blackbirds.

[Reg]

Saw a 71 on the parade grounds at Lackland years ago when number one son graduated. A REAL Big Bird !!!!!!!
Thanks Recluse !!

[markshere2]

I was stationed on Kadena AB Okinawa. T'was a great use of time to go watch the
Habu take off. You've gotta see it to believe it- just an incredible acceleration down the runway and...gone!

[warboar_21]

I have seen them up close at air museums but never got to seem one in action.

I do remember being stationed in Camp Humphrey's Korea as an MP and being called out to pull security on a U-2 that was making an emergency landing. It couldn't quite make it to Osan Air Base which was only about 20-30 miles further. We had to pull security on it for a few days until they were able to make the repairs needed to get the plane airborne and back on it's way home.

[popper]

The one that made the greatest impression on me was the 36s at Wichita. Foggy memory but I think the had one of the 'wings' there also. Wildest was watching a 29 takeoff under full jato at Gebaur. Walked up next to an 86 in the hanger - the 'coolist' plane ever made - and was introduced to a real 1911 - "step away from the aircraft, son!". Fully armed and fueled, sitting by it's self in a hanger. Strange. I don't beleive in UFO, but about 15 yrs ago at nite (had the dog out to do his buniness) heard an aircraft then saw the backend of slow moving jet @ maybe 6k', no running lights and the backend looked like the rear of a 66 Tbird that was the exhaust. Pulled a mild climb as was gone. A 'what the heck' moment.

[felix]

One B36 flew over my house in New Madrid MO, around 1955 or so. The plane was in a slow climb going NNE. Noticed the plane because of its large muscle car sound. Found out years later the plane had stopped in Blythville AR on the way to Thule Greenland. Info came from my cousin who was a navigator on those things "at random", but not on that particular plane. Every one of those flights was considered a secret deal because of their payload(s) during those years, he said. He retired after his four years of service. His family never knew where he was until he called them after a flight's return. ... felix

[Bad Water Bill]

Not a military takeoff but one I will never forget

I worked at midway airport in Chicago when they landed the first 707 there. I remember drag shutes hanging everywhere and it successfully stopped before running out of runway.

The next day the 707 taxied up to 63rd and Cicero right near the hanger I worked at. All kinds of noise as it started take off and then the JATO bottles lit off.

About 1/2 way down the runway it was airborn and burned a hugh hole in the overcast.

Due to many changes in the airframe and engines it is a non event today. In 1959 it was a very big deal.

Where did all of those years go to???

[shooter2]

Frankly, I would be surprised if the SR 71 was ever at Area 51. The area 51 mission is pretty murky so I guess it's possible, but unlikely.

An excerpt from one of many documents is as follows:
The Air Force, on 7 January 1966, took delivery of a SR-71B trainer, with builder number 2007 and AF serial 61-9756. The plane was transferred to Beale AFB in Marysville, California, which was to become the home base of the SR-71's. Other major host sites for the Blackbird include: Edwards AFB, the 9th SRW at Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, and the 9th SRW at Mildenhall Royal Air Base in the UK. The first SR-71A to be mission capable was ready on 4 April 1966. It was the 10th built, with builder number 2009, and AF serial 61-7958. When all the Blackbirds were completed, two squadrons were made, each with 8 SR-71A's and a trainer, while the remainder were being modified, or in for maintenance.