American Spy Planes: Flying The U-2 Dragonlady | Skunk Works Aircraft
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- Опубліковано 23 вер 2024
- An exclusive interview with Colonel Joseph C. Santucci, U-2 Dragonlady Spy Plane Pilot, followed by a documentary narrated by Gary Sinise about his unforgettable flight at 70,000 feet in the aircraft, in 2011.
The Lockheed U-2, nicknamed "Dragon Lady", is an American single-jet engine, high altitude reconnaissance aircraft operated by the United States Air Force (USAF) and previously flown by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). It provides day and night, high-altitude (70,000 feet, 21,300 meters), all-weather intelligence gathering.
Lockheed Corporation originally proposed it in 1953, it was approved in 1954, and its first test flight was in 1955. It was flown during the Cold War over the Soviet Union, China, Vietnam, and Cuba. In 1960, Gary Powers was shot down in a CIA U-2C over the Soviet Union by a surface-to-air missile (SAM). Major Rudolf Anderson Jr. was shot down in a U-2 during the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962.
U-2s have taken part in post-Cold War conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq, and supported several multinational NATO operations. The U-2 has also been used for electronic sensor research, satellite calibration, scientific research, and communications purposes. The U-2 is one of a handful of aircraft types to have served the USAF for over 50 years, along with the Boeing B-52, Boeing KC-135, and Lockheed C-130. The newest models (TR-1, U-2R, U-2S) entered service in the 1980s, and the latest model, the U-2S, had a technical upgrade in 2012.
Skunk Works produced the U-2 spy plane that could - and still does - collect images from 70,000 feet; the SR-71 Blackbird, an aircraft that could fly at speeds greater than Mach 3; and the F-117 Nighthawk, the first stealth fighter.
For defense tech journalists and aviation nerds, this is the equivalent of a Golden Ticket to Willy Wonka’s factory, but think supersonic drones instead of Everlasting Gobstoppers.
General characteristics:
Crew: 1
Capacity: 5,000 lb (2,300 kg) payload
Length: 63 ft 0 in (19.20 m)
Wingspan: 103 ft (31 m)
Height: 16 ft 0 in (4.88 m)
Wing area: 1,000 sq ft (93 m2)
Airfoil: root: NACA 63A409; tip: NACA 63A406
Empty weight: 16,000 lb (7,257 kg)
Max takeoff weight: 40,000 lb (18,144 kg)
Fuel capacity: 2,950 US gal (2,460 imp gal; 11,200 l)
Powerplant: 1 × General Electric F118-101 turbofan engine, 17,000 lbf (76 kN) thrust
Performance
Cruise mach number: Mach 0.715 (412 kn; 470 mph; 760 km/h) at 72,000 ft (22,000 m)[210]
Cruise speed: 413 kn (475 mph, 765 km/h) at 65,000 ft (20,000 m)
Stall speed: 65 kn (75 mph, 120 km/h)
Range: 6,090 nmi (7,010 mi, 11,280 km) plus
Endurance: 12 hours[212]
Service ceiling: 80,000 ft (24,000 m) plus
Rate of climb: 9,000 ft/min (46 m/s)
Time to altitude: 60,000 ft (18,000 m) in 12 minutes 30 seconds
Lift-to-drag: 25.6
Wing loading: 40 lb/sq ft (200 kg/m2)
Thrust/weight: 0.425
Fuel consumption: 910 lb/h (410 kg/h) in cruise
#u2 #spy #aircraft
Click the link to watch more aircraft, heroes and their stories, missions: www.youtube.com/@Dronescapes
Gary Sinise cannot buy a beer at a VFW. His money is no good there. However, he will never go thirsty.
Thank you for sharing
⭐🎖️🇺🇲🏆🙏
Thanks for listening
It makes me proud as an American to see how smart and articulate our pilots are. We have some darn fine men and women in our armed services. Thank you for all you do for our warriors, Gary. And I thank all the men and women who serve and all who have served.
Well said.
A cousin of mine helped designed the U2, esp the optics. His name was Dr Edwin Land, and he was most famous for inventing the Polaroid camera. He had over 300 inventions, 3rd after Edison and Thomson.
Awesome... No other words!
Thank you so much 😀
Amazing
Thanks For Sharing
Thanks for visiting
Thanks for your service, sir 👍
Salute from the Netherlands 🇳🇱, T.
Santucci is painfully arrogant.
Or just proud of serving and his job? Do you personally know him?
I didn't think that at all. I thought he was very smart and well-spoken. I bet if you had a beer with the guy, you'd like him, lol.
@@davebennett2086 I 100% agree with you. It would also be a very interesting conversation. I think he has mistaken pride and dedication for his job for arrogance. Many seem to be very sensible these days. Normal behaviours are interpreted as a threat, or offensive. Self confidence becomes arrogance, etc. People like Steve Jobs would probably not exist anymore these days. Imagine Kelly Johnson never being able to raise his voice! What about McEnroe, or Jimmy Connors?
I got tired of listening to this guy talk