jerryc41 wrote:
That's what I had heard. It supposedly required special one-off tools. Also, it dripped fuel until it got hot from high speed friction with the air, and the metal expanded.
The hydraulic fluid was a gel until it got above 86 degrees and yes, it dripped fuel. There was a special fleet of KC-135 tankers modified to handle the fuel the SR used. They also had a secure communications link through the refueling probe.
There used to be a story about an SR pilot taking a ham & cheese sandwich on a mission. He held it against the windscreen to toast before eating it.
The tires had metal fragments in them to help shed heat on landing.