"Morgans" wrote in message
...

"Glenn" wrote in message
...

In this picture, a couple feet back on the chine on both sides, there is a
blunted, pushed in area on the chines. Almost looks like the nose ran
into a round hole in a wall, and dented the chines. Of course, I doubt
that happened.

What is the story with that? I had never noticed that on other models of
the 71. Is that damage, or a feature, and if it is a feature, what is it
designed to do - if you or someone knows?
--
Jim in NC

The original aircraft from which the SR-71 sprang was the Lockheed A-11. It
then morphed into the YF-12. Finally, it became the SR-71. The A-11 and the
YF-12A sported a different nose/chine configuration than what you finally
got to see on the SR_71.

Nick