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Military Aviation
Lockheed Martin Skunk Works tests U-2 new advanced capabilities in first flight of the Dragon Lady’s Avionics Tech Refresh program
Cold War Era / Losses and Aviation Safety / Military Aviation
First U-2 pilot recalls when the only U-2 pilot to fly over Moscow nearly died and crashed into Red Square after he almost bit his poison cyanide pill in half
Aviation History / Cold War Era / Military Aviation / SR-71 Blackbird
Skunk Works Director Ben Rich recalls when CIA financed the A-12 Oxcart with secret funds and back-door payments to Lockheed with personal checks to Kelly Johnson for more than $1 million
Military Aviation
USAF to retire the U-2 in 2026. Until then the Dragon Lady will be used to benefit fifth-gen, sixth-gen platforms and to fly “traditional” ISR missions.
Cold War Era / Military Aviation / SR-71 Blackbird
KC-135A Crew Chief recalls when his Stratotanker had to purge its tanks of the JP-4 to load JP-7 to refuel an SR-71 Blackbird (No KC-135Q was available)
Aviation Humor / Cold War Era / Military Aviation / SR-71 Blackbird
SR-71 pilot recalls when he and his RSO stole the jar with testicles of the (passed away) mascot of U-2 pilots and flew it at Mach 3+ (U-2 crews were proud of having flown the mascot’s testicles at 70,000 feet)
Aviation History / Aviation Humor / Cold War Era / Military Aviation
The story of How the U-2 got its name: Test Pilot Tony LeVier flipped off Kelly Johnson, Johnson flipped off in return LeVier and yelled, “U-2” [You Too]!
Aviation History / Cold War Era / Military Aviation
KC-97 Navigator tells the story of when his tanker refueled the then top-secret U-2 planes flying spy missions over Soviet Union
Aviation Humor / Cold War Era / Military Aviation
The story of the U-2 pilot that took part in O Club parties wearing fake bad teeth to joke about the ozone level effect on U-2 drivers
Aviation History / Cold War Era / Military Aviation
The weird story of when Kelly Johnson received a bag with $30 million in cash to pay for the first six CIA U-2 spy planes
Military Aviation / SR-71 Blackbird / Weapons
USAF U-2 Avionics Technician explains why S-300 and S-400 missile systems would not be able to shoot down the SR-71 Blackbird
Aviation History / Cold War Era / Military Aviation
Carmine Vito was the only U-2 pilot to fly over Moscow: five Soviet MiGs launched to intercept his flight got lost or collided
Aviation History / Cold War Era / Military Aviation / SR-71 Blackbird
U-2 Vs SR-71: former USAF Avionics Technician explains why the Dragon Lady still flies spy missions while the Blackbird had been retired
Cold War Era / Military Aviation
Former U-2 pilot tells the story of the Soviet submarine that almost fired a nuclear torpedo at a US Navy ship during the Cuban Missile Crisis
Aviation History / Cold War Era / Military Aviation
U-2 pilot describes how Carmine Vito, the only U-2 pilot to fly over Moscow, almost bit his poison cyanide pill in half while flying over Soviet Union
Cold War Era / Military Aviation
