May Day over Moscow. Flight of the U2.

Bruh.

https://www.cia.gov/news-informatio...atured-story-archive/francis-gary-powers.html
"On the morning of May 1, 1960, Powers was up well before the sun began its morning ascent. Flight preparation required a pilot to don his airtight, partial-pressure suit and begin the ‘prebreathing’ process, which lasted for two hours. This process ensured the pilots would not get the bends. At 5:20am Powers climbed into the cockpit and waited for the signal for takeoff. Because the partial-pressure suits lack ventilation, perspiration is constant, compounded now by the scorching sun that had finally made its appearance. But the temperature was about to drop. After an hour of baking on the runway, Powers was cleared to start his mission. He soared to the sky where the outside temperature fell to sixty degrees below zero."
....

"On the verge of panic, Powers decided he would climb out of the plane. The whirling aircraft had passed thirty-four thousand feet when he removed the canopy. He took off his seat-belt, which sent him flying halfway out of the aircraft. His face plate frosted over rendering him visionless. Powers tried to get to the destruct switches twice but, realizing time was running out, he began kicking frantically and miraculously the oxygen hoses that were holding him hostage in the U-2 broke and freed him from the spiraling plane."

 

A crazy story for sure.

 

I kinda got stuck at the "destruct switches". That is some James Bond spy shitte right there! Do Not Push The Red Button.

 

That was some Eisenhower shit right there also.

 

Maybe self destruct just fried the recordings? Surely it wouldn't detonate the thing?

 

The self destruct was just to blow the camera and electronic sensing package. The airframe was so lightly built, Lockheed expected it to disintegrate in flight if there was any failure. Turns out they built it sturdier than expected.

 

Pretty good read. I wonder if the coin given to his son was the one they confiscated from him?

 

The real kicker is to go from the U2, basically a jet powered glider to the SR71. Screaming across the USSR at mach3+ saying go ahead and shoot at me...ill be back at the Oclub having a drink before your missile gets here.
Amazing work those guys did back in the day in aviation/aerospace. No computers, no idea how to get it done and yet they did.

 

I would do unspeakable things for one flight in an SR-71.

 

I've posted this before but seems fitting for this thread. Friend from HS flew the U2 and died in it.

https://thefallen.militarytimes.com/air-force-maj-duane-w-dively/935113

 

There is a mural of Gary Powers on a wall alongside US23 in Pound, Virginia just across the state line from Kentucky. I pass it everytime I head to Tally or Barber.

 

Spielberg's film "Bridge of Spies" was an excellent take on the events surrounding this story and how the eventual prisoner exchange took place.....

Reading this makes me want to watch it again, as I never had the whole story behind his crash....

 

Does Powers still get a bad rap? Or has the general public made him a hero no matter what the story is?

What is the name of the CIA plane (same idea as SR71) that was faster than the SR71? I believe it only had one pilot too?

James May’s show on going up in a U2 is amazing.

 

That’s a hell of a jump from a AC130 to the U2!

 

I remember reading "Operation Overflight" way back in the day. My dad was in the Air Force and part of a "dark" division that operated U2s for the CIA. He was stationed at EAFB but was gone TDY a good chunk of the time. He was just a Master Sargent working in supply but also in charge of "sensitive" parts and pieces. Back at EAFB the U2s flew in and out of north base. If you google map Edwards Air Force Base you will see north base as a completely separate entity. Better for operating surreptitiously.

 

There was also a YF-12A. Maybe that is the one that you are thinking of?

 

A12?

 

Yes to both apparently.

 

Growing up an Air Force brat, especially at EAFB, had it's advantages. I got to see many of these planes on display at air shows and such.

I've told the story on here before about going to school with, and befriending the son, of an X-15 pilot.

 

YF12 was a prototype that supposedly didn’t fly missions - doubt that. A12 is what I was thinking.