SR-71B #61-7956 (17956)
24 March 2003 to 28 March 2003
SR-71B makes its journey to Kalamazoo
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At The Museum
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SR-71B #61-7956/NASA 831 arrived at the Kalamazoo Aviation History Museum just before noon on 28 March 2003. She was welcomed by staff and volunteers from the museum and those who were privileged enough to get the heads up on this aircraft's estimated time of arrival. Nearly all of the major sections of the aircraft were removed from the trucks by nightfall, with the exception of the aft-center fuselage, which did not arrive until the late afternoon.
The SR-71B was in about the same shape as it was when last visited in 2000. The sands and sun of the Mojave have taken their toll on the skin of this airframe. Viewing the forward cockpit shows that is it complete, but is missing the Triple Display Indicator. It is impressive that this museum signed a deal with the USAF Museum on 17 December 2002 and already has the aircraft on its ramp little more than three months later.
The engines were taken to the restoration facility, which is just down the road from the Kalamazoo museum. As attention focused on the unloading of this aircraft, there was no time to photograph the J58s. Apparently no starter cart arrived with this aircraft, but I did not inquire about it.
It was a day mixed with scattered rain, which resulted in the front cockpit getting a little wet after the canopy was removed. In addition, there was a mishap on transport which tore a hole in the chined-area that blends with the outboard wing on the left nacelle.
Read the second part of this story here.
