SR-71 Blackbird

**matt7777** · 01-02-2009, 10:42 AM

Can anyone recommend at good SR-71 Blackbird add-on for FSX Acceleration? (3rd party or shareware). An X1 would be nice too.

Thanks Gents.

**Paxx** · 01-02-2009, 03:25 PM

This one from AlphaSim flys well.

Have fun

***tigisfat*** · 01-02-2009, 05:42 PM

I cannot reccomend the Alphasim SR-71 blackbird more. Hell, you can hear yourself breathing oxygen. At idle, the engines SHRIEK in a stereophonic caucophony that could raise goosebumps on a statue.

As for the systems, you have limited control of the sensing systems. YOu can link them to the navigational guidance and take pictures at a waypoint of your choosing, such as your target.

You can aerial refuel..... The list goes on and on. Get it and you won't be dissapointed. I'll post some good screenies in a minute.

***tigisfat*** · 01-02-2009, 05:48 PM

here ya go. Also, it has AGE equipment around it at the various launch stages:

**jorgenandersen** · 01-04-2009, 05:32 PM

Personally, I was not happy with the Alphasim SR-71. I couldn't get it to go higher than just over 40,000 feet and speed fell off to the point of stalling at that altitude. You cannot argue with the price of freeware, but knowing the real thing would go over Mach 3 and 80,000 feet made me uninstall it.

**hooker65** · 01-05-2009, 08:25 PM

You said the Alphasim SR-71 can aerial refuel... how the heck does that work?

***tigisfat*** · 01-06-2009, 01:20 AM

Originally Posted by jorgenandersen

Personally, I was not happy with the Alphasim SR-71. I couldn't get it to go higher than just over 40,000 feet and speed fell off to the point of stalling at that altitude. You cannot argue with the price of freeware, but knowing the real thing would go over Mach 3 and 80,000 feet made me uninstall it.

The Alphasim SR-71 is no joke-it's unforgiving to fly and will not climb to 80K and accelerate to mach 3 unless you fly it exactly like it needs to be flown in real life. I'm sure you're familiar with KTAS, KCAS, KEAS, KGS and KIAS, right? The real SR-71 did mach 3.2 at 80,000 feet, but was only pushing air aside like it was going 360KEAS because the air is so thin up there. To go mach 3 at altitudes like the airliners fly requires going thousands of MPH through the air, which no blackbird ever could do.

To get the Alphasim SR-71 really moving, you need to have the aircraft configured for the climb well. You start at 33,000 feet, start slowly descending to 30,000 and mach 1.2, and then you pitch up and off you go. There's much more to it than that, but those are the basics. The manual really outlines it well.

***tigisfat*** · 01-06-2009, 01:29 AM

Originally Posted by hooker65

You said the Alphasim SR-71 can aerial refuel... how the heck does that work?

There are many ways to get an aircraft to fly in formation with you, so I'll skip that explanation.

There is an aerial refueling window in the SR-71 that you must open, and then you move into position and the SR-71 will take gas.

check these out:

**wilycoyote4** · 01-06-2009, 11:15 AM

Originally Posted by jorgenandersen

Personally, I was not happy with the Alphasim SR-71. I couldn't get it to go higher than just over 40,000 feet and speed fell off to the point of stalling at that altitude. You cannot argue with the price of freeware, but knowing the real thing would go over Mach 3 and 80,000 feet made me uninstall it.

I am not Alphasim staff.

I've been using FS9 and now FSX for the SR-71 since summer 2003. At that time I was using a freeware SR-71. I believe it was in December 2003 that Alphasim released a payware SR-71 and I got it at once. I may not be wording this correctly but a new SR-71 was released in early 2007 to be followed a year later by the 2008 SR-71 for FSX which is for both DX9 and DX10. The 2003 SR-71 is freeware now. The older release has been replaced by the new 2008 SR-71 which has new features and procedures.

jorgenandersen -- you mention freeware in which case you are referring to the older 2003 SR-71 release. That earlier release is no longer the best of SR-71 simulation aircraft. It is over five years old, I believe. It has been modified by others for FSX if I recall correctly. Perhaps using the autopilot will help as that will simulate the flight systems within the limits of FSX.

Tigisfat has given correct, basic, answers to both the quote above and the refuel system included with the Alphasim 2008 SR-71. Thanks, tig, and good to see you again.

The "dipsy-doodle" manuever to get through Mach 1 is mandatory and was done by real SR-71 pilots. The Blackbird is not a fighter jet that can be banked and yanked through the sky. The books on the SR-71 clearly state the limitations of the Blackbird.

I simulate flights at Mach 3 plus and above 80,000 feet routinely. I have the 2008 SR-71 of Alphasim. Read the manual. I have simulated flights from Beale AFB to Mildenhall AFB in real time with 2 refuels. This takes just over 4 hours.

Simulating flight in the Blackbird requires study and planning. I am busy in the VC whether simulating real SR-71 mission flights or training flights.

Perhaps this reply will clear up a few points.

**aircav1970** · 01-06-2009, 11:35 AM

Hi,your question about a possible X-1 for FSX,There is one available at www.simviation.com... on the home page go to downloads>FSX>Military>earliest files, it is on page 4 as the "Bell X-1" I have this installed and it flies quite well however,it does not come with the Launch aircraft so it has a retractable landing gear for runway launches. In my opinion,it is an ok piece of freeware but not an accurate bird.