 | Lockheed U-2 celebrates it's 50th birthday| Modern Discuss Lockheed U-2 celebrates it's 50th birthday in the Other Eras forums; The Lockheed U-2 celebrates it's 50th birthday today. Celebrations were last week at the Palmdale plant, celebrated by ... |
|
08-04-2005, 10:02 AM
|
#1 | | "Shooter"
Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Moorpark, CA
Posts: 12,482
Country:  | Lockheed U-2 celebrates it's 50th birthday
The Lockheed U-2 celebrates it's 50th birthday today. Celebrations were last week at the Palmdale plant, celebrated by workers at the plant and guests.
Designed by Kelly Johnson, it made it's maiden flight on August 4, 1945. In June of 1956, it made it's first flight over the Soviet Union. The aircraft became very well known after Francis Gary Powers was shot down over the Soviet Union on May 1, 1960. It provedd very useful during the Cuban missile crisis. It was the first aircraft to photograph the Soviet base being constructed in Cuba on October 14, 1962. That airplane was part of the 4080th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing.
It continued useful operations during every operation and crisis since then, including Desert Storm, Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Today, 29 U-2s are used in operational service as well as 5 2-seat training versions. NASA also operates 2 with the Dryden Flight Research Facility at Edwards Air Force Base in California.
Another one of Kelly Johnson's amazing aircraft!  Take a moment to honor the brave men who flew these machines that helped keep us safe for 50 years.
__________________  http://www.vg-photo.com Wherever their bones may lie, the courage of heroes is consecrated in the hearts and engraved in the history of the free. Lt Col Honner DSO MC, 39th Commander speaking of the dead from the battle of Kokoda. | 
|  | |
08-04-2005, 10:04 AM
|
#2 | | IP/Mech THE GREAT GAZOO
Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Colorado, USA
Posts: 12,951
Country: | One of the first programs I worked on at Lockheed - One of my first jobs was rebuilding the "pogos."
__________________ "IF ITS RED OR DUSTY, DON'T TOUCH IT"  | |
| | |
08-04-2005, 10:12 AM
|
#3 | | "Shooter"
Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Moorpark, CA
Posts: 12,482
Country: | I was always amazed to watch them take off and land. We had several occasions where they came in to our Transient Alert at Lakenheath.
The most amazing time I saw a TR-1 variant was on a Mayday call one night when we were working on ATC consoles. I heard the mayday call and stepped away to allow the controllers and SOF take control of the situation.
The pilot's suit was defective and the pilot was suffering from the bends. It is very painful and dangerous. Lakenheath had the chamber to treat him so they put him on a priority approach. Every manuever from the pilot caused excrutiatign pain that was very clear on each radio call.
While in extreme discomfort, he had to maintain complete concentration to land that airplane. Our TA guys and ramp and crash crews gathered on the runway in preparation for his arrival. The follow me truck was used to call the landing and provide chase. Despite the effects of the bends, the pilot managed to bring it in for a perfect landing and lost consciousness as he was being pulled from the cockpit. An amazing pilot who had a harrowing flight. He did recover, although I don't know if he returned to flying after the episode.
__________________ http://www.vg-photo.com Wherever their bones may lie, the courage of heroes is consecrated in the hearts and engraved in the history of the free. Lt Col Honner DSO MC, 39th Commander speaking of the dead from the battle of Kokoda. | |
| | |
08-04-2005, 10:20 AM
|
#4 | | IP/Mech THE GREAT GAZOO
Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Colorado, USA
Posts: 12,951
Country: | WOW!
__________________ "IF ITS RED OR DUSTY, DON'T TOUCH IT" | |
| | |
08-04-2005, 10:21 AM
|
#5 | | "Shooter"
Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Moorpark, CA
Posts: 12,482
Country: | Yep, as I wrote about it, it gave me chills to think about that poor guy. I remember it like it was yesterday.
__________________ http://www.vg-photo.com Wherever their bones may lie, the courage of heroes is consecrated in the hearts and engraved in the history of the free. Lt Col Honner DSO MC, 39th Commander speaking of the dead from the battle of Kokoda. | |
| | |
08-04-2005, 11:39 AM
|
#6 | | Master of Ewes
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 19,959
Country:  | happy birthday 
__________________ 
"Reminds me of the time I sank the Tirpitz" comments a Spitfire pilot, "One pass of course, old boy." | |
| | |
08-04-2005, 11:45 AM
|
#7 | | He who does not skim
Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Halifax, Nova Scotia
Posts: 8,957
Country:  | What a story. What a pilot too.
Here's to ya, old girl. 
Yep. I think she's earned her keep. | |
| | |
08-04-2005, 12:01 PM
|
#8 | | IP/Mech THE GREAT GAZOO
Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Colorado, USA
Posts: 12,951
Country: | Yep - she's a site to see fly too!
__________________ "IF ITS RED OR DUSTY, DON'T TOUCH IT" | |
| | |
08-04-2005, 12:12 PM
|
#9 | | He who does not skim
Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Halifax, Nova Scotia
Posts: 8,957
Country: | I saw one airborne at an airshow many moons ago. It was around here too. | |
| | |
08-04-2005, 12:16 PM
|
#10 | | IP/Mech THE GREAT GAZOO
Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Colorado, USA
Posts: 12,951
Country: | 10 years ago (on the U-2s 40th) I was invited to watch the last flight of NASA's U-2. They launched it and it set like 5 world records, climb to altitude, and climb to altitude with a payload. Some of the U-2s performance capabilities were kept secret for a number of years.
__________________ "IF ITS RED OR DUSTY, DON'T TOUCH IT" | |
| | |
08-04-2005, 12:59 PM
|
#11 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Royal Deeside/St Andrews, Scotland, UK
Posts: 11,122
Country: | Happy Birthday to the U-2.
Really interesting story evan, what a pilot!
__________________  "Success is not Final, Failure is not Fatal, it is the Courage to Continue that Counts"
Sir Winston Churchill
"To him the people of the world largely owe the Freedom and liberties they enjoy today"
Enscription on Hugh Dowding's (AOC Fighter Command 1936-40) statue in London
Moderator WW2 Talk: A WW2 Discussion Forum | |
| | |
08-04-2005, 01:28 PM
|
#12 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 12,057
Country: | Great plane and a great story. Happy birthday to the U-2...
...they might fly high, but they still got bounced by Lightnings. 
__________________ "When you go home tomorrow, don't expect anyone to know what you have been through. Even if they did know, most people probably wouldn't care anyway. Some of you may get the medals you deserve, many more of you will not. But remember this, all of you are now members of the front-line club, and that is the most exclusive club in the world." - Lt. Col. Matthew Maer CO 1st Battalion, the Princess of Wale's Royal Regiment. Camp Abu Naji, Oct. 2004 To those in that club. | |
| | |
08-09-2005, 06:14 AM
|
#13 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Queensland
Posts: 1,256
Country:  | A great spy-plane, thought to be invincible to Soviet Air-Defences due to its height of flight- until Gary Powers got shot down over the USSR. Then came the SR-71 Blackbird. The U-2 is one of the largest single engine planes in the world. It also has a varient of the UR-2 and the TR-2 which I don't know too much about. | |
| | |
08-09-2005, 07:39 AM
|
#14 | | IP/Mech THE GREAT GAZOO
Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Colorado, USA
Posts: 12,951
Country: | Quote: |
Originally Posted by HealzDevo A great spy-plane, thought to be invincible to Soviet Air-Defences due to its height of flight- until Gary Powers got shot down over the USSR. Then came the SR-71 Blackbird. The U-2 is one of the largest single engine planes in the world. It also has a varient of the UR-2 and the TR-2 which I don't know too much about. | U-2R and TR-1 - Longer wings and fuselage, "Tactical Recon" carries different cameras and pods.
__________________ "IF ITS RED OR DUSTY, DON'T TOUCH IT" | |
| | |
08-09-2005, 08:44 AM
|
#15 | | Konfused with a 'K'
Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Turin, Italy
Posts: 20,412
Country:  | Must have missed this thread...happy belated birthday old girl 
__________________  with my one last gaping breath id apologise for bleeding on your shirt... | |
| | | Thread Tools | Search this Thread | | | | | Display Modes |  Linear Mode | 
Posting Rules
| You may not post new threads You may not post replies You may not post attachments You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off | | | All times are GMT -5. The time now is 08:27 PM. | | |
