The secret history of the U2

• Jan 25, 2019

• #1

syscom3

Pacific Historian

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Jun 4, 2005

Orange County, CA

There is some great info on the U2 overflights of the USSR. With British participation too!

The Secret History of the U-2 - and Area 51

 

Last edited: Jan 26, 2019

• Jan 26, 2019

• #2

FLYBOYJ

"THE GREAT GAZOO"

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Apr 9, 2005

Colorado, USA

Excellent!!!!

 

• Jan 26, 2019

• #3

Gnomey

Globetrotting Surgeon General

Staff

Mod

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Nov 28, 2004

London / Southsea / Royal Deeside, UK

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Interesting!

 

• Jan 26, 2019

• #4

jetcal1

Staff Sergeant

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May 16, 2018

 

• Jan 31, 2019

• #5

O

Ole Bill

Airman

13

24

Aug 13, 2014

syscom3 said:

There is some great info on the U2 overflights of the USSR. With British participation too!

The Secret History of the U-2 - and Area 51

Click to expand...

There is a story about a 3-view drawing of the U-2 published in a Model Airplane Magazine during the 1950s, when supposedly even congress didn't know of it's existence. I actually saw a copy of this magazine on the mag rack at our local pharmacy. Almost immediately, the Feds got wind of this leak, and confiscated all of the magazines. I remember the extra long wings, and calling my friend over to see these very strange jet powered aircraft... commenting that it looked more like a glider!

 

• Jan 31, 2019

• #6

T

tyrodtom

Senior Master Sergeant

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Sep 6, 2010

pound va

I knew Francis Gary Powers family, went to church with his parents and 3 of his sisters.
They were notified that he was missing just a few days after he was shot down, but not with many true details.

I remembered when I found out he had been flying a U-2, I went to the county library and looked in the latest Janes All The Worlds Aircraft, what I found was the Russian Polikarpov PO-2 also know as the U-2.
At 13, already a aircraft nut, I knew that couldn't be the right U-2.

 

• Feb 1, 2019

• #7

G

Glider

Captain

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Apr 23, 2005

Lincolnshire

As a child I can remember seeing a U2 coming into land as we were driving past an airfield (presumably Lakenheath). I was in the back seat bouncing around in excitement shouting it's one of those spy planes and all my father said was, its a plane son, just a plane, what's the fuss'

He really didn't get aviation

 

• Feb 1, 2019

• #8

Graeme

1st Sergeant

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May 31, 2007

Ole Bill said:

Almost immediately, the Feds got wind of this leak, and confiscated all of the magazines.

Click to expand...

Seems an odd thing to do if the story is correct - drawing attention to the aircraft. To me the U-2 entered aviation publications rather innocuously, as it was simply depicted as a research vehicle and had a limited production. So much so that as 1960 approached, Janes's for example, dropped the U-2 from its pages.
It was the purpose that was the best kept secret - not the aircraft.

1957...

 

• Feb 1, 2019

• #9

S

special ed

2nd Lieutenant

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May 13, 2018

I had a subscription and still have the mag. Didn't realize the significance until a couple years later.