Tuesday, January 31, 2012

The Fastest Plane, Ever


SR-71 Nose On
Standing in the entrance to the Udvay-Hazy National Air and Space Museum near Dulles Airport I heard a question from an excited Ethan, "Poppop? What was the fastest plane ever?" Although I know he knew the answer I replied "Why, the SR-71 Blackbird"

How fast, he wanted to know. So we looked it up on the internet and gave him a number that was totally meaningless--because none of us could really comprehend how fast 2,600 plus mph really was.

Fast.

SR-71 at Udvar-Hazy Air and Space Museum
The boys were fascinated with the aircraft, which is the center piece exhibit at the National Air and Space Museum near Dulles Airport.

For a Sunday afternoon there is not a better way to spend time with the boys that reveling in aerospace history.

The missiles, the bombs, the Space Shuttle and satellites, and of course the aircraft--from the early propeller planes to the fastest jet ever conceived.

Ethan, especially was impressed when he realized that when missiles were shot at the SR-71 that the best tactic was to just fly faster and  outrun the missile. That's fast.

How fast?

Faster than a speeding bullet, fast.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD


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