U2 - the complete history

[mcnoch]

The NSArchiv has released "The Central Intelligence Agency and Overhead Reconnaissance: The U-2 and Oxcart Programs" by Gregory W. Pedlow and Donald E. Welzenbach (History Staff, Central Intelligence Agency, 1992) in a less redacted versíon to the public

www2.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB434/

Seems to be very interesting and explains a bit to our UFO fans why there were so many UFO reports from the area 51.
I personal am more interested in the operations over Europe. I remember quite well the sonic booms when the Bundesluftwaffe was covering the exit of US reconnaissance aircrafts (also the SR-71) over the North Sea to UK as the Russian and East-German air force was up in the air chasing them. They were never close to catch one, but they tried. The SEA operations are interessting also.

[jerryfmcompushaft]

Excellent post, Mathias. I wish I had time to read it all.

[Swampy]

The Soviets shot one down in the 1950's, imprisoning Gary Powers, but, even now, they still haven't been able to replicate it, never mind the SR-71. In fact, no other country on Earth has been able to build a spy plane to match what the Americans have.

And that's a great achievement.

[mcnoch]

Aug 16, 2013 15:09:11 GMT -5 Swampy said:

The Soviets shot one down in the 1950's, imprisoning Gary Powers, but, even now, they still haven't been able to replicate it, never mind the SR-71. In fact, no other country on Earth has been able to build a spy plane to match what the Americans have.

And that's a great achievement.

True, but I guess nobody did so because the satellites are now the key technology for strategic reconnaissance, not air planes.

[Swampy]

Well, I understand spy planes can do things satellites cannot. That said, no one had the capability of the U-2 even in the 1970's or 1980's, when satellite technology was not as well-developed.