3 ms·

Why were instruments (instruments? or panels?) so flexible? Was ut to sustain altitude, pressure, G and speed?

• bojo 7y ago
  If I recall correctly the plane was built to stretch at high speeds, so the panels were designed to be loose, and the plane would leak a lot of fuel until it reached optimal speeds.
  • kmstout 7y ago
    Q: How do you know there's fuel in the Blackbird? A: It's leaking.
    • hef19898 7y ago
      Same goes for oil in old Land Rovers!
• masklinn 7y ago
  > Was ut to sustain altitude, pressure, G and speed? Heat expansion. That's also why it would leak fuel when on the ground (fuel lines would expand at speed so they needed expansion gaps when on the ground). Outside emergency situation, the crew had to wait inside the plane after landing, waiting for the surfaces to cool down enough that they could safely get out without melting their gear.