Description
Object description
American officer served as pilot with RF-12 and RF-14 (Reconnaissance) Sqdns, US Air Force during Vietnam War, 1970-1972; served with RF-15 (Reconnaissance) Sqdn, US Air Force in Okinawa, Japan, 1972-1974; served with SR-71 Blackbird Programme in US and GB, 1974-1980
Content description
REEL 1 Background in US, 1945-1963: family; early interest in aviation. Aspects of period as student at US Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, US, 1963-1967: pattern of education; orientation flights; pattern of flying training; initial preference for transport squadron. Recollections of operations as pilot with RF-12 and RF-14 (Reconnaissance) Sqdns, US Air Force during Vietnam War, 1970-1972: selection for photographic MacDonnell-Douglas F4 Phantom; photographic reconnaissance missions; preference for night flying; pre and post operational photographs; flights with RF-15 (Reconnaissance) Sqdn, US Air Force over Korea based in Okinawa, Japan, 1972-1974; heights flown in Vietnam; anti-aircraft threat over Vietnam; search for French archaeological team over huge area; directing bombing missions. Recollections of period as pilot with Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird Programme, US Air Force in US and GB, 1974-1980: selection for Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird programme, 1974; use of space suits.
REEL 2 Continues: prior recollection of use of special film to penetrate camouflage on Ho Chi Minh Trail in Vietnam; pattern of training; introduction to first computer simulator; first flight; pattern of training flights; memories of Clarence 'Kelly' Johnson; description of 'Star Tracker'; nature of photographic equipment in Lockheed SR 71 Blackbird; story of flight from RAF Mildenhall, GB to Middle East, 1979; use of aircraft to provoke Soviet response; use of Lockheed U-2 to overfly Soviet airspace; opinion of Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird; fuel efficiency of aircraft.
REEL 3 Continues: sensation of flying at very high speed; types of missions flown; use of radar on reconnaissance missions; character of photographic missions; problems with fuel leakage in aircraft; maintenance programme; pattern of career on leaving Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird Programme; flights in Lockheed U-2 aircraft; speed records set by Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird.