test please delete

[HeliCraig]

Nope, but I'm not that kind of PM

Ahh - you mean not the "If you don't like it, you know where the door is" kind? Phew.

[HeliCraig]

This used to be mildly amusing.

I'll give you that. Amazing piece of kit.

[norrahe]

ok, line manager has been whinging about getting stuff in a day early. I have busted my chops and some of the project teams chops to get it all done on time

Where are they now? In a f***ing wine bar. And they haven't finished their stuff for the deadline.

[HeliCraig]

ok, line manager has been whinging about getting stuff in a day early. I have busted my chops and some of the project teams chops to get it all done on time

Where are they now? In a f***ing wine bar. And they haven't finished their stuff for the deadline.

Jealousy. A terrible thing!

[zeitghost]

I'll give you that. Amazing piece of kit.

And it leaked fuel from day one.

[DaveB]

And it leaked fuel from day one.

Intentionally by all accounts.

[zeitghost]

Intentionally by all accounts.

I suspect it cost too much to consider fixing.

It stopped leaking once it got up to temperature.

[DaveB]

I suspect it cost too much to consider fixing.

It stopped leaking once it got up to temperature.

Not so much cost as just not being able to solve the problem at all according to Wikipedia

To allow for thermal expansion at the high operational temperatures, the fuselage panels were manufactured to fit only loosely on the ground. Proper alignment was only achieved when the airframe heated due to air resistance at high speeds, causing the airframe to expand several inches. Because of this, and the lack of a fuel sealing system that could handle the thermal expansion of the airframe at extreme temperatures, the aircraft would leak JP-7 jet fuel onto the runway before it took off. The aircraft would quickly make a short sprint, meant to warm up the airframe, and was then refueled in the air before departing on its mission. Cooling was carried out by cycling fuel behind the titanium surfaces at the front of the wings (chines). On landing after a mission the canopy temperature was over 300 °C (572 °F), too hot to approach. Non-fibrous asbestos with high heat tolerance was used in high-temperature areas.[20]

[norrahe]

Jealousy. A terrible thing!

Not really.

[zeitghost]

Fuel

Development began with using a coal slurry powerplant,[20] but Johnson determined that the coal particles damaged engine components.


He then began researching a liquid hydrogen powerplant, but the tanks required to store cryogenic hydrogen did not suit the Blackbird's size and shape.[20]

Mach 3 on coal.

I like it.