The U-2, the current serving version nicknamed the "Dragon Lady", is a high-altitude surveillance or spy-plane aircraft built by Lockheed for the United States Air Force to meet a CIA requirement in the early 1950's. Designed by a team lad by Lockheed's Clarence "Kelly" Johnson, the budget was unlimited but the timescale was not! In order to meet critical deadlines the U-2 was an adaptation of the F-104 Starfighter, it's low aspect ratio wings being replaced with extremely long glider type wings, as the project for the spy-plane was top secret is was decided for added security to refer to the aircraft as a utility plane, hence it's U2 designation. The U-2 is a tiring aircraft to fly, three quarters of it's takeoff weight is fuel and it's operational flying speed is only 24 mph above stall speed at maximum altitude. The U2 design was to be able to fly at altitudes of 70,000 ft and above where it was above interception by ground and air launched weapons, unfortunately design of interceptor aircraft such as the English Electric Lightening and surface to air missiles (SAM's) soon caught up, the Lockheed U-2 "Dragon Lady" is however currently destined to remain operational until at least 2008, but no later than 2011. The first over-flight of the Soviet Union by a Lockheed U-2 spy-plane was made in June 1956, the aircraft taking off from the Army Airfield in Wiesbaden, Germany. Famously the U2 came to public attention when, on the 1st of May 1960, Francis Gary Powers was shot down over Soviet territory at a height previously thought to be unreachable by any form of Soviet missiles, a major and very embarrassing Crisis immediately followed. The increased range of Russian SAM's indicated by this crisis led to CIA funded developments cumulating in the SR-71 Blackbird. A standoff tactical reconnaissance version first flew in August 1981 for use in Europe and was designated the TR-1A. The aircraft has a large and distinctive instrumentation pod under each wing but is structurally the same as the U-2R. The TR-1A was operated by the 17th Reconnaissance Wing based at RAF Alconbury in England from 1983 until 1991. Lockheed U-2R Specifications: Crew: Pilot only Length: 62 ft 9 in (19.1 m) Wingspan: 103 ft (30.9 m) Height: 16 ft 1 in (4.8 m) Max takeoff weight: 41,000 lb (18,600 kg) Engine: Single 17,000 lbf (76 kN) Pratt & Whitney J75-P-13B turbojet Maximum speed: 510 mph (821 km/h) Range: 3,500 mi (5,633 km) Service ceiling: 90,000 ft (27,430 m)
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