U-2D Spyplane - Palmdale, California - Static Aircraft Displays on Waymarking.com

Lockheed U-2D: The aircraft on static display here is a rare U-2D, one of the earliest models converted to replace the large camera behind the pilot with a second crew member to carry on atmospheric research and to monitor for missile launches with infra-red equipment.

This aircraft design was developed in the early '50s by the CIA to conduct overflights of the Soviet Union. The Skunkwork's designer, Kelly Johnson made a jet with long glider wings that could fly higher than any other aircraft of the time, as well as have the flight range necessary to go into Russia and return. To save craft weight, it has very small landing gear with a training wheels on the wingtips. The wing tip wheels or 'pogos' fall off immediately after liftoff. First flight was in 1954 with a relatively slow speed of 500 mph, but it's cruising ceiling of 70,000 ft made it hard to intercept. It was bought by the USAF and given the 'U" designation (Utility) to mask it's real mission of reconnaissance in press releases. The cover mission was announced as 'weather' research'. A CIA U-2 overflew Moscow from West Germany on July 5, 1956. Soviet radar tracked, but couldn't intercept this aircraft. May 1, 1960, U-2 pilot Francis Powers was shot down by a missile over 1000 miles inside Soviet territory. That loss ended the CIA spy mission overflights. A U-2 from Edwards supplied the first photographs of Russian missiles in Cuba in October 1962. The aircraft's extremely low operating cost allowed it to be modified for future missions in the coming decades. It's still in service today for NASA & USAF.

Aircraft History: (visit link)

Type of Aircraft: (make/model): U-2D Tail Number: (S/N): 66721 Construction:: original aircraft Location (park, airport, museum, etc.): Blackbird Air Park, 2503 E Avenue P, Palmdale, CA. inside / outside: outside Access restrictions: Airpark, museum, gift shop is open Fri, Sat & Sun 11 am - 4 pm. Volunteer staff, some intimately connected to the Blackbird program. You can see the displays from the street through fence. Other Information:: Not listed

Visit Instructions:
Photo of aircraft (required - will be interesting to see if the aircraft is ever repainted or progress if being restored)
Photo of serial number (required unless there is not one or it is a replica)
Photo(s) of any artwork on the aircraft (optional but interesting)

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Date Logged Log User Rating   10/26/2014 CacheKidz! visited it 01/10/2014 calgriz visited it

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