Two SR-71's at Pax River airshow in the early 70's?

[DaveG]

I lived in Maryland until 1975, and attended a couple of airshows at NAS Patuxent River in the preceding years. At one show, there was an SR-71 in a hangar. My brothers and my dad and I were blown away, as there had been no announcement of its presence. There was an armed detail and the plane was roped off; pictures were not allowed. There were "cobra" markings on the aircraft. My father asked what they meant, and the guard denied that they meant anything.

Later, during the aerial portion of the show, what was apparently ANOTHER Blackbird made a single pass across the show area and then pulled away quickly and left the area. I say that it must have been another SR-71 because I don't remember seeing the hangared plane taxi or take off.

I can find no reference to this happening...a recent email to the Pax River Naval Air Museum Association came up empty, and no amount of googling seems to find a mention of it. A website that lists Blackbird diversions (http://www.wvi.com/~sr71webmaster/triplog66_86.htm) naturally shows no diversions at all to any site in Maryland or Virginia but does show one to Andrews AFB in September, 1972 for display. Maybe it flew over to Pax and did a quick pass. But what about the one in the hangar???

Any idea of where I could find actual confirmation (besides the memory of the 11-year old me) that I really did see an SR-71 fly in Southern Maryland in 1972?

[RareBear]

The "cobra" markings on the SR-71s originated with the habu snake, a venemous variety of the adder family found in SE Asia, including on Okinawa. When the SR-71s first arrived on Okinawa, the locals thought it looked like the habu, and the name stuck. Hence the cobra-like emblems and the word even appeared on the SR-71 patch.

Walt

[The Inspector]

In the early 80's (like 80/81) an SR came to Paine Field for the States official air fair. While it was on display it was still on alert, so all the support stuff came along most of it stashed out of the sight of the great unwashed. The start cart was parked under the airplane and about every 90 minutes the ground crew would fire it up to 'keep it warmed up'.
Every time it fired up, dedicated airplane guys (me included) would stand around and watch as it consisted of a pair of 401 BUICK WILDCAT V-8's with dual AFBs. and shorty open headers

[ZRX61]

In the early 80's (like 80/81) an SR came to Paine Field for the States official air fair. While it was on display it was still on alert, so all the support stuff came along most of it stashed out of the sight of the great unwashed. The start cart was parked under the airplane and about every 90 minutes the ground crew would fire it up to 'keep it warmed up'.
Every time it fired up, dedicated airplane guys (me included) would stand around and watch as it consisted of a pair of 401 BUICK WILDCAT V-8's with dual AFBs. and shorty open headers

The cart in the museum at Palmdale has twin Chevy 454's

[StudeDave]

In the early 80's (like 80/81) an SR came to Paine Field for the States official air fair...

I must'a missed the show that year. Bummer.
The year I saw Blackbird- I managed to get a pic of myself, my brother, and a few friends standing in front of it with a pilot.
As I recall- He was the only one tall enough to have to worry about the pitot tube...

In 1986 and 1987 I got to help out at one of the gates during the show.
After I left for the NAVY in 1988- the show went away.

[The Inspector]

In the early 80's (like 80/81) an SR came to Paine Field for the States official air fair...

I must'a missed the show that year. Bummer.
The year I saw Blackbird- I managed to get a pic of myself, my brother, and a few friends standing in front of it with a pilot.
As I recall- He was the only one tall enough to have to worry about the pitot tube...

In 1986 and 1987 I got to help out at one of the gates during the show.
After I left for the NAVY in 1988- the show went away.

Yep, after word got around the show circuit that the primary sponsors, the Lynnwood Rotary Club was 'short sheeting' out of town acts with sub par hotel/motel rooms. old beaters instead of nice cars to run errands and such in, cutbacks on fuel allotments. One year the shows promoters about drove Jim Franklin into the ground since he was about all they could get as a 'name' and had him flying several times both days. The peak was the Soviets in 1990 when the An-225 was here along with 2 SU-27's and the factory SU-26 aerobatic team, BADWRENCH assisted them a lot and they were really cool folks to know GAWD that 225 is a monster!
One guy tried to pickup the show but was in way over his head, got little support and gave up after two shows.

[b29flteng]

In the early 80's (like 80/81) an SR came to Paine Field for the States official air fair. While it was on display it was still on alert, so all the support stuff came along most of it stashed out of the sight of the great unwashed. The start cart was parked under the airplane and about every 90 minutes the ground crew would fire it up to 'keep it warmed up'.
Every time it fired up, dedicated airplane guys (me included) would stand around and watch as it consisted of a pair of 401 BUICK WILDCAT V-8's with dual AFBs. and shorty open headers

The cart in the museum at Palmdale has twin Chevy 454's

The start cart originally had Buick Wildcats, parts became scarce, so they went with the Chevy 454.

[mike furline]

Is it possible that you were at Andrews and not Pax River in 72?

[The Inspector]

In the early 80's (like 80/81) an SR came to Paine Field for the States official air fair. While it was on display it was still on alert, so all the support stuff came along most of it stashed out of the sight of the great unwashed. The start cart was parked under the airplane and about every 90 minutes the ground crew would fire it up to 'keep it warmed up'.
Every time it fired up, dedicated airplane guys (me included) would stand around and watch as it consisted of a pair of 401 BUICK WILDCAT V-8's with dual AFBs. and shorty open headers

The cart in the museum at Palmdale has twin Chevy 454's

The start cart originally had Buick Wildcats, parts became scarce, so they went with the Chevy 454.

And. I've heard it said that BUICK WILDCATS and ELECTRA 225's were popular family cars with motorpool folks @ Beale

[leo]

My dad and I put a 401 Buick in the first drag boat we built. It had 6 Stromberg 97's on it, pushed a 16' flat bottom wood boat to 80 mph and what a sound...
Last SR I saw was at the Reno Races a few years back. Announcer said, out of the blue, "look to your left, the SR-71" and it made a low pass and was gone. Used to see them a lot in the late 70's and 80's.

[DaveG]

Is it possible that you were at Andrews and not Pax River in 72?

It must've been. That's the only thing that makes sense, given the list of Blackbird diversions on that webpage. I was 11 then, and certainly should've been old enough to know where I was. Plane crazy...must be it. Still got the affliction.

edit: just got an email from a guy who was a T-39 crew chief who was at the 1972 show at Andrews and he confirms one SR-71 on static and another that did a flyby.