) (03/06/90)
From: ccastjr%prism@gatech.edu (COOOOoooooOOOoooOOOKIE!!!!)
First, on the use of A-12 or A-11...since President Johnson misnamed the
A-12 as the A-11 in a press conference, it has been known as the A-11 (I am not
confusing this with the SR-71 vs the RS-71..he did both). Using A-11 should
avoid confusion with the Navy program of the same number. (the original A-11
that proceded the blackbird program was a failed aircraft, simular to the F-17).
The differences between the A-11 and the YF-12 were that the A-11 was a single
seat aircraft with a large photographic system behind the pilot, and the YF-12
was a two seat interceptor. The blackbird family of aircraft all have the
distinct tapering of the fusalage that gives it cross section shaped SIMULAR
to a football (with tips "squeezed" down abit), as opposed to the circular
cross section of most aircraft. On the YF-12, the front of the aircraft
had this "chin" removed to make space for the fire control systems.
This gives it a top view distictive from that of the other two blackbird
aircraft. Also, the YF-12 was the only blackbird outfitted with weaponry
(the SR-71 places extra reconaisance equipment in these spaces).
There were also a few differences in the tail section if I remember
correctly, but I don't think that really needs to be gone into.. basically,
the A-12/A-11 is NOT the same aircraft as the YF-12...but they are from
the same family of aircraft.
John
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