What is it like inside a U2 Spy Plane?

[Slowpoke]

They didn't show my favorite part......although they may not do it that way anymore.

In '66-'67 they flew U2's out of Bien Hoa Airbase. Watching them take off was pretty cool. They would go nearly straight up until they were just a speck. But watching them land was the best part. If you noticed during takeoff, they drop off the little wheels attached to wings. Well, when they land someone has to put the wheel assys back on! The Airforce had the two most bad assed V-8 jeeps ever!!!!! As the aircraft came in, the jeeps took off from the beginning of the runway (hauling ass) as the pilot sat the aircraft down in front of them. Then, as the aircraft slowed and the jeeps caught up with it, a guy in the back of the jeeps hooked the wheel assy back on. Like the shuttle, this was all done with the aircraft engines shut off!!!!! If they fucked it up, they scrapped a gazillion dollar airplane!

[GoldCoast]

U2's are the LOUDEST airplane I have ever seen/heard take off.

[Slowpoke]

U2's are the LOUDEST airplane I have ever seen/heard take off.

Absolutely! But landing, they were silent.....the only way you knew one was coming in was that you'd see a shadow cross the ground. Or, if you were near the airbase, you'd see the jeeps line up at the beginning of the runway. And in Vietnam, you never got to see the pilots. They were inside when the aircraft came out of their special hanger, and they stayed inside the aircraft until the hanger doors closed when they came back. The hanger was kind of a trip too. It was a big quanset hut shaped thing covered in eleventeen layers of sandbags.

[bandycpa]

Thanks TC204 for posting that link. If I ever had a chance to go up in a military plane, the U-2 would be my pick (with the Blackbird a close second). Skunk Works was so far ahead of the curve on these designs.

[bandycpa]

Me too, Ranger Lunch. Wonder how that tv presenter managed to get on the U2?

TC204 - I remember watching a program on the Blackbird. The planes "weep" fuel while on the ground. The engineers couldn't figure out how to make a seal for the fuel tanks that would stand the heat generated during flight and still work while the plane was grounded. I wonder how much the fuel bill would be for that one?