Tag: U2
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French Mirage III buzzed a U-2 over France’s nuclear sites
After climbing to an altitude of 45,000 ft (13,716 m), the French pilot engaged his SEPR booster, which accelerated his Mirage to Mach 1.8...
When a rocket-booster-equipped Mirage III buzzed a U-2 flying at 65,000ft during a mission for monitoring France’s nuclear facilities
The Lockheed U-2
Since its development, the Lockheed U-2—now Lockheed Martin—has been a key asset in U.S. strategic intelligence. This distinctive high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft was...
How Kelly Johnson Named the U-2 Mid-Flight — With a Raised Middle Finger
In August 1955, a furious radio exchange between Lockheed's chief designer and his test pilot over a Nevada lakebed gave the world's most famous...
The French Air Force Mirage III that buzzed a U-2 to spy on France’s nuclear facilities
Equipped with the SEPR 841 rocket booster, the Mirage III literally soared into the skies, though not to actually shoot down the U-2
The U-2...
Why the MiG-21 Fishbed was never able to shoot down the U-2
Unsurprisingly, at least one US U-2 pilot underway over Cuba in the late 1960s experienced a rude shock when a MiG-21 actually shot over...