Hi Graham, I've read your book SR71 revealed and was really excited about it. I wanted to thank you for sharing your amazing experience flying this incredible plane. I still have a hard time figuring how the J-58/inlets process work above mach 1.6. First I understood the supersonic shock waves were guided thanks to the spike to a precise angle into the inlet and then with a series of calculated angles slowed to subsonic speeds before entering the J58. I thought this supersonic air was also routed around the engine and directly sent to the afterburner portion creating a ramjet. Could you please share your knowledges about what give the SR the Mach 3+ propulsion abilities?
habuJP71 karma
Hi Graham, I've read your book SR71 revealed and was really excited about it. I wanted to thank you for sharing your amazing experience flying this incredible plane. I still have a hard time figuring how the J-58/inlets process work above mach 1.6. First I understood the supersonic shock waves were guided thanks to the spike to a precise angle into the inlet and then with a series of calculated angles slowed to subsonic speeds before entering the J58. I thought this supersonic air was also routed around the engine and directly sent to the afterburner portion creating a ramjet. Could you please share your knowledges about what give the SR the Mach 3+ propulsion abilities?
Thanks again for your service and passion!
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