By Dave Francey
To celebrate 50 consecutive years of fly-in conventions in Oshkosh, we’re featuring Stories of Oshkosh told by attendees remembering their special moments at EAA’s long-standing home. If you or someone you know would like to share your own Story of Oshkosh, email editorial@eaa.org.
In 1997 I was the boom operator on a mission to perform a flyby at EAA Oshkosh incorporating a KC-135 and an SR-71. The idea was that the formation represented the partnership of the U.S. Air Force and NASA (then NACA) back in 1947 when the sound barrier was broken by then-Capt. Chuck Yeager flying the Bell X-1.
NASA had been using the SR-71 to research a new engine for the X-33 called the linear aerospike rocket engine. The KC-135 crew provided in-flight refueling support for these NASA missions.
At the completion of the program NASA took the mission support folks to the Oshkosh show via the KC-135. A NASA F-18 was prepositioned at General Mitchell International Airport (KMKE) to aid as a safety observer for the SR-71. We took off from Edwards Air Force Base and headed to Lake Michigan where we established an orbit.
First to join us was the F-18, and we orbited together waiting for the SR-71 to take off from Edwards. As the SR-71 neared the formation, the F-18 departed the tanker and joined with the SR-71 to lead it to the tanker.
Once the formation was established, we started a descent for our Oshkosh flyby. The SR-71 crew remained in the traffic pattern as the tanker and F-18 went back to holding. The SR-71 rejoined soon thereafter and we proceeded to air refuel, giving it the required off-load to fly back to Edwards.
All was great as we finished the off-load on time and course so the SR-71 crew could “pop” the sound barrier over the Oshkosh attendees and then return to Edwards. The tanker was going to recover at KMKE so the crew and passengers could attend the show. But as the SR-71 began to maneuver down and back from the tanker I saw a huge fuel leak out of the SR-71’s left engine.
I did not want the SR-71 pilot to go into afterburner (AB) with that fuel leak so I radioed them telling of the problem. Soon the F-18 pilot was also able to provide data to the SR-71 pilot of their condition and the entire formation declared an emergency and diverted to KMKE.
The cause of the fuel leak was a failed fuel pump and thankfully the SR-71 pilot didn’t go into AB because it could have resulted in a catastrophic failure.
As it was, we were all safe and sound back on the ground. Later, one of the attendees of the show asked me if the SR-71 was skywriting. I laughed, the SR-71 pilot was good, but not that good.