U-2 Still Flying

**NewFlyBoy** · 12-16-2020 04:13

Please see the BBC article below about this venerable spy plane:

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/2...=pocket-newtab

**zenlizard** · 12-16-2020 04:32

Excellent article, thanks for the link!

**malachi** · 12-16-2020 07:54

Thanks, Bill, that was a great read!

**OldGuy59** · 12-16-2020 08:01

I didn't realize this thing was still in the air! I thought the SR-71 had already replaced it.

Thanks for posting this.

**Diamondback** · 12-16-2020 11:13

Not quite, U-2 and Blackbird had different "skill sets"--horses for courses, you might say. Dragon Lady shines for long endurance loitering to collect signals or samples, or for "point" photorecon, while Blackbird was better with ELINT, radar and panoramic line-of-flight photorecon.

**Naharaht** · 12-16-2020 20:45

Thank you for sharing that article, Bill. I did not realise that the U2's were still flying and that there was a new version of the plane.

**Diamondback** · 12-16-2020 22:44

Originally Posted by Naharaht

Thank you for sharing that article, Bill. I did not realise that the U2's were still flying and that there was a new version of the plane.

Not so much a new version as a refit/rebuild... the newest U-2s were built as TR-1s and ER-2s around the time I was born.

**Future Pilot** · 12-17-2020 04:16

Thanks for sharing!

**Flying Helmut** · 12-17-2020 05:10

Fascinating stuff.

**NewFlyBoy** · 12-17-2020 08:21

Originally Posted by Diamondback

Not so much a new version as a refit/rebuild... the newest U-2s were built as TR-1s and ER-2s around the time I was born.

I didn't think they HAD planes back in the 19th century!

**Diamondback** · 12-17-2020 09:40

Originally Posted by NewFlyBoy

I didn't think they HAD planes back in the 19th century!

LOL, I'm only 40!

**NewFlyBoy** · 12-18-2020 06:10

Originally Posted by Diamondback

LOL, I'm only 40!

It is a sobering thought for me that I have shoes older than you.....

**Jager** · 12-18-2020 12:29

Originally Posted by NewFlyBoy

It is a sobering thought for me that I have shoes older than you.....

My shoes are younger, but I have games (that I bought new) older than DB

Karl

**milcoll73** · 12-19-2020 11:33

ive got DnD characters that are almost 40 lol.

**Diamondback** · 12-19-2020 11:36

What's your point? I have Savile Row suits originally made for my grandfather when he was on his '60s USAFE assignment that are older than I am too...