The L1A1 Armourer

The first's an SR-71 tale from AF magazine's "There I Was . . ."

Scene: Kadena AFB, Okinawa, control tower with new air traffic controller that's not been checked out on the characteristics of the SR-71.

Radio: "Kadena tower, this is Habu 21. Request permission to change altitude." [Habu, a venomous Okinawan snake is the call sign for the SR-71's.]

Kadena: "Roger, Habu 21. What altitude? Over."

Habu 21: "We'd like to change to angels 120 [120,000 feet]. Over."

Kadena operator: <snicker and aside> "Angels 120. Sure, that'll be the day."

Kadena tower: "Roger, Habu 21. You are cleared to angels 120. Over."

Habu 21: "Roger, Kadena. Out of 140, going to 120. Out."

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The secibd SR-71 story is in Kelly Johnson's autobiography, Skunk Works.

During the Regan USMC incursion into Lebanon, Lockheed SR-71's were flying photo recon missions from their UK base to Beirut. They had to go by way of Gibraltar because the French wouldn't give the Americans overflight rights. The 5,000 mile round trip just took a morning.

On the return from one mission, an SR-71 pilot got an oil pressure warning light. He dropped speed to subsonic and decided to go home via the shortest route -- across France.

Soon, he saw a French Air Force Mirage fighter off his wing. The French pilot radioed, "What is your diplomatic clearance number?" The pilot asked the rear seater, "What's that number?"

The recon guy says, "Punch it, I just gave it to him", holding up the middle finger of his right hand.

The pilot shoved the throttles forward, the speed went to Mach 4.5, and they departed France 14 seconds later.

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