A little levity
- Thread starter butchlambert
- Start date
I just watched the video....those pilots are finally figuring out what those rudder pedals are for....
That quote was from a different war.
Maybe the Brits did some recon but that differs greatly from daytime bombing at less than 5,000 feet originated by LeMay who actually led the first daytime bombings. Once he set the stage for Europe he went on to the Pacific where his tactics killed more of the enemy than both atomic bombs together.
As time went on LeMay found himself fighting a current war with the last wars tactics that had served him so well, but are not applicable to the current battles.
LeMay was a fearless ruthless leader at a time he was greatly needed.
He was the right man at the right moment.
Years later his battles were fought against the likes of Robert Strange McNamara. (The man who gave us the Edsel)
None of the above is written to disparage the RAF and 'Bomber' Harris who I also admire.
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TAJ45
Silver $$ Contributor
Re U2...........as has been alluded to - very hard to stop them from flying. Therefore difficult to land.
I remember reading, prob in the late 50s that a naval vessel was notified that an aircraft was going to ditch quite a few miles away. They were very surprised that it ended up a pile of miles closer than what was anticipated. The glide ratio in action.
I remember reading, prob in the late 50s that a naval vessel was notified that an aircraft was going to ditch quite a few miles away. They were very surprised that it ended up a pile of miles closer than what was anticipated. The glide ratio in action.
butchlambert
Site $$ Sponsor
Makes landing a Citabria a no sweat affair!Maybe they should use 2015 Z/28 chase cars.
I believe they are using G 8 Commodores from Australia now.
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Years ago I sold my flight school to a Lt. Col in the Air Force who was a U2 pilot. It was a good fit as my school specialized in Motor Glider endorsements and sailplane training, Aerobatic training in Pitts and Citabrias, as well as typical "nose dragger" Cessna, Grob, and Katana's for entry level pilots. We also trained airline pilots in unusual attitude recovery, but I needed to get out of California and it's repressive tax system.
Flying the U2 you are always just a few knots between overspeed and stall due to the extreme altitude. He'd talk about watching SAM's rise towards him, unable to maneuver due to risk of high speed stall or an overspeed that would rip the aircraft apart. He "flew the profile" regardless of the risks of death and I came to realize that he was a person with an extraordinary capability to compartmentalize his life and safety while performing a task. It also made him emotionally disconnected to everyone, including his family. Quite a price to pay, IMOP.
Flying the U2 you are always just a few knots between overspeed and stall due to the extreme altitude. He'd talk about watching SAM's rise towards him, unable to maneuver due to risk of high speed stall or an overspeed that would rip the aircraft apart. He "flew the profile" regardless of the risks of death and I came to realize that he was a person with an extraordinary capability to compartmentalize his life and safety while performing a task. It also made him emotionally disconnected to everyone, including his family. Quite a price to pay, IMOP.
spike-55
Gold $$ Contributor
back in 66-68 Altus AFB was a SAC base with B-52's and a wing of fighters. this was during the cold war and there was always a group of bombers in the air and the fighters in the ready room at the end of the runway. my uncle was the circulation manager of the local paper and i would work summers running the papers in his old 62 ford falcon station wagon. i would take all the papers to the airbase machines outside the PX, commissary, bowling alley, etc. i was also allowed to take free ones down to the ready room. got so regular they would tell me to stop by and bring hamburgers, KFC, or pizza for them- they would tip me very well!!!! anyway one aft i was in the ready room and all of a sudden there was some scramble and confusion. they got word that a U2 was making an emergency landing. i had to stay in the room until it was on the ground. in about 10 minutes a B52 came in for landing. right on its tail was the U2 much to close for comfort. the B52 did a touch and go and the U2 landed and was towed directly into the hanger very quickly!!! quite the circus - they said the B52 would mask the U2 to hide it. they said when it took off it did the same thing, right on the tail of a B52
stan
stan
A squadron mate told me that the U2 community liked to bring in Herc drivers because Hercs and U2s felt similar. Of course, he was a Herc driver.
The Herc needed LOTS of rudder. Every bank input needed some amount of rudder. Engine out approaches requires rudder away from the dead engine when flying and then rudder into the dead as soon as the throttles were brought to ground idle and reverse. We landed the plane wing low and it was critical that the fuselage be aligned with the runway on touchdown.
So the Herc drivers showed up at U2 school knowing how to use the rudder. After seeing this video I can see why that's also a big deal in the U2.
Can you imagine being at the beginning of your 12 hour mission and having the autopilot fail? I wonder if they limited the mission length in that case?
Keith Glasscock
Gold $$ Contributor
That’s an awesome video!
okie
Gold $$ Contributor
NOPE---I gotta pee every 15 minutes--cant even make it through church sunday mornin!!
Well there were (allegedly) a few with air to air refueling capability. This was never really pursued very far as the pilots endurance was fading quickly even after a non-refueled flight.
Additionally U-2's required a different jet fuel than other jet aircraft use due to their high altitude. Aside from security, the bases they flew from had to stock that fuel.
I can't imagine how much was going on in the pilots head all the time.
butchlambert
Site $$ Sponsor
I wonder where the Altus guys found pogos to allow them to take off?
KMart
Gold $$ Contributor
There is a video of the carrier landing on You tube
butchlambert
Site $$ Sponsor
As mentioned above, they are flown auto pilot about 95% of the time. I may have mentioned in passing that I have the flag and part of the wind screen of my son's plane that made a World Record weight altitude record.
Pretty sure they had relief tubes. It would just be a pain keeping the airplane within a few knots without autopilot for 12 hours
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