There were U-2s based in Vietnam and in Thailand when I was there. My area was just south of Bien Hoa, east of Saigon when I was flying O-2s as a FAC. I looked out one day and a U-2 was slowly descending into Bien Hoa. I had angle and was high. It was just TOO easy. Pushing the throttles and props up I dove at the U-2 and was rapidly overtaking him as he was way back on speed for the approach. Then a light went on... maybe this was NOT the brightest idea I had ever had. Granted, I had joined on an RF-4 going into Tan Son Nhut (gear/full flaps) one day and all he did was flip me off. But this airplane was not even acknowledged as being in theatre. The U-2 drivers never showed up at the bar or if they did, no unit identifiers or patches on their uniforms. I pulled off the rejoin.

The next year in Thailand I got to know the U-2 drivers and the Lockheed rep. I was invited to hang around for a launch and got to sit in the old U-2. I commented it was quite roomy. The pilot said, "But you're not wearing the suit or helmet." They said I should apply and one or two said they would write a letter of rec. but if accepted, it added about 5yrs to the commitment. I said thanks but no thanks.

One of the guys at one FSI location flew them and we have had some conversations about the mission. He said that for the first year, as soon as he got airborne he began thinking, "How am I going to get this squirrelly SOB back on the runway??" He said he never felt completely comfortable landing it.

You're a walking history book, III Corps. What you say is consistent with my study of the pilots and operations of this particular aircraft. As mentioned I had a former instructor who flew them for the Air Force. It was a very high-performance aircraft with very high-performance standards for the crew members that flew them. Everything about the U2 was consequential from the pilot training standards to the political uses of the airplane to the history and science of the airplane design itself as it sprung from the Lockheed Skunk Works in Nevada. What a wonderful chapter in history this airplane occupies. The U2 was a focal point in the struggle for diplomatic supremacy between the United States and the Soviet Union for many decades. Only the advent of high-tech satellites and the demise of the Soviet Union itself ended the importance of such an incredible airplane. Thanks for contributing.

Good shot depicting difference between older U-2 and current U-2


the early U-2 had a periscope (don't think the new ones do). The pilot used it to see what was under the nose which at 80,000ft was quite a bit.

The newer 'office'

The Russian high spy. This one was at the Farnborough Air Show a few years ago. Nice looking machine.

Just curious... why the upside down winglets on the U-2?

Used as skids in case the airplane tips onto a wingtip on landing. NOT winglets per various web sites.

thanks......that makes sense... a few websites had me scratching my head

I have to disagree with you on this statement Cubdriver. I flew the Dragon Lady for about 9 years retiring at the end of 2007. The U2 is being employed in hot spots around the world every day collecting information our nation's leaders use to make the crucial decisions. Just because you don't hear about it doesn't mean it isn't happening

There is a lot the U2 can do that satellites can't. With continual upgrades, the sensors have remained state of the art and with the data links employed, the information collected is processed, exploited and disseminated in near real-time. There is some really amazing, jaw-dropping type stuff going on.

Not to mention the jet is a lot of fun to fly. And no, I never did get totally comfortable landing her.

There is a titanium skid plate on the bottom of each wingtip. If the wing goes down and drags on the runway (which happens quite often) the wing isn't damaged.

I stand corrected. It's an honor as well as great fun to hear from those of you who are actual U2 drivers.