BLACKBIRD

Clinton L. Corbin : Backgrind/Gold : Pager 0544 CCORBIN at INTEL7.intel.com
Thu Mar 21 04:50:35 GMT 1996


>"Someone wrote about titanium valves.I think you mean 
>Titan-nitrid coated (once seen in a Harley sportster) They
>have a golden-looking finish. The best currently used valve 
>material is Inconel..."
>
>No, we have run real titanium valves. Be careful with the word 
>'best'. Inconel isn't light like titanium and therefore usuited
>for high rpm use. I don't remember the properties of Ti either,
> except to say that it was strong enough for the Blackbird. 
>That said, it's funny how that plane leaked fuel until skin 
>warmed up...
>
>Ed Hernandez
>Ford Motor Company
>ehernan3 at ed8719.pto.ford.com

About the Blackbird leaking, the skin of the aircraft (it has wet tanks)
was made with super thin slits in them.  When the airframe heated up at
speed, the titanium expanded and forced these slits closed.  Without them,
the skin would buckle at high temperature.  You have to admit, it takes
balls to design a plane with holes in the fuel tank!

Clint
ccorbin at intel7.intel.com



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