From: skunk-works-digest-owner@harbor.ecn.purdue.edu To: skunk-works-digest@harbor.ecn.purdue.edu Subject: Skunk Works Digest V4 #24 Reply-To: skunk-works-digest@harbor.ecn.purdue.edu Errors-To: skunk-works-digest-owner@harbor.ecn.purdue.edu Precedence: bulk Skunk Works Digest Wednesday, 29 September 1993 Volume 04 : Number 024 In this issue: Re: SR-75 RE: Skunk Works Digest V4 #23 NASA SR-71 Goodbye SENIOR CITIZEN, we barely knew you... RE: Skunk Works Digest V4 #23 Goodbye? Re: SR-75 Re: Goodbye? Re: Skunk Works Digest V4 #23 SR-75 Info Request Safeguard System See the end of the digest for information on subscribing to the skunk-works or skunk-works-digest mailing lists and on how to retrieve back issues. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: TOM PETRISKO <0004343121@mcimail.com> Date: Tue, 28 Sep 93 12:44 GMT Subject: Re: SR-75 Have you noticed that it is labeled SR-75 Penetrator "America's Newest Spy Plane". I wonder whether they got it on good faith or is it just marketing hype. ------------------------------ From: SMPOD@MARS.LERC.NASA.GOV Date: Tue, 28 Sep 1993 8:59:35 -0400 (EDT) Subject: RE: Skunk Works Digest V4 #23 What is an SR-75? ------------------------------ From: TOM PETRISKO <0004343121@mcimail.com> Date: Tue, 28 Sep 93 14:05 GMT Subject: NASA SR-71 Yesterdays issue of the Washington Post has a very good story of the NASA SR-71 on page 3. It includes a large graphic of the jet. The story is about the experiments the plane will contribute to aeronautical research. Get your copy, still only $.25 ------------------------------ From: TRADER@cup.portal.com Date: Tue, 28 Sep 93 08:31:14 PDT Subject: Goodbye SENIOR CITIZEN, we barely knew you... I've just gone over the House & Senate reports for the "National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1994" and it looks like the aircraft code-named SENIOR CITIZEN has been cancelled. There is no longer any funding for Defense Program Element 0401316F that I can find. Some people think SENIOR CITIZEN was the new name for the "Aurora" hypersonic aircraft. Personally, I'm not so sure because this program used to be listed under tactical aircraft (perhaps, this was the supposed TR-3A "Black Manta" stealth aircraft instead). Paul McGinnis / TRADER@cup.portal.com ------------------------------ From: SMPOD@MARS.LERC.NASA.GOV Date: Tue, 28 Sep 1993 8:59:35 -0400 (EDT) Subject: RE: Skunk Works Digest V4 #23 What is an SR-75? ------------------------------ From: Rick Pavek Date: Tue, 28 Sep 1993 10:13:48 -0700 Subject: Goodbye? Paul McGinnis indicated: I've just gone over the House & Senate reports for the "National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1994" and it looks like the aircraft code-named SENIOR CITIZEN has been cancelled. There is no longer any funding for Defense Program Element 0401316F that I can find. Some people think SENIOR CITIZEN was the new name for the "Aurora" hypersonic aircraft. Personally, I'm not so sure because this program used to be listed under tactical aircraft (perhaps, this was the supposed TR-3A "Black Manta" stealth aircraft instead). To which I said: Doesn't that simply mean that they aren't buying any new ones? Wouldn't that indicate that they're close (if not at) operational levels? What you'd need to do would be to look at support activities and they don't break those out by type in the funding info. Also, Senior Citizen, if listed under tactical, is probably not Aurora. My guess is some new Stealthy Tactical Fighter. So you'd probably look for one at Holloman AFB/White Sands, rather than Groom Lake. What other Defense Program Elements are there? A lot, I assume? Also, keep in mind that the USGov is supposedly funding 40 different _classified_ UAV projects. It could have been one of those, as well. The USAF has recently installed a Program office to slash duplication between programs, but who knows? Rick SR-75/XR-7 _|_*O*_|_ | Rick Pavek \ __|__ / | HA!! kuryakin@halcyon.com \_______/_(O)_\_______/ | Ruby - \___/ \___/ | Galactic Gumshoe ------------------------------ From: larry@ichips.intel.com Date: Tue, 28 Sep 1993 10:29:29 -0700 Subject: Re: SR-75 David S. Cargo writes: >Just thought I'd mention that the SR-75 model kit has been sighted in >the Twin Cities. I saw it Sunday, 9/26 at Scale Model Supplies in >St. Paul. The staff in the store didn't know it was one part of a >larger ensamble. (The box shows both the SR-75 by itself and an SR-75 >with another vehicle on its back.) Yes. Hobby store guys are pretty ignorant of what's going on regarding this. The drawing in the background is an approximation of what either SR-75 model will look like (either the current model you saw, or the hobbyist version available in a week or so) with the XR-7 (also due out seperately in a week or so) on its back. Personally, I wish they had done a better job on the drawing on the cover. TOM PETRISKO writes: > Have you noticed that it is labeled SR-75 Penetrator "America's Newest > Spy Plane". I wonder whether they got it on good faith or is it just > marketing hype. All 3 actually. Let me explain. The 3 sources are: Sightings Comments from insiders Marketing Hype Sightings: Regarding the shape and the color of of SR-75 model. This is from 3 sightings, 2 of which were summarized in the 8/24/92 AW&ST, pp. 23-25. You will see a very strong resemblance (like almost identical) between the Testors SR-75 model and the drawing of the aircraft in the 8/24/92 AW&ST. There have been several additional sightings since 8/92 which haven't been written up yet. Plus I happen to know that AW&ST hasn't received all reported sightings. Of course the sightings aren't proof. The average civilian who sees this thing is not usually an airplane knowledgeable person (a few are airplane people). However, what is interesting, is that they immediately recognize it as something quite unusual. So much so that they write a letter to AW&ST. Their gross descriptions are all consistent regarding color, size and shape. They usually point at a picture of the XB-70 as being most like it. Researchers try to convince them that they have seen a Beech Starship, but no, they always go back to the XB-70 as being most like it (not exact, but most like it). Most locations that this thing has been seen in preclude the Concorde, but they have been shown photos of Concorde as well. They go back to the XB-70 drawing in every case. Comments from insiders: The Testor model blueprints were shown to 'insiders' affiliated with certain companies. There were affirmative comments made. Marketing Hype: The terms: SR-75 Penetrator Papoose XR-7 Thunder Dart Were all invented by the Testors marketing department. The 1968 and 1988 overhead satellite photos of the base at Groom Lake Nevada, included on the instruction sheet, are quite real as well. Larry ------------------------------ From: thack@cthulhu.Tymnet.COM (Thomas Hackwood) Date: Tue, 28 Sep 93 11:47:52 PDT Subject: Re: Goodbye? From: Rick Pavek > Paul McGinnis indicated: > > I've just gone over the House & Senate reports for the "National > Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1994" and it looks like > the aircraft code-named SENIOR CITIZEN has been cancelled. There > is no longer any funding for Defense Program Element 0401316F that > I can find. > > Some people think SENIOR CITIZEN was the new name for the "Aurora" > hypersonic aircraft. Personally, I'm not so sure because this program > used to be listed under tactical aircraft (perhaps, this was the > supposed TR-3A "Black Manta" stealth aircraft instead). > > > To which I said: > > Doesn't that simply mean that they aren't buying any new ones? > Wouldn't that indicate that they're close (if not at) operational > levels? > > What you'd need to do would be to look at support activities and > they don't break those out by type in the funding info. Rick brings up two good points (operational or no more purchases), but I would like to add one more: Could it be that the DoD changed the code-name? A lurker... Tom Hackwood ------------------------------ From: aa2796@freenet.lorain.oberlin.edu (Bob Kissling) Date: Tue, 28 Sep 1993 14:51:30 -0400 Subject: Re: Skunk Works Digest V4 #23 Hello, I am new to the skunk works digest and I'm not familiar with the SR-75 project. If anyone can pass on some information about the aircraft and project, it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks ------------------------------ From: aa2796@freenet.lorain.oberlin.edu (Bob Kissling) Date: Tue, 28 Sep 1993 16:25:25 -0400 Subject: SR-75 Info Request Hello, I am new to the skunk works digest and unfamiliar with the SR-75 project. If anyone can pass along some information on the aircraft or the project, it would be greatly appreciated Thank You ------------------------------ From: techking@aol.com Date: Tue, 28 Sep 93 23:59:00 EDT Subject: Safeguard System Hi folks, It has been a long time since I have had access, so I am not up on the latest. I do have a question on a barely skunk-works related subject. I am stationed at Grand Forks AFB as a missileer (address any unclassified missile related questions here) and see the Safeguard Spartan/Sprint sites regularly. I have been trying to find out about them, and system concept. The Air Force took over the old Concrete acquistion radar and use it for early warning (it is now called Cavalier AFS.) Any comments about the system would be appreciated. I really miss being close to the action in Southern California. Up here in Grand Forks all we ever see are B-1B's KC-135R's and T-38's. Boring! Regards, Mike Cancellier, Lt, USAF Missile Combat Crewmember (R-124) 448th Missile Squadron (AFSPACECOM) TechKing@AOL.com ------------------------------ End of Skunk Works Digest V4 #24 ******************************** To subscribe to skunk-works-digest, send the command: subscribe skunk-works-digest in the body of a message to "listserv@harbor.ecn.purdue.edu". If you want to subscribe something other than the account the mail is coming from, such as a local redistribution list, then append that address to the "subscribe" command; for example, to subscribe "local-skunk-works": subscribe skunk-works-digest local-skunk-works@your.domain.net To unsubscribe, send mail to the same address, with the command: unsubscribe skunk-works-digest in the body. 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