![]() ![]() Thus, with its big wings, the U-2 experienced the ground effect in a big way the landing/recovery phase at the end of missions. The pogos fall off during takeoff, and are manually reattached after landing. One main center gear, a tailwheel just forward of the tailplane, and two outrigger “pogos” on either side. Higher pressure forcing against the undersides of the wings buffets the aircraft and reduces the stall speed, allowing it to float above the runway. Simply put- the ground effect is an air cushion of sorts that forms under aircraft flying close to the ground. But at slower speeds, these wings were still able to generate a hell of a lot of lift, especially at lower altitudes thanks to the ground effect. ![]() This would allow it to climb quickly to its operating altitude, retain said altitude, and essentially half-glide through its missions, conserving fuel and boosting its range dramatically. Built with fantastic endurance, a high service ceiling which necessitated the use of a bulky pressure suit similar to what astronauts wear, and high-definition film cameras, the U-2 could perform exactly as the US Air Force and Central Intelligence Agency asked of it… up to a point, of course.īut the one thing Kelly’s wonder-bird couldn’t actually do very well was land.įar more similar to a glider than a conventional aircraft, the U-2 has massive wings which were optimized to generate as much lift as possible. Able to fly at altitudes in excess of 70,000 feet, the U-2 was America’s go-to aerial platform for photographic reconnaissance overflights of the Soviet Union and other communist countries, at least until the advent of the SR-71 Blackbird, another one of Johnson’s incredible creations. The Lockheed U-2 Dragon Lady was arguably one of Clarence “Kelly” Johnson’s finest Cold War innovations. Adrian on When the Blue Angels Went to War.Sergeant Falcon on North Star: How a KC-135 Crew Saved an F-4 Phantom Over the Atlantic.Thato amelia on Pardo’s Push: An Incredible Story of Bravery and Extraordinary Airmanship The military aircraft America *almost* bought iceberg - Sandboxx on Putting Eagles Out to Sea.Star Wars’ Connection to WWII-era Military Aviation – The Tactical Air Network – AviatorMonthly on Star Wars’ Connection to WWII-era Military Aviation.YF-23: Why This Stealth Fighter Never Flew for the Air Force | taktik(z) GDI (Government Defense Infrastructure) on YF-23 Could Set the Stage for Northrop Grumman’s Next Generation Fighter Proposal.Pentagon Practiced Shooting Down Spy Balloons In Alaska Wargame Two Years Ago – Innovatio Media on Scud Hunter/Killers of the Persian Gulf War.Josh Rubin on Navy to Explore Resurrecting the F-14 Tomcat to Replace the F-35 Paul Irving on Escuadrón Fénix: Argentina’s Defunct Special Ops Aviation Unit ![]()
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