Out of the Shadows

 

Some small time ago, Paul Vreede suggested that the Spacex Reconnaisance 2 ship might be based on the Blackbird SR-71 and the earlier YF12A spyplanes. Recent declassification of information by the CIA of photographs from Area 51 and the Skunk Works from 1963 show the precursor test vehicle - project OXCART or what would become the Archangel A12. 

OPERATION OXCART - ARCHANGEL A-12

 Sat upside down on a support pillar on a runway at Area 51, the test vehicle was designed to see how radar visible it was. Unfortuantely, soviet spy satellites overflying the area meant that the vehicle had to be frequently hidden in 'hoot and scoot' sheds as the satellites passed over. Due to infrared scanners and the heat of the desert, even after the plane had been moved, the difference in ground temperature would be noticeable from space and A51 technicians went to great lengths to hide the presence of the ultra-secret craft, including cardboard mock ups and heating the tarmac artificially to confuse the heat seeking cameras!

BLACKBIRD RADAR TEST

A great article on National Geographic shows the great lengths that the crews had to go to after an A-12 plane crashed in Wendover, Utah in 1963.

The super streamlined fuselage and silver finish have a much closer look and feel to the later Blackbird, but its unlikely the top secret OXCART programme could have directly influenced the Tri-ang designers, unless they managed to sneak past the security at the Skunkworks!