The Lockheed U2: Spying Before Satellites

[@driftertank]

So, the statement that the U2 flew "just above it's stall speed of 75mph" should be clarified to point out that it is 75mph INDICATED airspeed. The true (corrected for altitude) airspeed was closer to 400mph The U2 flew it's missions in the "Coffin Corner" of aircraft performance where IAS stall and Critical Mach almost meet. The air is so thin that the amount of air hitting the airframe is very small, so measured airspeed is very low. But as that thin air is accelerated over the wings and body to produce lift, it approaches the speed of sound and can cause shockwaves to form, which is the critical mach speed. Critical mach is dependent on true airspeed, while indicated airspeed and aircraft performance is determined by air density. That's how the stall speed and maximum speed get so close together at high altitude.

[@Azivegu]

@Ken Hudson When you invest decades in a subject, it can be hard to be proven wrong xD I''ve been a victim to such a folly before.

[@InvestorAcademyPodca]

Thanks for the clarification, I was wondering how the maximum rated speed was less than a Pacer.

[@leddygee1896]

Yeah, I was wondering about that...

[@megaprojects9649]

Great comment. Thank you. That clarification should have been in the video.

[@driftertank]

@@megaprojects9649 No problem. As an aside, the Wikipedia article on "coffin corner" actually shows the airspeed performance graph for the U2. en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coffin_corner_(aerodynamics) (if that link isn't okay, feel free to delete comment)

[@PCr4zy]

AirBus A380; Antonov AN-225 "Mriya" and dissapearance of her sister body definitely deserve an episode each ... ^^

[@ginger_nosoul]

@Mark Grudt doesnt mean it wasnt a mega project

[@WebWolf89]

@Mark Grudt I would call it without foreseeable future, but still far from dead.

[@AstroDork]

The Antonov 225 is probably a much more interesting story than that of the 380. To be fair you could easily make a quality fascinating episode about both but given this isn't an aviation channel (😁) I'd vote for Blackbird (because you just have to do that) and the 225

[@EricDKaufman]

@Mark Grudt Gut the thing, turn her into a cargo hauler.

[@AstroDork]

@Mark Grudt well if your metric is simply whether it's not in production so is the U2... And the SR... The DC3. The plane changed the world forever, also dead You get my point

[@Voello]

It's crazy to think that they're still in operation today, but when they were introduced it was closer to the Wright Brother's first flight in 1903 than to now.

[@dougball328]

Just like the B-52. The last B-52 came of the assembly line in 1962.

[@MartiniPinball]

Forgot to point out one of the most important reasons it is still in use, mainly that analog photo film is extremely suitable for scaling and post-zooming whereas digital film cannot extend beyond a certain amount due to pixelation. Thus providing superior photo quality over any other surveillance source.

[@Biker_Gremling]

The thing about photographic film is that, when used much larger sizes than a conventional camera, it can have more resolution than digital. In addition, special film types can be created for different types of spectrums (super infrared, ultra violet, radiation etc).

[@stevennagley3407]

Analog film is also nice cause you need to not worry about countries hacking into your photography like digital

[@brosephstalin5321]

The SR-71 is great and I wont be upset if its next, but I need to see some love for the A-10.

[@templarw20]

While I love those designs, I don't think they quite fit Megaprojects. The SR-71, maybe, but the A-10 only if it's endurance is sufficiently "mega" for Simon.

[@megaprojects9649]

Coming very soon. Recorded it yesterday! EDIT: Shit, I totally meant the A-12 Archangel, not the A-10 Warthog. Sorry :(

[@SD-tj5dh]

Real engineering did a great video on the a10 warthog.

[@skizzik121]

@@megaprojects9649 me and my ex made a video called The Warthog, its NSFW

[@Sgt_SealCluber]

Ah the A-10. The plane that started out life as a gun! 😁

[@markschippel7974]

When I was in the U.S. army and stationed in Panama in the early 1990's there was at least one U2 that came to the old Howard Air Force base. The first time I saw it was on takeoff. The noise was what got our attention. It sounded like a rocket taking off. Later we saw one landing. We were getting ready for a jump and were surprised to see a Mustang convertible with 4 crew in it heading for the runway. This was not a common occurrence for an active air base. As the U2 came into view the Mustang took off down the runway like he was trying to race it. After the U2 touched down it continued to taxi slowly in a straight line as a crew member attached the wing gear on one side and then jumped up on the wing to hold it down. Two other guys ran to the U2 with a large box. They removed one box and put the second one in it's place. Three crew members and the box all loaded into the mustang raced off the runway leaving the fourth crewman to ride the wing al the way to a hanger. The plane never stopped completely until it was in the hanger. We later talked to one of the pilots. He told us that they were doing drug interdiction work and had to be ready to take off in short notice, so the plane always had a canister of film loaded. The exposed film was replaced with the new film on the runway and raced to the lab so they could get it developed as quickly as possible. By the way, the reason for the chase car is because of the U2's long nose. The pilot can't see the runway.

[@TheCimbrianBull]

Wow, that's an awesome story. Thanks for sharing it with us! 😀

[@calska140]

That is crazy. Changing the film on the literal run and the crewman riding on the wing into the hangar. Bizarre but I don't doubt it

[@alfretwell428]

@@calska140 a common occurrence in older days you often see ww2 era film of crew men riding on the wings of aircraft often to point out pot holes in battle damaged runways.

[@spacecatboy2962]

if the U2 is still flying after 75 years, i guess that means it still hasnt found what its looking for

[@megaprojects9649]

BA DA BUM BUM TSHSHSHSHHHHHH

[@spacecatboy2962]

@@megaprojects9649 haha, a reply from simon, made my day

[@augsdoggs]

There’s no way of knowing what current use the CIA has for it. They move in mysterious ways. Allegedly.

[@EthelredHardrede-nz8yv]

@@augsdoggs NASA has or used to have one for high altitude research.

[@grokster9ontheroads174]

Unless my math is wrong,from 1955 to 2020 is 65 years,no?

[@drumbergunnerer3162]

YES AirBus 380!! Very well done sir. Really enjoy your content and info .. Thank you for all you do.

[@Sacto1654]

What's amazing was that Clarence "Kelly" Johnson helped build and design the U-2 in under a year. It did help that Lockheed was able to adapt many of the components from the F-104 _Starfighter_ into this plane, hence the reason why the project developed so quickly. But getting a special version of the Pratt & Whitney J57 engine to run at 70,000 proved to be a lot of work, to say the least.

[@Treblaine]

I'm learning more about the Starfighter recently, seems to be a hugely underappreciated aircraft it its time even though it saw loads of export sales.

[@markschippel7974]

And yet the U2 and the SR71 were designed without computer modeling. The glorious days of wind tunnels and slide rules.

[@michaelathens953]

The F-104 is an awesome aircraft, well in my 30s my inner 10-year-old grins every time I see a picture of one. The Wings Over the Rockies youtube channel has a really good episode on it.

[@ShadowOppsRC]

@@markschippel7974 and testing wing shapes with misles. That hiw they developed the wings on the starfighter.

[@Nick-ty3xd]

A380. Yes. Seen all the different documentaries out there but the delivery style you bring and bonus facts are worth the revisit.

[@cheflia5555]

A video on Skunk Works would be awesome. U2, SR-71, F117 Stealth Fighter, etc...lots of interesting history there

[@gapratt4955]

Exactly! What C "Kelly" Johnson created and Ben Rich continued is an amazing story of creating new technology.

[@waynedavies5226]

@@gapratt4955 More than my share of it all by Kelly Johnson and Skunkworks by Ben Rich, are 2 worthwhile reads.

[@andrewgriffin4528]

"Should we cover this?" Simon. If you cover it I'm gunna watch it.

[@johNAVEry87]

Hey hey Simon. As a healthcare worker in Texas I just want to say thanks to you and your team for all your videos/channels. They are a welcome, thought provoking break throughout the day. And an added bonus with Megaprojects is that it reminds me how awesome humans can be when we come together. Cheers!

[@archstanton6102]

Stay safe

[@walterscogginsakathesilver6246]

Thank you

[@megaprojects9649]

Thank you.

[@mmatthews61687]

As a non healthcare worker from somewhere else, I'm wondering why you felt the need to include such information. Looking for high fives and thank yous? Proud? Honestly not trying to be a dick, I'm just curious about your reasoning.

[@johNAVEry87]

Michael Matthews I understand where you are coming from. I am very proud of who I am and what I do but that is not the reason I included that I work in healthcare. The reason I included it was to emphasize that during a very hectic time in my life it is nice to have these videos to mentally escape. It would be in the same way if I had just suffered the loss of a loved one and needed to get away mentally. I thought it provided some context and where I am mentally.

[@cheaterman49]

"which is 33 million dollars under budget today" - no Simon. "which is unheard of today" would be more accurate. BADA-BUM-TSCHHHHHH

[@stevelindstedt8858]

"Bridge Of Spies"...directed by Steven Spielberg....Excellent movie.

[@megaprojects9649]

That's the one. Yes, great film.

[@bimblinghill]

Great movie. Mark Rylance's performance is quite brilliant

[@Treblaine]

The U2 scene was a bit over the top but I loved the rest of the film.

[@shadowpresident4203]

I liked Bridge of Spies, but was a little disappointed it did not focus more on the famous "hollow nickel case" that helped to uncover the identity of Reino Hyahinen and broke open that whole chain of events ultimately leading to the events in the movie. Fifteen minutes (or more) of that plot thread would have been more interesting than just a few more scenes of him interacting with his lawyer in preparation for the spy swap. I supposed it also would have been far more complex and expensive to put those events on film. But come on guys, it's a big budget Hollywood picture that was Oscar baiting from before it was even given the production greenlight. I think you can afford to have more than just people essentially hanging out talking (albeit over dramatic and interesting stuff.) It would have been a very cinematic and interesting story that could have been told in an interesting way. It's not hard to picture scenes of a kid collecting money for his paper route from a customer, then dropping one of the coins and noticing it pop open and tiny bit of microfilm fall out. Then he takes it to school the next day, and tells a friend what he found at recess. She turns out to be the daughter of a local NYPD cop, and via him it finds its way onto the FBI's radar and turns into a major counterintelligence investigation. But it's their movie. Like most nerds I have multiple unsold screenplays, etc. (They're not particularly good.)

[@zachglennon7789]

Such a great series. Enjoyed this one for sure! And yes, please do the A380 episode.

[@matthewcane0]

I'd love an A380 video Simon!

[@billdirlam744]

I saw a U2 take off from Van Nuys airport after a weekend static airshow event back in the early 1990s. On takeoff I thought the U2 would use up much of the municipal airport runway but instead it seemed to use less than 100 yards and quickly went vertical after dropping the extra wheels. It almost instantly disappeared in the overcast skies only to return a few minutes later for a much appreciated flyby of the airport. Truly an amazing aircraft from a bygone era.

[@lukeboyuk83]

Definitely the SR71 deserves a video. The most beautiful plane and fastest ever jet plane. Never shot down. The fact that the US had to secretly source the titanium from the russians was quite ironic . Given that is was the sucessor to the U2 it would seem to fit the channel timeline nicely also

[@nathaniel1207]

Thing is, if the soviets hadn't sold them the ore the US likely could've bought it from the Australians. And it may have forced the development of proper 250000 tonne presses to save material and avoid Machining of titanium. Real engineering has made 2 great videos on the SR-71

[@absalomdraconis]

Also, I believe that the SR-71 was actually shot down once or twice, during a planned launch or landing outside the US.

[@spiritofnex]

@@absalomdraconis The SR-71 was never shot down. A few were destroyed by user error, malfunctions, pushing it past it's limits, or un-starts. 1 was destroyed by an M-21.

[@lukeboyuk83]

@Ruán Conán Seems you are correct. Mach 3.35 compared to mach 3.2 for the SR 71, from a quick search. I think this was down to it being a single seater and carrying less sensors and cameras , so saving added weight.

[@karma-_-killa-_-102]

@Ruán Conán was tha A12 Cygnus that was the fastest (original CIA variant) - the YF12 was the interceptor variant. Oxcart was the name for the whole project.

[@ignitionfrn2223]

0:35 - Chapter 1 - Phantom of the skies 2:20 - Chapter 2 - Post WWII 4:50 - Chapter 3 - Manufacturing 7:00 - Chapter 4 - The aircraft 12:15 - Chapter 5 - Early operations 14:30 - Chapter 6 - Back to the soviet union 15:35 - Chapter 7 - 1960s 18:40 - Chapter 8 - Post 1960s 19:45 - Chapter 9 - Twilight years

[@isabellacalavera8577]

SR-71 next! Still the fastest spy-plane ever and holds the record for fastest transatlantic flight from New York to London in less than two hours! Also please do Burj Khalifa soon!

[@Matt-dc8lp]

Fastest MANNED spy plane.

[@Markus-zb5zd]

The SR-71 wasn't even the best... Air Force forced 2 pilots and more cameras on it...

[@andrewklosowski5277]

Yes!!

[@coreytaylor447]

the fastest that we, the public, know of at least

[@Lozzie74]

Include the A12

[@bojankotur4613]

So mega projects = mega ads. An ad every 3 minutes or so PLUS the one that Simon serves us. Nice work...

[@michaelmurphy2786]

"I could definitely cover it on one of my other channels" or he'll just make yet another channel to do it. Allegedly.

[@megaprojects9649]

Allegendly.

[@mizzshortie907]

@@megaprojects9649 epic comment

[@jamesterry5409]

I worked on the RQ4 system at Beale AFB, where the U2 was stationed, and I always enjoyed seeing the chase vehicles start at the very end of the runway and then speed up to give the pilot a spot while landing. I've also had the chance to ride on a chase vehicle. And also, a testament to how hard they were to handle near the ground, it wasn't uncommon to see one spin around in a light breeze after touchdown.

[@stevennagley3407]

Did you ever experience service over seas and see the cars they used?

[@Beshman12]

I once wasn't at a military base for work, and didn't see the U2, it wasn't cool at all, I didn't see the BMW landing chaser alongside Worst day ever .>

[@curtischilders3024]

Dragon Lady is ugly. You didn’t miss much.

[@DesertFernweh]

Move to Palmdale, you'll see it all the time. But they use a GTO to chase it. At least the did when I lived there.

[@gavsmith1980]

Me neither, plus I once didn’t get a backseat ride in the Mitsubishi Evo they were using to chase the U2.

[@clearingbaffles]

I live between Beale AFB and the now closed Mather AFB the T-38’s and U-2’s are in the air all the time; the SR-71 was too back in it’s day and you have to be pretty close to Beale to see the Global Hawk as they are at altitude shortly after takeoff

[@robwilliams3484]

So glad I didn’t have to guard at one all night all by myself, that would have only been cool for about 30 minutes and boring as hell the rest of the night.

[@charlie15627]

That Tom Hanks movie is really good “Bridge of Spies”

[@PanzerYeena]

Cmmon, Simon... You know what to do. SR-71

[@DMG020]

6:00 ?

[@mmatthews61687]

If you Google map satellite view Beale AFB in CA, you can see some U2s on the tarmac along with some RQ-9s and KC-135s. I believe it even captured a U2 taking off on the runway. Pretty cool to see!

[@LukaBizantprvi]

Make a Kelly Johnson video on Biographics channel. By talking about him, you'd also pretty much cover Skunk Works as well. He is quite a remarkable guy.

[@AstroDork]

Yes yes yes... What, Simon has a biography channel?..... 😁👍

[@TheCimbrianBull]

Ah yes, Clarence "Kelly" Johnson, the father of the legendary F-104 Starfighter! 😀

[@truthsayers8725]

i was at Beale AFB with the glamorous SR-71 and its more utilitarian little sister the U-2 and im very glad to see the Dragon Lady getting some love! i was a graphic artist and still photographer so i worked with pre and post mission products for the U-2 but i also got to ride chase-pace a couple of times shooting still photos. we had the Ford LX Mustangs with a 5.0L for that, having just transistioned out of the Chevy El Camino... Kelly Johnson was a genius with this plane, the F104, P-38 and SR-71 and to pass his knowledge on to Ben Rich who did Have Blue...

[@stephenfrizza]

I would love to see an episode on THE CASPIAN SEA MONSTER / EKRANOPLAN

[@horrorclose9462]

I've already suggested it. I don't think people like the vids on infrastructures. Or Simon is just being hurtful and ignoring us.

[@freakingknoght-7450]

The mighty CASPIAN SEA MONSTER would be a great idea for megaprojects

[@mandalor45]

googled it. it is a beast

[@megaprojects9649]

@@horrorclose9462 It's already been made. Will prob be coming out next week :). Maybe later this week!

[@horrorclose9462]

@@megaprojects9649 what about Michael Peterson??? We want more crazy/inspirational people biographies!! FREE CHARLIE!!

[@kevinburt44]

Excellent video, as always Simon. I have watched these amazing aircraft going in and out of RAF Fairford many times, always incredible to watch.

[@jd4278]

Cover battleship Yamato, the largest Naval decoration ever

[@megaprojects9649]

Got that in the works :)

[@bigmike3376]

Megaprojects I’m hyped

[@ALT3REDB3AST]

@@megaprojects9649 Make sure to mention the anime spinoff Battleship Yamato/Starblazers and renaming the ship the Argo cause Yamato and WW2 didn't sit too well with the US in the 70s.

[@theshadowoftruth7561]

One story I heard when I was at Beal AFB . at U2 lost it's engine around the Mississippi River. The Pilot called the base asking for directions on what to do. They replied back " Call us back when you cross the Rockies."

[@ceeplusthree]

An exaggeration of its considerable engine-out glide range.

[@501ststudios7]

Fletcher-Class Destroyer. In 4 years from March of 1941 to February of 1945, the US built 175 of them and they served in various navies for decades. The last active one wasn’t retired from the Mexican Navy until 2001!

[@michaelho4014]

the fletcher is a culmination of steady “throw some ideas at the wall and what sticks whilst trying to maintain 2000 tons displacement” improvements throughout the 1930s - they went through 10 destroyer classes between the Farragut and the Fletcher - it’s more of the penultimate example of the fleet destroyer ship class pioneered by the Japanese Fubuki class and only succeeded the Fubuki as the standard against which all ww2 destroyers are judged against due to circumstance - take this as you will whether or not the fletcher counts as a mega project or not

[@theshadowoftruth7561]

Worked on them at Beale AFB in 77 and 78! Loved watching them take off!

[@Strothy2]

I would love a deep dive into skunworks or any plane kelly had his genius fingers on ^^

[@--enyo--]

Maybe a Geographics?

[@StormWalden]

Kelly Johnson would be a good subject for a Biographics video, yes? ;)

[@megaprojects9649]

I'm working on a way to do this. It's not really a megaproject, so just trying to think about the best way to put it out.

[@markrenton1093]

@@megaprojects9649 , there is a book called "SKUNK Works" written by the the director after Kelly Johnson.

[@1225KPH]

Read Kelly's autobiography or Ben Rich's (Kelly's successor) autobiography.

[@tonyjones7991]

I’m really loving this channel, nice what you can do after VisualPolitik !

[@LordCloud601]

Do a video on the The Northrop B-2 Spirit aka the stealth bomber or b2 bomber please SIMON! LOVE YOUR VIDEOS!

[@snorlax6691]

Definitely would like to see the B-2 done!

[@ShadowBlazer3000]

Yes for sure the B-2 and F-117!

[@tolson57]

Simon, I am well aware of your proclivity for unusual units of measure so I was very pleased with your use of one of the greatest aircraft of all time, the F-14 Tomcat, for comparison. Salute!

[@paulmaddison6193]

Seriously mate, at this point you could do a 30 minute video on a kids tree-house and I'd watch the heck out of it.

[@susanmaggiora4800]

Paul Maddison Actually, I’d love to se a video about a tree house. Or how bout an LotR elven tree CITY!

[@wesabaker]

Yeah! What he said!

[@AstroDork]

Hey dont be dissin kids tree houses 🤣🤣

[@megaprojects9649]

:)

[@heavypen]

I'll never forget the Rhodes Family treehouses - yes, plural. Behind the house were several huge trees (old as the ages). Dad and uncles built four tree houses and a kind of platform that was connected by various rope bridges and a rigid walkway. I was lucky to be a friend of one of the Rhodes-boys, which is another tale.

[@jonathanbeyer9514]

I'd love to see an A380 video! I've seen several behind the scenes kinds of documentaries, but would love to see all the bits in one of your more comprehensive detailed features! (Apparently the wingtip curves we see on planes now were initially developed for the A380 as a way to increase lift on wings that needed to be within airport limits in wingspans? Something about moving the wingtip vortex' away from the actual lifting surface)

[@chuckschwoch5761]

Under budget?!? Is this the only Megaprojects that did that?

[@bostedtap8399]

Fairly good chance 😂

[@absalomdraconis]

Skunkworks was practically magical at that point in time.

[@owenpatterson9355]

Yeah Kelly Johnson was a real enigma of a designer, I personally think he is maybe the greatest aerospace engineer in history

[@Wppk765]

I didn’t think it was legal for a mega project to do that?!

[@Azivegu]

In one of the later episodes (the Shinkasen video), it was mentioned that the Gotthard Tunnel was also under budget and that they were planning on making a video about that.

[@badassmotha1]

I hope I'm not alone in this, but I think the orbital elevator would be a phenomenal topic!!! Keep the amazing content coming!!

[@SRW_]

Turn left in 100 metres Simon: there’s no left turn! Turn left Simon:But there’s no left turn!!! Recalculating: make a U-turn Simon: it’s a one way street!!

[@megaprojects9649]

* hits steering wheel *

[@dynamicworlds1]

Ah, the early 2000s, when google maps kept mistaking staircases for roads resulting in it giving dirrections to people telling them to _literally drive off cliffs._ To my knowledge, no-one actually listened to said dirrections, but that's a thing that happened.

[@jonnunn4196]

@@dynamicworlds1 A few nights ago in St Louis County, someone around 1:30 AM someone drove North and around the first barrier for the closed road and then drove thru the second barrier into the sinkhole (the reason the road was closed.) He said Google directions told him to continue taking this road North. (No word yet on if he'd been drinking or was merely sleep deprived)

[@dynamicworlds1]

@@jonnunn4196 or someone decided they were too entitled to listen to signs put up to save lives. Far from the first time that's happened, unfortunately.

[@steven2212]

Glad you used the Tommy for comparison. Your next vid in this series needs to feature this amazing bird. Love your vid output, always entertaining. Thank you

[@roycekimbrough3274]

You should cover the US interstate highway system.

[@AdamMGTF]

As long as he doesn’t cover the M1. That would be boring

[@AdamMGTF]

Ken Hudson I’m English and even I know the answer to that. It was intended to ensure that military forces had a way to re-deploy quickly across the continental us. This was actually a big deal even before ww2. The armed forces recognised that the small Army would have a very difficult time responding to different parts of the country (for example in the event of a unexpected need to call up men and material say in the event of a surprise war). Hence the senior staff in the army spent a lot of time planning how they would put in place logistics on a national scale. It had done this since before ww1 of course. All the armed forces of the time had all kinds of plans which usually meant how rolling stock would move men and munitions around the road network. But obviously as the 40s passed it was obvious the motor vehicle had surpassed the train and as a result more highways were needed and naturally an ex general was the man to get it sorted. Really shocked that isn’t well known in the US?

[@krald8421]

@@AdamMGTF Same reason as the autobahn isn't it?

[@watcherit1311]

@@AdamMGTF Tanks are not friendly to roads and troops can be transfered much quicker via air. So equally well argument would be saying that electricity lines were also developed cause of army. Everything is cause of army.

[@Protocol_17]

The US Interstate system is Federal Property and theoretically could be closed. Realistically, this would only inflame millions of people, but dumber things have happened. The gooberment can screw up a one car parade so why not everything else.

[@NickysVibe]

I have yet to come across a Megaprojects video that I didn't thoroughly enjoy. Thanks for your hard work and dedication, Simon and crew.

[@platunwalker8406]

Do the antonov an-225

[@megaprojects9649]

Coming soon ;)

[@RaderizDorret]

One reason why the U2 has been around for so long is not only its flexibility of mission while airborne, but also its cost effectiveness especially in comparison to the cost space launches.

[@johnanderson4576]

Hello Simon, DC- 3 would be awesome to cover.

[@lesflynn4455]

I totally dig the story of the U-2 recce aircraft. It's an amazing aircraft in several ways. I went down a U-2 rabbit hole last weekend, and it was entertaining. Simon's video however, contained a few amazing facts I didn't discover on my rabbit hole trip. Firstly, the airspeed window in which a U-2 can operate safely at 70K feet is an eyebrow raising notion. I'm guessing the pilot's eyes should be glued to the airspeed indicator at altitude, but that's impossible as they have to do so many other things at once. The other things which amazed me is that the imagery gear in a U-2 still uses film technology. That was totally unexpected in 2020-21. Also, the area that the imagery tech can cover at 70K feet. 250km in all directions is an incredibly vast area. Knowing that fact makes me realise why the U-2 is still such a valuable reconnaissance asset in 2021. A beautiful bird. May they fly for many more years.

[@lilhack3r666]

First 2012, then 2004, and now 2023.. o.o maths is hard

[@chrisrutherfurd9338]

Cheers Simon. Your videos are great.

[@SpacePatrollerLaser]

As of the 1190's and maybe even now, under a different letter-number designation, that plane was being used after the retirement of the more flashy SR-71 "Blackbird" which designation was to be for a family of Mach 3 planes, including a fighter, which was actually the first of the "Blackbird"s to be flown at the 1964 Paris Air Show The reason why Powers was shot down is that his engine "flameed out" and he lost altitude and fell within Surface-to-Air missiles

[@oscarmuffin4322]

It's important to note that the stall speed at altitude is the indicated air speed, not the ground speed.

[@ronr6450]

Perhaps for one of your other channels...Clarence "Kelly" Johnson. The designer of the U2, and a brilliant areonautical engineer.

[@davidmarquardt2445]

Yes it seems almost everything Johnson touched came out gold. The Lockheed Electra, the P-38 Lightning, one of the fastest, highest flying fighters of WW2, which also had tremendous range. And of course the U-2 and the SR-71. As his boss at Lockheed said once "I swear that Kelly can see air".

[@gholubec]

If it went into operation in 1955, that would mean 65 years and not 75 years of operation as of 2020. Still quite remarkable. Thanks for the wonderful presentation!

[@ChuckH2901]

Now that a lot of information has been declassified about the Soviet Space program, it would be awesome to learn more about their successes.

[@pamelahomeyer748]

The U2 has sound systems that are amazing and just as important as the photographs systems

[@chicagopablo2]

Oh, and no one called him Clarence. He was, and always remembered at Lockheed, as Kelly Johnson. And he led the team that designed the Blackbird.

[@soaringvulture]

And he designed the P-38 and he designed the Constellation and he designed...

[@ChefofWar33]

@@soaringvulture Basically hes a genius that designed the entire US military.

[@rainrainwebdesign]

Great video on U2 - thanks - have watched a lot of doc stuff on it over the years but this is one of the best

[@Luke..luke..luke..]

You see these taking off all the time out in Cyprus.

[@hm05090x]

“ONE of MY other channels” absolute mad lad

[@megaprojects9649]

;)

[@gigaflynn_]

I went to RAF Akrotiri in 2009, and there's a U2 unit based there, as part of the US enclave inside the UK base on the Island of Cyprus. Get's a bit Matryoshka doll, that place. xD I got to see a U2 coming in to land, the chase car, a dodge charger IIRC, powering down the runway after it, and the guys in the car jumping out, grabbing the wings, and getting the Pogos installed. Met the pilot, not sure if he was supposed to say this, but he told us he was just back from Somalia. Presumably checking on the pirate situation? Very cool to see in person.

[@singemfrc]

I feel lucky that I'm close to the home base of the U-2, so I get to see them in the air occasionally, and air shows in the area will include U-2 demos. This video kinda makes it seem like a slower aircraft, but you should really see in person just how fast that thing climbs when it takes off, especially when not carrying any extra heavy sensors. It's amazing just how fast it leaves the ground and is completely out of sight.

[@alternaterealitiesphotogra3748]

When I was in the Air Force in the mid-80's, I was stationed at RAF Alconbury, and got to see the U-2 up close and personal. Watching one of them land was indeed a crazy thing to see.

[@patrickmorrissey2271]

Great story. If you really want to know more, there is a book called "Operation Overflight" written by Francis Gary Powers... the first half of the book is a lot of stuff about the U2 program, how it was to fly, all that kind of stuff..... The second half deals more with his capture, and all that stuff.... Very very interesting....

[@bostedtap8399]

Thanks, I will take a look, his son has written a book called Spy Pilot, released January 2019.

[@MT90Scott]

Thanks good sir Simon (& team) for the insightful video - I didn't realize just how long she'd been flying! Here's to the concept of doing one thing really really well. One note that takes nothing away from such a successful 'MegaProject' would be acknowledging that the U-2 is the key piece of an intelligence platform that sprawls across the globe. Lots of good folk doing great work to support the talented Dragon Lady. ::s::

[@jaywalkersunite]

>made in the past, and still in service today Given my understanding of linear time, I'd love to hear the alternative.

[@TheCimbrianBull]

*causality intensifies*

[@confuzedpenguin9974]

I was going to say ohh that sounds like me lol

[@robertfarr9186]

Another amazing video is of James May ( top gear/ the grand tour / drive tribe) flying in one of these. From donning the flight suit, through full flight (including how they eat food in a space suit) and landing.

[@fantasticalium]

oh yeahhhh U2 Dragonlady Unrelated: But what about the rivalry between the YF-22 Raptor and the YF-23 Blackwidow II

[@ragnabob]

Lovely as always! A380, AN-225, C-5 or even the 747, all superprojects and very interesting

[@GodlikeIridium]

Simon: "[...] first 2012, then 2004, now 2023 [...]" xD

[@Gorilla_cookie]

My dad was Chief Master Sargent James Vernon Hefner. He was the one in charge of the building, repair, and maintenance of the U2 aircraft. You can see him in documentaries working on top of the aircraft in the videos. He worked under Kelly Johnson.

[@herbertkeithmiller]

4:06 no Lockheed just knew they were damn good and like every corporation wanted a piece of the business.

[@jameswingrove7421]

I’ve always had an interest in the SEPECAT Jaguar, and the various different guises of the Panavia Tornado. Would love it if you covered those.

[@joshuapatrick682]

Simon Whistler’s beard is the only mega project I want to know about!!!

[@Gigipretty64]

It’s very full in this video.

[@eileenobyrne-hudson8636]

If you're ever in Palmdale, California, the Blackbird Airpark has the last remaining U-2D. It's right up the road from Plant 42, where Skunkworks is located. I was lucky enough to visit while they were doing a special event celebrating the Cold War, and was able to see inside the cockpit. It's also the plane involved in the "Miracle at Cortez" where a pilot landed it after the engine went out at 70,000 ft.

[@deusexaethera]

0:14 - "The Lockheed U2 is another one of these that kind of blows my mind when you consider like we're talking about something that was made in the past but is still in service today." EVERYTHING in service today was made in the past. That's how causality works. 😛

[@generalripper7528]

I know what you mean. But on a different note. The Browning Heavy Machine gun still in use today dates back to WWI and some of the racing cars in the 1920s & 30s were already driving like 250+ kmh. Just because it's old, doesn't mean it's "bad". A machine gun design from ww1 is today just as efficient at killing people as it is in the year 2020.

[@deusexaethera]

@@generalripper7528: Where did I say old is bad?

[@generalripper7528]

@@deusexaethera You never did. That's why I said "on a different note". I was just rambling

[@jjohnsonTX]

Great story, and a true aviation legend.

[@LMacNeill]

Watching the auto-generated closed-captions, it's amazing how many times he says "U2" but the caption says "KZbin." LOL!

[@ZachTate]

My vote is for anything aviation or military! Love the new channel!

[@dubiousragdid8628]

Is my math off or is 1955-2020 only 65 years, not 75 like Simon says 😏

[@MrZip420]

it sure is 😂

[@presidentbanana4536]

Your math is right

[@micheal49]

British maths

[@atodaso1668]

I think development started in 1945

[@paddyneill1964]

Back in 1993 I lived on Catalina Island off the coast of L.A. California and I saw a U2 fly over, not sure exactly where he was but I could see him. A friend said he was on final for landing somewhere many miles away. You could see the wing nacelles and the long wingspan and short body. It was definitely a later model U2.

[@leerich2479]

I'd like to see a episode about the Harrier Jump Jet, possibly the first aircraft that could hover

[@twotone3471]

Germany had a Helicopter before WW2 the FW-61, which would qualify it as the first. The first fixed wing aircraft to do the feat of hovering was the Convair XFY Pogo I believe.

[@RidinDirtyRollinBurnouts]

If we're discounting helicopters, then the first VTOL is technically Nasa's LLRV or Lunar Lander Research Vehicle, which flew 3 years before the maiden flight of the Harrier. If we are counting helicopters, then the first traditional helicopter flight was in 1932 in the USSR.

[@twotone3471]

@@RidinDirtyRollinBurnouts First Manned VTOL was Jean-François Pilâtre de Rozier and François Laurent d'Arlandes on November 21, 1783 technically, but discounting lighter than air means, the XFY Pogo predates the Lunar program.

[@dragonsword7370]

By what method? Only propelled by a certain capacity or in general?

[@RidinDirtyRollinBurnouts]

@@twotone3471 the pogo was a prop so it technically isn't a jet-propelled VTOL. But then again I'm not really here to discuss semantics or what have you, I just personally find great interest in jet VTOLs I think they're very sci-fi and futuristic. On a side note, an honorable mention is the rocket-powered VTO, the Ba 349 Natter

[@AstroDork]

Love the channel... I have 1 or 2 suggestions for episodes 😊 Antonov 225, Blackbird, Bell X1 the sound barrier (including the British research link), X15, Hoover dam, Suez or Panama canal, Eiffell Tower, Nurburgring (nordschleife), Brunel's SS Great Britain, HMS Queen Elizabeth or Nimitz class aircraft carriers, I guess we have to have the Space Shuttle in there, I'd love to have a couple of episodes on the pre Apollo Mercury and Gemini missions (better than the shuttle), Pioneer 10/11/Voyager 1/2/Cassini, Hubble space telescope, James Web Telescope (not actually completed yet but so exciting), any amazing dam or bridge, Venice or Thames barrier.... Pffft that'll do for now 👍

[@SangTheCryptek]

Since you've already done a fictional megaproject (the Dyson sphere), another one you could do is on the concept of space elevators.

[@Billyboy4209]

Was lucky enough to see one today doing kind of like touch and goes but not actually touching down. He came down to about 30-40 feet and that took off again. Must of been the trainer version because it had two cockpits. Was at a hanger at the Chico,ca airport.

[@happymeal5182]

I'm drunk , wish i can remember this tomorrow morning.

[@DC4260Productions]

Considering that you've done some railway videos in the past, I would like to suggest making a video on the history of the North Island Main Trunk. It's easily one of the most iconic railway lines in New Zealand.

[@steveyorgason4199]

Speaking of planes that just won't quit is the A-10 Thunderbolt worthy of an episode?

[@DJScaleModels]

Or MiG-21? :)

[@lukehinkle9614]

I love the U2 and am thankful I get to see it fly at least once a week. It is super loud as well. Definitely know when this guy is taking off.

[@Cetega]

I'd be interested in videos about both the A380 and the 747 theoretically. I've had the opportunity to see the first 747 in person at a museum, and I'm still fascinated by it. (Saw a Concorde at that museum as well!)

[@iatsechannel5255]

Simon! Love this piece. MORE SIMON PLEASE. You know when you stop reading maths and be snarky? Ok, The Brooklyn Bridge please. A snore? No way. Groundbreaking [no pun intended] engineering and it was supervised in it's final years by a woman. [Mrs. Roebling] In the 1860's. There is still a champagne underground storage cavern beneath the Manhattan anchorage. It is still the number 2 tourist destination in all of NYC. It inspired countless poets: Hart Crane, Vlad Mayakovsky, Walt Whitman...Why? TELL US.

[@SirWussiePants]

So there was a time where we recognized that Russia was out to get us and we did something about it instead of praising their leader? Ah, good times.

[@dickjohnson3967]

Lawrence, can I call you Lawrence? I wonder Lawrence, whatever will you do with all your spare time when Trump leaves office in 5 years and you can't complain about him anymore?

[@SirWussiePants]

@@dickjohnson3967 relax, my dear Richard. Relax

[@TruthNerds]

Yes, the Russians are all out to get you. The voices in your head are not lying.

[@Skyfox94]

10:50 I wonder if somebody ever thought: "Hey you guys... where did you get those suits from? We never developed those." and somebody else is like "sshhh Johnson, it'll soon be over, don't resist"

[@KeepEvery1Guessing]

Those of us alive in the '50s were required to study an arcane discipline called "arithmetic", and are thus able to calculate that the U-2 is about 65 years old. Not 75. Just for your edification.

[@ronniebon7163]

He's just stupid

[@grace24690]

No, he just made a mistake. You're both just rude bastards.

[@alanhardman2447]

NOT pound-feet of thrust, but pounds-force (to distinguish from pounds-mass). Pound-feet are a metric of torque or "twist".

[@Infrared73]

It's Canada Day, so how about something from Canada. The CN Tower.

[@andrewlavey6992]

Or the Canada Arm used on the ISS.

[@frnkndad]

@@andrewlavey6992 Canada Arm was shuttle based... Canada Arm 2 is on the ISS (and it's even more impressive)