True Mach 3 aircraft

What are the aircraft that truly belong in the M3 club? I believe there are only two: the SR-71(and variants) and the XB-70. I know that some people would argue that the Mig-25 and Sukhoi T-4 should be here, but the Mig-25 could reach this speed for all but a few minutes (risking its engines too) and the T-4 never got past Mach 2 so we will never know its actual top speed. I think other contenders could have been the Avro Arrow and the BAC TSR.2.

That Avro Arrow and TSR2 won't be M3 aircraft because of their commom engine. I never consider that MiG was a M3 aircraft, maybe you think that before.

I'll add the X-15 and the D-21 drone.

And the A-12. As far as I know, unofficially it is the fastest manned jet aircraft ever.... Mach 3.4 or so.

As far as I know the XB-70 could not cruise at mach 3 as it couldn't take the heat for long. Maybe the B-70 could of?

[edit on 30/6/07 by JimmyCarterIsSmarter]

Originally posted by JimmyCarterIsSmarter
As far as I know the XB-70 could not cruise at mach 3 as it couldn't take the heat for long. Maybe the B-70 could of?

The XB-70 could cruise at mach 3 and was designed to handle the heat soak during extended runs at high mach. It used a stainless steel honeycomb as part of its structure for strength etc.

But in terms of operational aircraft, the XB-70 while my most favorite aircraft did not make it past the test stage.

So that leaves us with the A-12, SR-71. The M-21 needed the D-21 drones engine on to get up to speed, otherwise the drag limited its Mach numbers. Both were capable of that speed however. Im not sure in this context the D-21 being unmanned qualifies but its was pretty darned fast.

The Mig-25 which is rumored to be able to dash to mach 3 (and in the process buring out its turbines) does not make it IMHO.

emile, the Arrow and TSR 2 did not have a common engine, the Arrow used an Orenda while the TSR 2 used the Bristol Olympus.

It is true though that both aircraft were aerodynamically true mach 3 designs but were limited by their engines to M2-2.5. Sadly, due to cancellation the TSR 2 never even got the chance to go that fast.

The biggest misfire ever of the Mach 3 club was probably the Bristol 188, despite its lofty aims this one never even manged to go supersonic! Its test pilot was voted, at the annual test pilots dinner in 1963 as "the man most likely to eject in the next 12 months"





[edit on 1-7-2007 by waynos]

First of all, thanks for the replies. Also, the Bristol 188 actually did go supersonic and reached Mach 1.88, but I've read it was a big fuel guzzler. Also, I wonder why the TSR.2 wouldn't have been able to reach Mach 3. I mean, it had almost as much thrust as the SR-71 and weighed less, and also was very aerodynamic. What do you think about the Sukhoi T-4. Frankly, I don't believe it could have gone M3 because its speed for a 2000 km circuit was Mach 1.89 and was cancelled. We also know that the Russians have their ways of overstating performance figures (Mig-25).

I'd like to add the SR-91 Aurora to your mach 3+ club. In fact you can add it to your mach 5+ hypersonic club while you are at it.

en.wikipedia.org...

I'd like to add the SR-91 Aurora to your mach 3+ club. In fact you can add it to your mach 5+ hypersonic club while you are at it.

No, we really can't.

SR-91?

First of all, thanks for the replies. Also, the Bristol 188 actually did go supersonic and reached Mach 1.88,

I stand corrected, you are right. I should have read some of my own sources

I wonder why the TSR.2 wouldn't have been able to reach Mach 3

It was for two reasons, firstly because the engines couldn't cope with that speed, they would have disintegrated although they were capable of further development if required. The second reason was that the TSR 2 was built from standard alloys and they wouldn't withstand flight at mach 3 - this was the reason Concorde was also designed for mach 2 and why the US mach 3 SST never stood a chance of being successful with its need for expensive and exotic metals for it to work at all.

The SR-71 is designed so that it leaks like a colander when stood on the ground due to expansion gaps. This is not acceptable in a standard service bomber (or airliner!) and so mach 3 was left alone by everyone who wasn't building a research aircraft or a spyplane