#u 2

4 July 1956. First operational flight of a Lockheed U-2 reconnaissance aircraft over Soviet Union. Leaving from Wiesbaden, Germany, the pilot Harvey Stockman flew over Poland, Belorussia, and the Soviet Baltic, before returning to Wiesbaden.

A Dragon Lady and Extender (msgt. S.T. sturkol)

U-2 & SR-71

U-2 Dragon Lady

A fairly unique catch this one the local U-2 on circuits below (!) the x2 returning B-1s this morning [Credit Will Wilkes on FB]

A requirement to Pilot both airplanes: the U-2 in the SR-71 was not spoken about very often, but it was bravery.

The Cuban Missile Crisis occurred in October 1962. It was one of our very own SR-71 Blackbird pilots who was flying the U2 and took the famous pictures of the Soviet missiles in Cuba.

That man was Buddy Brown.

As a result of those pictures, America went to DEFCON two for the first time and possibly the last time.

Buddy met President Kennedy at the White House, and the president said to him you take good pictures, Captain Brown .

The men that had the distinction of flying, BOTH in operational missions are, Tony Bevacqua, Stormy Boudreaux, Bill Burke, Buddy, Brown, George Bull, Tom Danielson, Pat Halloren, Dan House, Willie Larson, Bob Powell, Bob Spencer, Roy Saint Martin, Tom Danielson, he went from the SR 71 it retired then he started flying to U2.

Tom Danielson: Flew the SR-71 before transitioning to the U-2, later becoming a U-2 instructor and group commander.

Stormy Boudreaux: Flew the U-2 (1968-1992, with breaks), the SR-71, and went back to the U-2, which is rare for the program flow.

Who knew any of these brave men?

written by Linda Sheffield