This plane is truly an engineering marvel...

[Takeuon]

I know there have been posts on the U-2 before. I don't know about you but I find it completely fascinating that we developed this aircraft over 50yrs ago, yet it still reigns supreme for the job it was designed to do.

Definitely worth another look if this is a repost.



You can see why the U-2 is considered the most difficult plane in the world
to fly.

Each pilot has a co-pilot, who chases the plane on the runway in a sports
car. Most of the cars are either Pontiac GTOs or Chevrolet Cameros - the Air
Force buys American.

The chase cars talk the pilot down as he lands on bicycle-style landing
gear. In that spacesuit, the pilot in the plane simply cannot get a good
view of the runway.
Upon takeoff, the wings on this plane, which extend 103 feet from tip to
tip, literally flap. To stabilize the wings on the runway, two pogo sticks
on wheels prop up the ends of the wings.

As the plane flies away, the pogo sticks drop off.

The plane climbs at an amazing rate of nearly 10,000 feet a minute. Within
about four minutes, I was at 40,000 feet, higher than any commercial
airplane. We kept going up to 13 miles above Earth's surface.

You get an incredible sensation up there. As you look out the windows, it
feels like you're floating, it feels like you're not moving, but you're
actually going 500 mph.


The U-2 was built to go higher than any other aircraft. In fact today, more
than 50 years since it went into production, the U-2 flies higher than any
aircraft in the world with the exception of the space shuttle.

It is flying more missions and longer missions than ever before -nearly 70
missions a month over Iraq and Afghanistan , an operational tempo that is
unequaled in history.

The pilots fly for 11 hours at a time, sometimes more than 11 hours up there
alone. By flying so high, the U-2 has the capability of doing reconnaissance
over a country without actually violating its airspace.

It can look off to the side, peering 300 miles or more inside a country
without actually flying over it. It can "see" in the dark and through
clouds. It can also "hear," intercepting conversations 14 miles below.

The U-2, an incredible piece of history and also a current piece of high
technology, is at the center of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan .

Enjoy the ride! Lockheed U-2

Take A Ride in a Spy Plane, Click the link below. Once the screen opens
after clicking below go to the lower right corner of the screen and click
the icon immediately to the left of the volume control to bring up the full
screen.

Breathtaking spy plane footage. [VIDEO]

[twotonevert]

Now, think about this plane being developed 50 years ago. What do they have now that we dont know about?

[UncleSteve]

I am surprised you did not post the SR-71. U-2 is slow and easily shot down.

[Phil96]

Great vid, thanks. Francis Gary Powers used to park his news chopper about 100yds
from my Maule at Van Nuys airport in early '70's. Never did see him, darn it. I wanted
him to autograph my logbook, but oh well. He crashed in '77.:

[Paulie1300]

SR-71 is no longer flying......that we know about.

[Schexy1]

SR-71 is no longer flying......that we know about.

Some were put back in service at the start of the Gulf War.

[Cookie]

I remember when U2 first emerged into the scene. I thought Bono was kinda weird.

[heavybusa]

Some were put back in service at the start of the Gulf War.

The last flight was 99, then we got the Aurora which was thought to be a replacement.

NASA has the last two. I think the UAV's took over spy duties.

[Schexy1]

The last flight was 99, then we got the Aurora which was thought to be a replacement.

NASA has the last two. I think the UAV's took over spy duties.

You maybe right. I saw something last week on the History Channel that said they were used in the Gulf in 05. They also said, those were never officially decomissioned, hinting they were still in use. I am not going to bet on that.

When I was at Kadena AB, I used to watch them take-off all the time. The two there were called the Habus.

[afterhours]

U-2's are not easily shot down.....

I was always abigger fan of the SR71, for a hp junkie it is the ultimate in speed and power. Unless you can show me the boneyard where all of the SR's ever built are sitting mothballed.....i will never believe they all have been retired.

as Ben Rich (one of the designers of the U2,Sr-71) said ""We already have the means to travel among the stars, but these technologies are locked up in black projects and it would take an act of God to ever get them out to benefit humanity. Anything you can imagine, we already know how to do."

[busabeast]

i recall the history channel saying that the sr-71 costs too much to run everyday missions... like 2 mil a run- but i bet they still use them on some missions- they are one bad a** plane for sure!

[GMbusa]

Thank you for that video. Amazing.

[Takeuon]

Great vid, thanks. Francis Gary Powers used to park his news chopper about 100yds
from my Maule at Van Nuys airport in early '70's. Never did see him, darn it. I wanted
him to autograph my logbook, but oh well. He crashed in '77.:

Did he die in the crash? You've had the unique experience to be around some interesting people in your time Phil

U-2's are not easily shot down.....

I was always abigger fan of the SR71, for a hp junkie it is the ultimate in speed and power. Unless you can show me the boneyard where all of the SR's ever built are sitting mothballed.....i will never believe they all have been retired.

as Ben Rich (one of the designers of the U2,Sr-71) said ""We already have the means to travel among the stars, but these technologies are locked up in black projects and it would take an act of God to ever get them out to benefit humanity. Anything you can imagine, we already know how to do."

Pretty candid coming from a man who is privy to that kind of information. Gotta love the truth.

[Rooster Rider007]

Did he die in the crash? You've had the unique experience to be around some interesting people in your time Phil



Pretty candid coming from a man who is privy to that kind of information. Gotta love the truth.

Nope, just had an extended stay in russia. He did 2 years before we swapped some of thei people we had to get him home

[pashnit]

Cool video!

[Snakers]

I was just out as ellsworth AFB in SD and they work on the B1's out there. Those are pretty badass jets, but i cant tell you the REAL reason theyre so wicked...its classified

[Rooster Rider007]

I was just out as ellsworth AFB in SD and they work on the B1's out there. Those are pretty badass jets, but i cant tell you the REAL reason theyre so wicked...its classified

Ill expect a PM, im really, really good a keepin secrets