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Lightnings still used to bounce U-2s.
I didn't realize that the Top Gear guys got to ride in a U-2. What a ride of a lifetime! Good one, Sunny.
It's quite a lot to do with the Lightning's capabilities - including it's ability to climb to 88,000 feet. With a U-2 happily cruising at 60 - 70,000 feet, there's no issue with the Lightning being able to fly down and give a good 'ole jolly. It wasn't combat, so the U-2 and Lightning would have been perfectly aware of each others position.
Is there some problem with the Lightning being an exceptional aircraft, or something?
So did the F-104; here is an excerpt from "The Joy of High Tech", an online article, by Rodford Edmiston:
"Even today, the performance of the F-104 seems almost mythical. Even early models could fly at altitudes far above the listed service ceiling. An ex-US Air Force pilot reports that he and his wingman, flying F-104A aircraft refitted with the -19 engine, could maintain level flight at Mach 2 and 22 kilometers altitude, if the air temperature were lower than usual. They surprised a U-2 pilot during a practice intercept doing that. The U-2 was flying at a bit above 21 kilometers, and the F-104s came in from above. The F-104 pilot stated that the U-2 pilot's comments on this were the only time he ever heard one of the Dragon Ladies break radio silence. (Best lift-to-drag speed for a clean F-104 is around 273 KEAS (knots equivalent air speed) and wingtip Sidewinders wouldn't affect this much. At 21 kilometers, on an average day, that works out to just about exactly Mach 2.)"
Go here for the full article.
There are more references out there, but this will suffice for now.
I It wasn't combat, so the U-2 and Lightning would have been perfectly aware of each others position.
Is there some problem with the Lightning being an exceptional aircraft, or something?