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Every interview with an A12 or SR71 pilot on YouTube touches on this and says they did that because of tire pressure not leaks.

• toomuchtodo 9y ago
  Do you have a source? I've checked several online sources, and they all indicate the body leaking fuel until thermal expansion took place is accurate.
  • willvarfar 9y ago
    Am on phone so can't go double checking, but I believe it was definitely explained in this one: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=MGdxpqqsHl8 https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=MGdxpqqsHl8 (Well worth watching the whole thing!) The planes definitely leaked at low temp eg on the apron but not much at all; just a few drips. The problem was the tires were gonna burst if you aborted a takeoff with a full fuel load and had to land immediately. It was a weight problem. Murray takes about it at length and even says he has a tire at home in the garage. He also hands around other bits of the plane so people can see the honeycomb etc.
    • toomuchtodo 9y ago
      Thank you!
  • burfog 9y ago
    Two things there: 1. leaking 2. taking off without a full load of fuel It makes sense for the first to be thermal expansion issues, and the second to be tire pressure issues.