Message posted by Steve Douglass on August 23, 2010 at 19:04:57 PST:
It's interesting that some people think TR-3 was actually Tier 3 because they sound so alike. In actuality the TR-3A designation came to light many years before Tier 3 designation was released by the Pentagon - undoubtedly (IMHO) to muddy the waters so to speak. Another good example of this SOP was the USAF denying they had (in a FOIA request) any aircraft called the Night-Hawk - knowing full well - that it wasn't a lie - but a bending of the truth because the actual aircraft designation was the F-117 Nighthawk. Don't make the mistake of believing everything you get from official channels. When Dreamland author Phil Patton was doing research for his book "Dreamland" in the NASA/DRYDEN archives (not the virtual ones online but the paper ones) he came across a folder marked "TR3A" but alas there was nothing inside. Disinformation? A mistake? Who knows and we may never because the black world is not called "black" because of the airplanes but rather like a black hole - everything goes in but not much gets out . "Scoot and Hide" shelters are a reality - even at so-called non secret bases. I've seen them at Cannon AFB 30 miles from my home which I've been on countless times and at Holloman AFB as well. Trying to hide an aircraft under a flying K-135 - now that's silly. It might be feasible if one is always airborne in the vicinity of a test base - but then - what if your test aircraft is bigger than a KC-135 or it's stall speed is faster than a Strato-tankers top speed? SR-71s had trouble flying on the boom - barely able to stay in the air because the speed differential was so vast - let alone trying to quickly rendezvous with one and hide whenever a spy- sat approached would be very problematic at best. But for those who might think catching an aircraft on a satellite photo of any aircraft in flight might be difficult - all one has to do is look at all those found by users of Google Earth - and that is a commercial satellite with relatively low resolution photographic sensors. Keep in mind the early stealth aircraft were designed to be invisible to long-range ground radars of the day - as well as infra-red sensors - but not so much from space. Early warning space based platforms are tasked for seeking out large heat signatures of high-speed airborne objects - be they manned or missiles. Nukes and stealthy blackbirds - they sky spies can see all - hence "Scoot and Hides" at many bases. One might ask - "How could a spy-sat sneak up on a secret aircraft - especially if their orbits are plotted?" Well - there are now lots of small micro-satellites that are stealthy and hard to track. There are also "ghosted" satellites that may or may not be dead and (as dictated by a crisis) a covert test or operational mission may have to be performed knowing they may have cut it close to a scheduled (spook) satellite pass. But sometimes the best laid plans go awry - and schedules are not kept but secrecy must be maintained so it's only smart to have emergency procedures (including scoot & hides) at designated friendly bases - which are documented as per the f-117 program. many base commanders were informed that at sometime on some dark night you may be alerted on very short notice that a classified aircraft may have to land at your facility. Once that happens you are to hide it -protect it- fuel it if need be and order anyone involved to never talk about it. Thing is - some people love to talk -especially about a secret - and unfortunately that's where most of the data comes from. ron, I'm sure you are just as interested in these secrets as I am - or you wouldn't be a frequent visitor to Dreamland Resort. I welcome your questions and skepticism. I also hope you'll continue to research such a fascinating topic - but don't trash someone's data until you know the full story behind the stories. -Steve
In Reply to: Re: In Defense .. posted by Ron on August 23, 2010 at 14:19:20 PST:
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