This Is What It Feels Like To Fly In a U2 Spy Plane

http://gizmodo.com/5332048/this-is-what-it-feels-like-to-fly-in-a-u2-spy-plane

The Lockheed U2 is an amazing plane, developed to spy enemy countries by the CIA and the United States Air Force. Flying at 70,000 feet, the U2 can fly day or night, rain or sun, photographing ground facilities on very short notice, something that satellites can't do. It was created in the 50s, flying for the first time in 1955, and despite some being shot down over the Soviet Union, Cuba, and China, the fleet is still in use today. In fact, the successful design outlasted the SR-71 and the secret A-12 CIA spy plane, and will keep flying till 2014 or even later

 

Cool video.........I noticed that he didn't show any more altimeter photos after they were climbing thru 70,000 feet..........

 

According to my old shooting buddy that was crew chief for a U2 SR's used to use a tape print out to record flight parameters. Over 70K and mach 3 or so those two parameters went blank but you could watch all the others continue to climb.

 

I've seen a cockpit photo of an SR-71 altimeter indicating 80,500 feet while in flight........either in Brian Schul's book or somewhere else.

 

I recently visited the military museum in China. They had a U-2 on display that had be shot down somewhere over China. It was the most popular exhibit in the building. Next to it was a UAV that had also be shot down.

 

I forgot the pics. I hope they come through. I never seem to know. :-D

 

thats just a 10 minute segment from a1.5 hour show, they show the altimeter a few other times in the full length show.

 

I give up on the pics.

 

Wow!, missed that episode, thanks for sharing.

 

i used to live in Mountain View, Ca next door to Moffit AFB and Ames Research Center. They have at least one U-2 based there but I never saw it in the 2 years I lived there. You could hear it though. It would fire up and taxi out and then be gone, We used to run outside when we heard it to just try and get a glimpse of it (got to be a game with us) but it was long gone, plus the angle of attack made it that much more difficult to see. The sound though, was extremely loud and remained long after the plane visually was gone.

 

This aught to be a hint of what the Blackbird is really capable of;

"In 1967 a stripped down Mig-25 set a world record by achieving a speed of 1,852 MPH and another aircraft set the altitude record by soaring to 118,898 feet. "
http://www.wvi.com/~sr71webmaster/mig25.html

and it still leaves the Mig-25 behind

 

here you go guys
both videos feature the U2
I have uploaded both videos enjoy!
James May at the edge of space: A half hour film of James May's flight to the edge of our atmosphere in the famed U2 spy plane.
https://www.yousendit.com/transfer.php?acti...aY3loMld4dnc9PQ

James May on the moon: This video canonicals the story of the apollo astronauts and the space program as a whole, James then takes a U2 ride to "get as close to space as he can"
https://www.yousendit.com/transfer.php?acti...aY3loMld4dnc9PQ

 

I just watched the youtube video of James May in a U2 at the edge of space... and I can't believe I'm actually choked up. what a magnificent jewel of a planet we live on. what a tremendous honor to be able to fly in such a special airplane to such a height.

I love the part where his face itches but he couldn't scratch it due to the helmet... the Major suggests he not think about it... that doesn't work, so he instead suggests scratching it with his water tube. so real, I had to scratch my cheek a bit.

 

I didn't realize until I watched an episode of Top Gear last week, but James May says he has a genuinely serious and real fear of heights.

Heh........wonder if he's cured now ?

 

What are we seeing on the left side of this display - where it is currently indicating "104"? I thought that would be the speed in knots - or maybe it is? But then I'm assuming it is showing .707 mach at the bottom of that.
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Absolutely fantastic video! The music was a perfect match, to boot.