woops - wrong section lol

OK 2 questions. In the vid it looked like there was a plane refueling the SR71, what kind of tanker was that? Am I correct in assuming that plane was refueling the SR71 or was the Sr71 refueling the unidentified plane in the rear? 

A pulse detonation engine UAV launched from the Habu; I never thought I'd see that shown.

 

Herald

dudley   

 

OK 2 questions. In the vid it looked like there was a plane refueling the SR71, what kind of tanker was that? Am I correct in assuming that plane was refueling the SR71 or was the Sr71 refueling the unidentified plane in the rear?  
  
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No that was a D-21 ramjet drone being launched from the back of the SR-71 (actually it was a modified A-12 designated the M-12).  It was mounted between the two vertical stabilizers on a launch pedistal.

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Herald1234    I am amazed.  
A pulse detonation engine UAV launched from the Habu; I never thought I'd see that shown.
 
Herald
 
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Herald - I don't think that was a PDE - It looks like the standard D-21 Senior Bowl/Tagboard

 

LINK

 

on July 30, 1966, a D-21 collided with the M-12 after release, destroying both aircraft and resulting in the death of one of the M-12's crew members. No further "piggyback" launches were attempted.

Ramjets don't notably stutter when they operate, nor if I remember correctly was a D-21 allowed to operate shuttered with aeroshell covers as that proved to be too hazardous in flight when those were blown off the intake when separating from the Blackbird.

 

This could be a D-21B with the modified BOMARC engine, or it could be a very early PDE testbed.

 

Either way it is a bit of history I hadn't thought to see.

 

Herald.

Never thought I'd see a D-21 either - did not know of any PDE systems in 1966 though.  The D-21 in the frames I saw did not have a cover on the ramjet inlet.

 

It would be logical that the D-21 ramjet ignition should occur after release from the M-12.  The airflow from the M-12 could disturb the D-21 inlet and any problem with the D-21 Marquardt RJ-43 ramjet would occur while the D-21 is moving away from the laucher.  This is similar to the ramjet ignition of both the US X-9 and Russian Kh-31.  The ramjet has to be moved into open airstream to get a good light.  I suspect the puff of smoke may be the ramjet ignition sequnce but the crash sequence shows what may be a collision with the M-12 tail that also leaves a long white puff.

Thanks Herald...........I thought they were refueling but looks can be deceiving.