Most high altitude reconnaissance pilots have lots of "fairy tales, lies and war stories" to tell. One important FACT to remember is that there were no high altitude reconnaissance overflights over the Soviet Union after May 1, 1960. NO USAF U-2 or SR71 has ever overflown the USSR. The only military pilots (not sheep dipped like the CIA pilots) to do so were three RB57D pilots and two RAF pilots who flew a CIA U-2.

USSR Photo reconnaissance efforts after May 1, 1960 were done using satellites and RB57D / RB57F / U-2 aircraft with high angle offset cameras flying over international or friendly airspace.

Following is a time line showing the 24 CIA U-2 overflights and other significant historical events. The reference pages at the end of each line come from the unclassified (and heavily redacted) History of the CIA U-2 Program. USSR Overflights are in red.

DATE LAUNCH TARGET REF
Jun 20, 1956 Germany Poland / East Germany 3/100
Jul 2, 1956 Germany Czechoslovakia / Hungary / Bulgaria 3/101
July 2, 1956 Germany East Germany / Poland / Hungary / Romania 3/101
Jul 4, 1956 (HS) Germany Poland / Belorussia / Leningrad / Baltic States 3/104
Jul 5, 1956 (CV-LDK) Germany Moscow 3/105
Jul 9, 1956 Germany Eastern Europe / Ukraine 3/106
Jul 9, 1956 Germany Belorussia 3/106
Jul 10, 1956 Germany Crimean Peninsula 3/108
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Jul 10, 1956 Soviet Union protested USAF medium bomber over flights.
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Nov 20, 1956 Turkey Soviet-Iranian Border / Yerevan (FGP) 3/124
Dec 10, 1956 Turkey Bulgaria 3/124
Dec 10, 1956 Germany Bulgaria 3/124
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Dec 15, 1956 USSR filed a “sharp protest” over three USAF RB-57D high altitude flights over Vladivostok (Black Knight Program)
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Dec 22, 1956 Turkey Border Electronic Intercept) 3/126
Mar 18, 1957 Turkey Border Electronic Intercept (Accidental penetration) 3/126
Apr 25, 1957 Germany Albania 3/140
Jun 8, 1957 Alaska Klyuchi ICBM impact area (WX Abort) 3/134
Jun 19, 1957 Alaska Klyuchi ICBM impact area (camera malfunction) 3/134
Aug 5, 1957 Turkey USSR Space Launch Facility (Kazakhstan) 3/135
Aug 20, 1957 Turkey Semipalatinsk Nuclear Testing Ground 3/138
Aug 21, 1957 Turkey Semipalatinsk NTS (4 hours before test) 3/138
Aug 28, 1957 Turkey USSR Space Launch Facility (Kazakhstan) 3/138
Three additional USSR Over flights as part of operation Soft Touch. Two PRC flights. 3/135

Sep 10, 1957 Turkey Kapustin Yar Missile Test Range (MRBM sites) 3/143
Sep 15, 1957 Alaska Klyuchi ICBM impact area (successful) 3/134
Oct 11, 1957 Germany USSR Naval Operations Barents Sea 3/140
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October 1957 Sputnik
Nov 1957 Dog/Camera launched
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Oct 27, 1957 Turkey Black Sea (Accidental penetration) 3/144
Mar 1, 1958 (TK) Japan Malaya Sazanka (Nuclear Weapon Assembly) 3/144
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Mar 5, 1958 USSR “vigorous protests” March 1st mission. 3/144
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Fall 1958 RAF Piloted U-2 Over flight (Sq. Ldr. Robert Robertson )
Sep 2, 1958 USAF EC-130 shot down over Soviet Armenia. (6 KIA, 11 survivors) 3/146
Spring 1959 RAF Piloted U-2 Over flight (Flt. Lt. John McArthur))
Jun 9, 1959 U-2 / RB-57D border ICBM telemetry intercepts 3/162
Jun 18, 1959 U-2 / RB-57D border ICBM telemetry intercepts 3/162
Jul 9, 1959 Japan Tyuratam Missile Test Range 3/163
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Oct 7, 1959 PRC fires SA2 Missile and destroys a RB-57D at 63,000 feet.
Capt. Wang Ying Chin (Taiwanese Air Force)
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Feb 1960 (?) Pakistan Discovered Soviet Backfin Bomber at Kazan 3/167
Apr 9, 1960 (BE) Pakistan Saryshagan (New Radars) 3/168
May 1, 1960 (FGP) Pakistan Tyuratam MTR / Chelyabinsk . . . . . . (Shot down) 3/176
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Jul 1, 1960 RB-47 ELINT Mission shot down near Kola Peninsula (International Waters)
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Dec 14, 1965 RB-57F (58th Weather Recon Sq.) shot down over Black Sea
(International Waters)