First of the 2 families of clandestine surveillence aircraft produced by Lockheed's
"Skunk Works" under the leadership of Kelly Johnson,the U-2 was concieved in the Spring
of 1954 to meet the unannounced joint USAF/CIA requirment for a reconnaisance and research
aircraft to cruise at the highest attainable altitudes.The entire program was,and still is,
cloaked in secrecy.
Intense interest in the aircraft, grey and without markings,prompted an announcement that
they were NASA research craft,with Utility designation U-2,but after a lot of unobstructed
flights over the Soviet Union, China, and other places,one of the CIA craft was shot down
the Soviet Union near Sverdlovsk on May 1,1960. Missions after that time were flown by USAF
pilots in uniform and markings on the aircraft.Several aircraft were lost later mainly due
to the fact that the U-2 was one of the most difficult aircraft to fly.The U-2 featured an
all-metal air frame with sailplane-like qualities,with a lightly loaded and very flexable wing,
tandem bicycle landing gear,out rigger twin-wheel units jettisoned on takeoff,an unpressurized
cockpit with UV-protected sliding canopy,lije the F-104,large airbrakes,flaps,braking parachute
and powered by a low-volatility fuel.
The general specifications are:
POWERPLANT: 1 Pratt&Whitney unaugmented turbojet with 17,000lbs
(7,711kg.)
DIMENSIONS: Span- 80ft.0in
Length- 49ft.7in
Wing Area- 565 sq.ft
WEIGHTS: Empty-9,920 lbs
Typically- 16,000 lbs
PERFORMANCE: Maximum Speed- 494 mph
Operational Ceiling-70,000 ft
ARMAMENT: None
The model was created in Lightwave 5.0 and all markings are stenciled in as
opposed to using image maps. You may use this model as you see fit but it is
freeware and I do hold title to it and the rendered image so if you use it pro-
fessionally please give me a little credit somewhere along the line. I am a professional modeler/animator by trade, so if you like this model or any of the others showcased here and would like a specific type that is not here you
