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Ballon Responses

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Comments

  • JohnInCarolina
    JohnInCarolina Posts: 32,790
    Well if this proves to be what we’ve been shooting out of the sky with missiles, that’s awfully embarrassing:

    https://aviationweek.com/defense-space/aircraft-propulsion/hobby-clubs-missing-balloon-feared-shot-down-usaf
    "I've made a note never to piss you two off." - Stike
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  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 33,545
    next we hear that the bottlecap balloon brigade may be a terrorist organization.
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
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  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 34,095
    I'm in the camp that the above article is on to the source, especially since there has been no official video release and you know it exists.  This is devolving into "Ready, Fire, Aim."
    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood. # 38 for the win.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period.
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  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 33,545
    lousubcap said:
    I'm in the camp that the above article is on to the source, especially since there has been no official video release and you know it exists.  This is devolving into "Ready, Fire, Aim."

    kinda dangerous to fly an f22 into a balloon when we can safely nuke it from a sub
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
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  • paqman
    paqman Posts: 4,837
    Well… I’m part of a a hobbyist group and some of the members are into pico balloons.  Basically balloons that are equipped with go pro cameras, gps, ham radio emitters, etc.  This is exactly what the article you posted is talking about.

    One day, I may have a funny story to tell.

    This site for a local guy is mostly french but if you scroll down there are a couple of pictures.
    https://stratos-x.org/




    ____________________
    Entrepreneurs are simply those who understand that there is little difference between obstacle and opportunity and are able to turn both to their advantage. •Niccolo Machiavelli
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  • Ozzie_Isaac
    Ozzie_Isaac Posts: 20,703
    paqman said:
    Well… I’m part of a a hobbyist group and some of the members are into pico balloons.  Basically balloons that are equipped with go pro cameras, gps, ham radio emitters, etc.  This is exactly what the article you posted is talking about.

    One day, I may have a funny story to tell.

    This site for a local guy is mostly french but if you scroll down there are a couple of pictures.
    https://stratos-x.org/



    What post apocalyptic wasteland does your club have their clubhouse at?  Looks like a collapsed tower on the background.

    Maybe your purpose in life is only to serve as an example for others? - LPL


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  • paqman
    paqman Posts: 4,837
    @Ozzie_Isaac Remember when they said that the chinese balloon had a structure underneath and was about the size of 3 buses… 😂🤣😳

    I think that this is a former remote mining site in Abitibi.  My guess is that it was an antenna used at the site.  It may also be a fire watch tower.



    ____________________
    Entrepreneurs are simply those who understand that there is little difference between obstacle and opportunity and are able to turn both to their advantage. •Niccolo Machiavelli
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  • Ozzie_Isaac
    Ozzie_Isaac Posts: 20,703

    Maybe your purpose in life is only to serve as an example for others? - LPL


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  • Canugghead
    Canugghead Posts: 12,257
    Ozzie_Isaac said:

    Don't give chyna ideas!
    canuckland
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  • Botch
    Botch Posts: 16,297
    U2 pilot's "Selfie" with the Chinese balloon
     
    The article states that "The flying object’s ability to starkly change direction led many to question those claims. "  I've seen that referred to a few times, was it actually a propelled dirigible?  
    ___________

    "When small men begin to cast big shadows, it means that the sun is about to set."

    - Lin Yutang


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  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 34,095
    Related by a bit of history on a U-2 flight from 1960 (yep-that plane has been around a while) that became quite a diplomatic $hitstorm:

    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood. # 38 for the win.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period.
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  • Botch
    Botch Posts: 16,297
    lousubcap said:
    Related by a bit of history on a U-2 flight from 1960 (yep-that plane has been around a while) that became quite a diplomatic $hitstorm:
    Great refresher, thanks Cap'n!  
     
    I have a bit of history with the updated version of the U2, called the TR-1.  My first assignment as a shiny new AF Lieutenant was to the Electronic Warfare SPO, and I worked on the Precision Location/Strike System, or PLSS.  It involved three TR-1s with Phased-Array radars along their noses, doing back-n-forth orbits along the Iron Curtain.  Using triangulation results with 9 ground transmitters in free Europe, that data was sent back to a single station, nine trailers worth of electronic racks, which then transmitted coordinates back to the TR-1s, which transmitted them to F-16s to direct them to the targets.  
     
    Today, you can do exactly the same thing with global GPS, and a free app on your cellphone.  Damn I'm old...  I was the Reliability Engineer for PLSS, and that was the metric that the system kept failing; the TR-1 systems kept failing at altitude, but it wasn't because of cold, nor atmospheric pressure.  We finally figured out it was corona effects from the Sun!  Some special reflective foil across the electronics fixed everything, and the Reliability Growth charts followed exactly what the textbooks predicted (we were just getting Zenith Z-100 computers at that time, and not having to do it with calculators, pencils and graph paper anymore).  Damn I'm old...
     
    I also got to sit on a bus pretty close to a runway at Beale AFB, and watch a TR-1 take off.  It balances on two inline wheels, with two outrigger "training wheels" under the wings, which fall off during takeoff (when it lands, two pickup trucks zoom up on it during landing to grab the wingtips, no kidding!) We also got to see an SR-71 Blackbird take off from the same position.  It stopped pretty close to the bus, locked its brakes, and then ran up each engine singly to full throttle; LOUD!!  They couldn't run both engines up at the same time, the jet would drag its locked tires down the runway.  It took off, LOUD!!, and soon was a black triangle with two white-hot dots behind it, got smaller and smaller, and it was gone!  Very impressive, I'll never forget that.  
    ___________

    "When small men begin to cast big shadows, it means that the sun is about to set."

    - Lin Yutang


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  • SamIAm2
    SamIAm2 Posts: 1,961
    I'll just leave this link here for those interested:
    https://www.historynet.com/sr-71-blackbird-sets-london-to-l-a-speed-record/
    Ubi panis, ibi patria.
    Large - Roswell rig, MiniMax-PS Woo; Cocoa, Fl.
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  • dbCooper
    dbCooper Posts: 2,457
    Many credit Clarence "Kelly" Johnson with bringing the U-2 and SR-71 to fruitation, it's deserved credit.  If curious about the man there's a brief synopsis here...
    His autobiography is a fascinating read.
    @Botch - what a great experience to see a SR-71 in action.  Wow!

    LBGE, LBGE-PTR, 22" Weber, Coleman 413G
    Great Plains, USA
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  • SamIAm2
    SamIAm2 Posts: 1,961
    When I started working for Martin Marietta Corporation, just before they were absorbed by Lockheed,  we used to get the Lockheed Horizons magazine. I can't find my copy but I do recall a pretty interesting article on the SR71 story. 
    Ubi panis, ibi patria.
    Large - Roswell rig, MiniMax-PS Woo; Cocoa, Fl.
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  • Botch
    Botch Posts: 16,297
    dbCooper said:
    Many credit Clarence "Kelly" Johnson with bringing the U-2 and SR-71 to fruitation, it's deserved credit.  
    His autobiography is a fascinating read.
    Agreed!  
    ___________

    "When small men begin to cast big shadows, it means that the sun is about to set."

    - Lin Yutang


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  • Ozzie_Isaac
    Ozzie_Isaac Posts: 20,703
    dbCooper said:
    Many credit Clarence "Kelly" Johnson with bringing the U-2 and SR-71 to fruitation, it's deserved credit.  If curious about the man there's a brief synopsis here...
    His autobiography is a fascinating read.
    @Botch - what a great experience to see a SR-71 in action.  Wow!

    A friend of mine worked at Lockheed on special projects.  He has stories about a "Kelly" who was involved in all manner of things.  Said this guy always came around even after he was retired.  My friend always talks about him with reverence.  I wonder if it is this "Kelly"?

    @Botch thank you for sharing, you have definitely been involved in some absolutely amazing and world defining projects!!

    Maybe your purpose in life is only to serve as an example for others? - LPL


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  • kl8ton
    kl8ton Posts: 5,795
    edited March 2023
    https://youtu.be/wigZsFypdyI


    This is pretty good. It's long. 
    Edit: SR-71 pilot.
    Large, Medium, MiniMax, 36" Blackstone
    Grand Rapids MI
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  • SamIAm2
    SamIAm2 Posts: 1,961
    @kl8ton - Thank you for posting the above link. The SR-71 was truly incredible. The pilot's story even more  so. 
    Ubi panis, ibi patria.
    Large - Roswell rig, MiniMax-PS Woo; Cocoa, Fl.
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  • Legume
    Legume Posts: 15,267
    Great video.
    Love you bro!
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  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 34,095
    @kl8ton -  Really enjoyed the presentation.  Thank you for posting that here.  What we can do as a country when united!  Another great reminder.
    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood. # 38 for the win.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period.
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  • JohnInCarolina
    JohnInCarolina Posts: 32,790
    kl8ton said:
    https://youtu.be/wigZsFypdyI


    This is pretty good. It's long. 
    Edit: SR-71 pilot.
    What a great story and a great American.  I enjoyed that.
    "I've made a note never to piss you two off." - Stike
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  • HeavyG
    HeavyG Posts: 10,380
    To revive the old balloon thread here's an article published today regarding China's airship and balloon programs that I thought some might find interesting...

    https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/airship-spotted-outside-giant-secretive-hangar-in-china



    “Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away.” ― Philip K. Diçk




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  • Legume
    Legume Posts: 15,267

    Love you bro!
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  • Legume
    Legume Posts: 15,267
    https://theaviationgeekclub.com/sr-71-pilot-brian-shul-famous-for-his-ground-speed-check-story-passed-away-while-giving-a-speech-about-the-blackbird/amp/
    Love you bro!
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