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The loss of Francis Gary Powers’ U-2A on 1 May 1960 underscored the fact that the U-2 was not as invulnerable to interception as originally hoped. If altitude was no longer a defense against Soviet air defenses, speed would be. Clarence “Kelly” Johnson, who had designed the U-2, was put to work with his legendary “Skunk Works” section of Lockheed to develop a very high-speed reconnaissance aircraft to supplement the U-2, named first the A-12—like the U-2’s use of the innocuous “utility” designation, the A-12 would use the outdated “attack” designation, though it carried no weapons. This designation was later changed as the design evolved, to the RS-71; this in turn was reversed to SR-71 by General Curtis LeMay, for strategic reconnaissance.
Work on the A-12/SR-71 was done in the strictest secrecy, although its existence was revealed in 1964 by President Lyndon Johnson. Virtually everything about the aircraft had to be invented on the spot, and even the tools used in its production had to be specially built first. The SR-71 was built of mostly light titanium, and design specifications were such that normal tools would damage the airframe. Emphasis was made on stealth and especially high speed: the SR-71’s intended normal operating speed was in excess of Mach 3, which at that time had only been achieved with the rocket-powered X-15.
To reach this speed, the aircraft would use J58 ramjets: once at altitude, the SR-71 would be accelerated to the point that the airflow over its shock-cone intakes would be forced into the engines at above the speed of sound. At speed above Mach 3, the SR-71 was more or less pulling itself through the air by brute force, with the engines only providing thirty percent of the thrust. At these speeds, heat was a real problem, as the fuselage would rapidly heat up. Titanium sheds heat better than most metals, and the SR-71 was designed with corrugated “skin” that would easily expand and contract with changing airspeed, heat, and altitude. Panels in the aircraft were deliberately designed to be loose on the ground and contract at altitude; fuel leaks on SR-71s were so commonplace that they were not remarked upon. Even the fuel and black paint scheme (actually a very dark blue) were placed and applied to diffuse heat away from leading edges.
The A-12, and the short-lived YF-12 interceptor, lacked the extended chines of the SR-71; these were emplaced to enhance the aircraft’s stealth techniques to reflect away radar. While in practice this did not work—Soviet radars could easily track the SR-71 through its heat plume—it actually made the aircraft more controllable and gave it increased lift. The SR-71 was not an easy aircraft to fly, but it was considerably easier than the U-2, and was generally reliable unless it lost an engine: the high speeds of the aircraft occasionally caused engine disintegrations, which would usually destroy the SR-71. It was also very unstable in bad weather, should it run into any after takeoff or on approach. Because of its high speed, the approach “pattern” for SR-71s to land at their home base of Beale AFB, California, had to begin at St. Louis, Missouri. Considerable restrictions were placed on supersonic flight over the continental United States, as Mach 3 sonic booms at 50,000 feet could shatter windows on the ground. The navigation system was adapted from that of the Skybolt air-launched nuclear missile, while cameras and side-looking radar was carried in the nose or the chines; these could be swapped out as the mission required. Extensive electronic countermeasures were also carried.
The SR-71 first flew in December 1964 and entered service in 1966—only six years after being ordered, an impressive achievement given its highly advanced nature. It was immediately committed to service over Vietnam under Operation Giant Scale. Attempts by the North Vietnamese to intercept the SR-71 were failures. Soviet attempts to intercept the SR-71 were no more successful: MiG-25 Foxbat interceptors could reach Mach 3, but Foxbat pilot Viktor Belenko later related the “ridiculous ease” that SR-71s could leave behind even the speedy MiG-25. Even later variants of SAMs and increasingly more sophisticated Soviet aircraft still could not intercept the SR-71, which quickly acquired the nickname Blackbird for its paint scheme; its snakelike chines earned it the nickname (and later callsign) Habu from Okinawans around Kadena airbase, where SR-71s often operated from, after the habu pit viper. Like the U-2s before them, SR-71s also operated from the legendary “Area 51” at Groom Lake, Nevada, and also led to a number of “UFO sightings” before knowledge of the aircraft became more commonplace.
One thing that the Blackbird could not outrace was the cost of operation: it required special JP-7 fuel, which in turn required specialized KC-135Q tankers to refuel them. The tooling for the aircraft had been destroyed on the order of Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara in 1967, which meant the 32 operational SR-71s had to be maintained by cannibalizing either the retired A-12 fleet or other Blackbirds to stay operational. It survived several attempts at forced retirement in the 1980s until the breakup of the Communist Bloc finally brought an end to SR-71 operations in 1989, though developments were underway to equip the Blackbird with synthetic-aperature radar and even more advanced engine designs that could propel it up to Mach 6. This retirement proved to be short-lived: during the First Gulf War, the USAF keenly felt the loss of the SR-71, which could provide better coverage of Iraq than satellites and was not as vulnerable as other reconnaissance platforms. Over heavy opposition from the USAF, three SR-71s were returned to service in 1993. After annual fights between the USAF, Congress, and President Bill Clinton over keeping the Blackbird in service, it was finally retired for good in 1998, except for two aircraft to be handed over to NASA for flight testing. Before the final Blackbird was grounded, it set a number of speed records across the United States, having already held the record for fastest transatlantic and transpacific crossings. NASA’s two aircraft only lasted a few years longer, with the end finally coming in 1999.
Of the 32 SR-71s produced (including SR-71A operational aircraft, SR-71B conversion trainers, and the single SR-71C “hybrid” trainer, converted from an A-12), 12 were lost in accidents. The remaining 20 aircraft have all been preserved in museums around the world.
This particular Blackbird, 61-7956, is unique--it is the only remaining SR-71B left in the world. (A converted A-12, the SR-71C "Bastard," is on display at Hill AFB, Utah.) As it was one of a few SR-71s sent to NASA after the first retirement of the Blackbird, it wears the more colorful NASA emblem on the tail; otherwise, it is as anonymous as most SR-71s. The Kalamazoo Air Zoo has given it appropriately mysterious nighttime lighting.
original handmade acrylic ebru (turkish paper marbling) monoprint with evolve screen print on paper.
8" x 10"
Pokhara (Nepali: पोखरा) is the second largest city of Nepal after Kathmandu. It is the headquarters of Kaski District, Gandaki Zone and the Western Development Region. It lies 200 km west of Kathmandu; its altitude varies from 780 m to 1350 m. Three out of the ten highest mountains in the world — Dhaulagiri, Annapurna I and Manaslu — are within a linear distance of 50 km from the city. Due to its proximity to the Annapurna mountain range, the city is also a base for trekkers undertaking the Annapurna Circuit through the ACAP region of the Annapurna ranges in the Himalayas.
Pokhara is home to many Gurkha soldiers. It is the most expensive city in the country, with a Cost of Living Index of 95.
GEOGRAPHY
Pokhara is in the northwestern corner of the Pokhara Valley, which is a widening of the Seti Gandaki valley that lies in the midland region (Pahad) of the Himalayas. In this region the mountains rise very quickly and within 30 km, the elevation rises from 1,000 m to over 7,500 m. As a result of this sharp rise in altitude the area of Pokhara has one of the highest precipitation rates in the country (3,350 mm/year to 5600 mm/year in Lumle). Even within the city there is a noticeable difference in rainfall between the south and the north of the city, the northern part of the city situated at the foothills of the mountains experiences proportionally higher amount of precipitation. The Seti Gandaki is the main river flowing through the city. The Seti Gandaki (White River) and its tributaries have created several gorges and canyons in and around the whole city which gives intriguingly long sections of terrace features to the city and surrounding areas. These long sections of terraces are interrupted by gorges which are hundreds of meters deep. The Seti gorge runs through the whole city from north to south and then west to east and at places these gorges are only a few metres wide. In the north and south, the canyons are wider.n the south the city borders on Phewa Tal (4.4 km2) at an elevation of about 827 m above sea level, and Lumle at 1,740 m in the north of the city touches the base of the Annapurna mountain range. Pokhara, the city of lakes, is the second largest city of Nepal after Kathmandu. 3 eight-thousand meter tall peaks (Dhaulagiri, Annapurna, Manaslu) can be seen from the city. The Machhapuchhre (Fishtail) with an elevation of 6,993 m is the closest to the city. The porous underground of the Pokhara valley favours the formation of caves and several caves can be found within the city limits. In the south of the city, a tributary of the Seti flowing out of the Phewa Lake disappears at Patale Chhango (पाताले छाँगो, Nepali for Hell's Falls, also called Davis Falls, after someone who supposedly fell into the falls) into an underground gorge, to reappear 500 metres further south. To the south-east of Pokhara city is the municipality of Lekhnath, a recently established town in the Pokhara valley, home to Begnas Lake.
CLIMATE
The climate of the city is sub-tropical; however, the elevation keeps temperatures moderate. Summer temperatures average between 25 to 33 °C, in winter around - 2 to 15 °C. Pokhara and nearby areas receive a high amount of precipitation. Lumle, 25 miles from the Pokhara city center, receives the highest amount of rainfall (> 5600 mm/year) in the country. Snowfall is not observed in the valley, but surrounding hills experience occasional snowfall in the winter. Summers are humid and mild; most precipitation occurs during the monsoon season (July - September). Winter and spring skies are generally clear and sunny.
HISTORY
Pokhara lies on an important old trading route between China and India. In the 17th century it was part of the Kingdom of Kaski which was one of the Chaubise Rajya (24 Kingdoms of Nepal, चौबिसे राज्य) ruled by a branch of the Shah Dynasty. Many of the hills around Pokhara still have medieval ruins from this time. In 1786 Prithvi Narayan Shah added Pokhara into his kingdom. It had by then become an important trading place on the routes from Kathmandu to Jumla and from India to Tibet.Pokhara was envisioned as a commercial center by the King of Kaski in the mid 18th century A.D. when Newars of Bhaktapur migrated to Pokhara, upon being invited by the king, and settled near main business locations such as Bindhyabasini temple, Nalakomukh and Bhairab Tole. Most of the Pokhara, at the time, was largely inhabited by Khas (Brahmin, Chhetri, Thakuri and Dalits), the major communities were located in Parsyang, Malepatan, Pardi and Harichowk areas of modern Pokhara and the Majhi community near the Phewa Lake. The establishment of a British recruitment camp brought larger Magar and Gurung communities to Pokhara. At present the Khas, Gurung (Tamu) and Magar form the dominant community of Pokhara. There is also a sizeable Newari population in the city. A small Muslim community is located on eastern fringes of Pokhara generally called Miya Patan. Batulechaur in the far north of Pokhara is home to the Gandharvas or Gaaineys (the tribe of the musicians).
The nearby hill villages around Pokhara are a mixed community of Khas and Gurung. Small Magar communities are also present mostly in the southern outlying hills. Newar community is almost non-existent in the villages of outlying hills outside the Pokhara city limits.
From 1959 to 1962 approximately 300,000 exiles entered Nepal from neighbouring Tibet following its annexation by China. Most of the Tibetan exiles then sought asylum in Dharamshala and other Tibetan exile communities in India. According to UNHCR, since 1989, approximately 2500 Tibetans cross the border into Nepal each year, many of whom arrive in Pokhara typically as a transit to Tibetan exile communities in India. About 50,000 - 60,000 Tibetan exiles reside in Nepal, and approximately 20,000 of the exiled Tibetans live in one of the 12 consolidated camps, 8 in Kathmandu and 4 in and around Pokhara. The four Tibetan settlements in Pokhara are Jampaling, Paljorling, Tashi Ling, and Tashi Palkhel. These camps have evolved into well built settlements, each with a gompa (Buddhist monastery), chorten and its particular architecture, and Tibetans have become a visible minority in the city.
Until the end of the 1960s the town was only accessible by foot and it was considered even more a mystical place than Kathmandu. The first road was completed in 1968 (Siddhartha Highway) after which tourism set in and the city grew rapidly. The area along the Phewa lake, called Lake Side, has developed into one of the major tourism hubs of Nepal.
TEMPLES, GUMBAS AND CHURCHES
There are numerous temples and gumbas in and around pokhara valley. Many temples serve as combined places of worship for Hindus and Buddhists. Some of the popular temples and gumbas are:
Tal Barahi Temple (located on the island in the middle of Phewa Lake)
Bindhyabasini Temple
Sitaladevi Temple
Mudula Karki Kulayan Mandir
Sunpadeli Temple (Kaseri)
Bhadrakali Temple
Kumari Temple
Akalaa Temple
Kedareshwar Mahadev Mani Temple
Matepani Gumba
World peace pagoda
Akaladevi Temple
Monastery (Hemja)
Nepal Christiya Ramghat Church, established in 1952 (2009 BS), in Ramghat area of Pokhara is also the first church in Nepal.
LOCATION
The municipality of Pokhara spans 12 km from north to south and 6 km from east to west but, unlike the capital Kathmandu, it is quite loosely built up and still has much green space. The valley is approximately divided into four to Six parts by the rivers Seti, Bijayapur, Bagadi, Fusre and Hemja. The Seti Gandaki flowing through the city from north to south divides the city roughly in two halves with the business area of Chipledunga in the middle, the old town centre of Bagar in the north and the tourist district of Lakeside (Baidam) to the south all lying on the western side of the river.[38] The gorge through which the river flows is crossed at five places: K.I. Singh Pul, Mahendra Pul and Prithvi Highway Pul from north to south of the city. The floor of the valley is plain, resembles Terai due to its gravel-like surface, and has slanted orientation from northwest to southeast. The city is surrounded by the hills overlooking the entire valley.
Phewa Lake was slightly enlarged by damming which poses a risk of silting up due of the inflow during the monsoon. The outflowing water is partially used for hydropower generation. The dam collapsed in 1974 which resulted in draining of its water and exposing the land leading to illegal land encroachment; since then the dam has been rebuilt. The power plant is about 100 m below at the bottom of the Phusre Khola gorge. Water from Phewa is diverted for irrigation into the southern Pokhara valley. The eastern Pokhara Valley receives irrigation water through a canal running from a reservoir by the Seti in the north of the city. Some parts of Phewa lake are used as commercial cage fisheries. The lake is currently being encroached upon by invasive water hyacinth (जलकुम्भी झार).
Pokhara is known to be a popular tourist destination. The tourist district is along the north shore of the Phewa lake (Baidam, Lakeside and Damside). It is mainly made up of small shops, non-star tourist hotels, restaurants and bars. Most upscale and starred hotels are on the southern shore of the Phewa Lake and southeastern fringes of the city where there are more open lands and unhindered view of the surrounding mountains. Most of the tourists visiting Pokhara trek to the Annapurna Base Camp and Mustang. To the east of the Pokhara valley, in Lekhnath municipality, there are seven smaller lakes such as Begnas Lake and Rupa Lake. Begnas Lake is known for its fishery projects.
TOURISM AND ECONOMY
After the occupation of Tibet by China in 1950 and the Indo-China war in 1962, the old trading route to India from Tibet through Pokhara became defunct. Today only few caravans from Mustang arrive in Bagar. In recent decades, Pokhara has become a major tourist destination, it is considered as tourism capital of Nepal. In South Asia mainly for adventure tourism and the base for the famous Annapurna Circuit trek. Thus, a major contribution to the local economy comes from the tourism and hospitality industry. A lot of tourists visit Pokhara every year. Tourism industry is one of major source of income for local people and the city. There are two 5-star hotels and approximately 305 other hotels that includes five 3-star, fifteen 2-star and non-star hotels in the city.
Many medieval era temples (Barahi temple, Bindhyabasini, Bhadrakali, Talbarahi, Guheshwori, Sitaldevi, Gita mandir temple, Bhimsen temple) and old Newari houses are still a part of the city (Bagar, Bindhyabasini, Bhadrakali, Bhairab Tol, etc.). The modern commercial city centres are at Chipledhunga, New Road, Prithvi Chowk and Mahendrapul (recently renamed as Bhimsen Chowk).
The city promotes two major hilltops as its viewpoints to view the city and surrounding panorama, World Peace Pagoda built in 1996 across the southern shore of Phewa lake and Sarangkot which is located northwest of the city. In February 2004, International Mountain Museum (IMM) was opened for public in Ratopahiro to boost city's tourism attractions. Other museums in the city are Pokhara Regional Museum, an ethnographic museum, Annapurna Natural History Museum which houses preserved specimens of flora and fauna, and contains particularly extensive collection of the butterflies, found in the Western and ACAP region of Nepal; and Gurkha Museum featuring history of the Gurkha Soldiers. The city also has recently been adorned with a bungee jumping site (second in Nepal) titled Water Touch Bunjee Jumping. Also, a cable car service has begun construction joining Fewa Lake with World Peace Stupa led by the government of Nepal which is expected to boost the tourism industry of the place exponentially.
Since the 1990s Pokhara has experienced rapid urbanization, as a result service sector industries have increasingly contributed to the local economy overtaking the traditional agriculture. An effect of urbanization is seen in high real estate prices, which among the highest in the country. The major contributors to the economy of Pokhara are manufacturing and service sector including tourism; agriculture and the foreign and domestic remittances. Tourism, service sector & manufacturing contributes approximately 58% to the economy, remittances about 20% and the agriculture nearly 16%.
WIKIPEDIA