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9 comments

Date Votes
  • Warbirds
    Still very much in service.
    0
  • select-fire
    Warbirds wrote:
    Still very much in service.

    :):)
    0
  • Rocky Raab
    And it is still one of the most difficult planes to fly. I've been told but cannot verify that back in the day if you washed out of U-2 training, they demoted you to the much easier to master SR-71. THAT's how challenging the U-2 is. I don't know what they do now that the SR is retired.
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  • Don McManus
    The U2 (I believe all of the currently flying versions are technically TR-1) is a fascinating aircraft.

    The design is based upon the F-104 Mach 2 fighter, but, as Rocky notes is notoriously difficult to fly at altitude, as were most 1st and 2nd generation jets. A less than 10 knot speed window between transonic and stall speeds made the pilot a slave to the autopilot. This was, from what I understand, actually decreased with the added capabilities built into the TR-1. There is a U-2/TR-1 segment on Air Warriors (Discovery Channel, IIRC) that follows a pilot who loses his automatic speed control over Iraq, and has to land in a Kuwaiti airfield that is not manned with a chase driver. Yes, the plane is so difficult to land that all operational bases have a chase driver who comes in behind the plane on final approach to call out altitude to the pilot.

    Fun fact: the B-47 and RB-47 had the same problem at altitude. Our first significant semi-strategic jet bomber was trapped into an incredibly narrow speed window at its efficient cruising altitude, and loss of auto-speed control would pretty much relegate the back seater to managing throttles while the front seater flew the plane.

    I have a nephew that was and I believe still is a crew chief in the TR-1 community. He doesn't talk about the plane much, as there remains a lot about this 60+ year old design that is still classified.
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  • llama
    Well, with a name like U2 you'd probably expect them to say something about still not having found what they are looking for....
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  • Don McManus
    llama wrote:
    Well, with a name like U2 you'd probably expect them to say something about still not having found what they are looking for....

    It is difficult because the night and they are looking where the streets have no name.
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  • He Dog
    Saw one once flying low level recon over a swimming pool in Tucson. I am pretty sure they were not watching me.
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  • Rocky Raab
    They don't do "low level recon." Probably, he was maneuvering to land at DM. Could have been a fini flight on the way to the boneyard.
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  • TANK78Z
    You'll see them and all other recon airframes, both manned and remotes up at Beale AFB north of Sacramento CA.
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