A little levity

[butchlambert]

Was visiting one of our members who was air Force. Started talking about the U2 spyplane. I mentioned that my youngest Son was a U2 crew chief for about 23 years. My wife was able to ride in the Camaro chase car It reminded me of the U2 guys favorite Youtube and the appropriate song.

 

[Downhill]

Did not realize the U2 was so sketchy to land! Damn.

 

[DHuffman]

I'm no engineer but I think that landing gear could be improved upon

 

[butchlambert]

Did not realize the U2 was so sketchy to land! Damn.

Problem was they didn't like to land and they are like a glider.

 

[butchlambert]

I'm no engineer but I think that landing gear could be improved upon

Dave, they first flew in the early to mid 1950s and are still flying. The landing gear is not the problem. They are designed to land on the landing gear under the fuselage and then skid on either wing tip. The chase car talks him down and after it stops they jump out and stick the "pogo" landing gear in each wing.

 

[ronsatspokane]

Nice ground loops. I'll bet that wakes you up if you are at the controls.

 

[DHuffman]

Dave, they first flew in the early to mid 1950s and are still flying. The landing gear is not the problem. They are designed to land on the landing gear under the fuselage and then skid on either wing tip. The chase car talks him down and after it stops they jump out and stick the "pogo" landing gear in each wing.

Had no idea, thanks

 

[acloco]

GREAT video!!!

Thank you for sharing!!!!!

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Thats a great plane and all but one of the most rediculous landing gear designs ever. Maybe @riflewoman heard from the lockheed guys why they thought a bicycle was easier to land than a tricycle

 

[butchlambert]

Thats a great plane and all but one of the most rediculous landing gear designs ever. Maybe @riflewoman heard from the lockheed guys why they thought a bicycle was easier to land than a tricycle

It would look kinda funny with 2 wheels on the tail.

 

[Riesel]

Dusty, that's not even a bicycle, it's more like a unicycle

 

[PigButtons]

The U2 was an attempt to build the lightest aircraft possible so that with almost no power at altitude it could glide in the lower region of space almost indefinitely. Hence, if you "CAN" land with one gear truck, why would you put in two. After all, they flew for sometimes more than 18 hours straight, and it only took about 3 minutes to land.

 

[Rustytigwire]

Both wings cant stall at the same time.

 

[riflewoman]

Thats a great plane and all but one of the most rediculous landing gear designs ever. Maybe @riflewoman heard from the lockheed guys why they thought a bicycle was easier to land than a tricycle

There are some pilots who hold that landing the U2 qualifies as “Tailwheel landings” and they’re right. As for tricycle vs bicycle gear, the B52 is for all practical purposes a bicycle landing system as well.
In the U2, a tricycle gear would make the wings relatively inefficient at altitude. Someone said that it acts as a glider, well, the wing aspect ratio is very much like a glider. Which also have body mounted landing gear, very often a unicycle. Similarly the B52 was designed to fly above 50000 feet so it’s wing is a blend of a glider and a swept wing jet fighter.

 

[M-61]

Kelly Johnson drew this on a table napkin allegedly. I believe it. Started with his F-104 and turned it into a U-2
There couldn't be two more different acft in the world.
From conception to first flight was 9 months.

 

[geraldgee]

Great song - I believe my ex was the inspiration for that tune.

 

[butchlambert]

Kelly Johnson drew this on a table napkin allegedly. I believe it. Started with his F-104 and turned it into a U-2
There couldn't be two more different acft in the world.
From conception to first flight was 9 months.

You read the book. You know General Curtis LeMay was very much against it.

 

[riflewoman]

All LeMay understood was “bombing back to the stone age”.... he didn’t much care for reconnaissance, during much of his command iPod the 8th AF, he let the Brits do most of the reconnaissance.

 

[338 Mollett]

I needed that laugh !

 

[PatMiles]

Great song - I believe my ex was the inspiration for that tune.

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