Lockheed U-2 "Dragon Lady"
Video from the channel Mundo de Aviación about Lockheed U-2, linked on its Above Ten Thousand entry. Duration: 13:45. Language: Spanish. Video type: Documentary.
What it's about
An explainer piece from the Aeropedia series on the Lockheed U-2, a high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft capable of flying above 21,000 metres. The CIA used it during the Cold War, and it was later operated by the USAF, NASA and various scientific programmes.
Historical context
After the Second World War, the United States was looking for an aircraft that could fly above 20,000 metres, beyond the reach of Soviet fighters, missiles and radars. The USAF initially rejected Kelly Johnson's CL-282 design, derived from the XF-104, but the CIA adopted it with Eisenhower's approval, and Lockheed received $22.5 million for the first 20 aircraft. The shooting down of Francis Gary Powers on 1 May 1960 made the aircraft publicly known. On 14 October 1962, a U-2 photographed the Soviet missiles in Cuba.
Key facts
The video covers its maximum take-off weight of 18 tonnes, its range of 10,300 km and its bicycle-type landing gear with outrigger wheels that detach on take-off. It also explains the pilot's pressure suit and the evolution of the engines, from the J57 to the F118 turbofan. Finally, it mentions the U-2R and TR-1A versions and the altitude record set by a NASA ER-2 in 1998.