"user314" (user314)
08/26/2020 at 11:00 • Filed to: flightline, Planelopnik, planelopnik history, u2, U-2, cold war, aircraft carriers, cia
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"user314" (user314)
08/26/2020 at 11:00 • Filed to: flightline, Planelopnik, planelopnik history, u2, U-2, cold war, aircraft carriers, cia | 7
| 25 |
A U-2R after landing on the USS America
CV-66 USS America , November 1969
In the late 1950s, the CIA began to look into options for extending the range of its U-2 spyplanes. The early model Dragon Ladies had a range of only 3000 miles or so, and required bases in Turkey or Pakistan to fly over the USSR, then land at Bodø Air Station in Norway with fuel tanks nearly dry. Given the performance of the U-2, it was beloved that one could land on and take-off from a Forrestal -class supercarrier with only minor modifications. The CIA approached the NRO, and Operation (sometimes Project) WHALE TAIL was born. Late one night in August of 1963, a U-2A was craned aboard the USS Kitty Hawk , which then sailed out of San Diego Harbor. Safely out to sea (and out of sight), the U-2 launched from the deck, managing a 300-foot takeoff roll without the ship’s catapult. Test pilot Bob Shumacher performed several landing approaches, which proved that a U-2 could manage a approach (including a possible wave-off) and arrested landing without issue.
U-2A, with false N number and Office of Naval Research markings on the Kitty Hawk
As a result of the test, Lockheed modified three (possibly four) U-2As, reinforcing the landing gear and adding an arresting hook and spoilers. In March of 1964, Bob Shumacher began trials of the newly christened U-2G, landing this time on the USS Ranger . This time the trials were less successful, and the aircraft pitched down into the deck when the hook grabbed the arresting cable, breaking off the pitot tube. The damage was repaired on the carrier, and the plane successfully took off again.
One of the U-2Gs, this one with false registration N808X on the tail, snags an arresting cable.
Another accident occurred, this time with pilot Jim Barnes, who approached the deck too slowly and stalled just over the Ranger ’s fantail. Barnes firewalled the throttle, avoiding a crash but striking the arresting gear with a wingtip, tearing off the skid in the process. Barnes was able to fly to Edwards AFB, where the U-2 was repaired. The U-2Gs were further modified after the accident, adding reinforcing plates and springs to the wingtip skids.
U-2G “N801X” lands on the USS Ranger
There was only one recorded mission from an aircraft carrier: Operation FISH HAWK in May of 1964. USS Ranger sailed to the South Pacific with the mission of spying on an expected French nuclear test. A CIA NPIC interpreter was added to the ship’s crew, and the Navy set up a lab for rapid development and analysis of whatever film the Dragon Lady captured. A U-2G, modified with “sniffers” for atomic particles, flew to the Ranger from California via Hawaii. Two sorties were flown between May 19th and May 23rd, and after initial results were obtained on the Ranger , the film was flown to New York for further processing by Eastman Kodak.
Even with the success of FISH HAWK, rapid evolution of technology meant that the need for U-2 carrier ops was limited. Improvements in engines allowed the planes to fly further, even without in-flight refueling. Advances in satellite technology granted the ability to survey wide swathes of land without having to risk aircraft. New camera technology provided lighter modules that also could transmit data in real-time. Still “You Never Know...”, so the CIA retained carrier capabilities in newer makes of the U-2, with the U-2R being flown onto the
USS America
in 1969 to prove the concept still worked. The U-2R, being larger than its predecessors, also featured folding wings, and as part of the test “N812X” was lowered on the carrier’s elevator and was maneuvered without issue into the hangar deck.
U-2R catches the Three Wire on the USS America
CIA pilots kept up with carrier qualifications, flying T-2 Buckeyes, into the Eighties, though again, no further use of U-2 on carriers has been detailed.
TheRealBicycleBuck
> user314
08/26/2020 at 11:04 |
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Wow. Just wow.
ttyymmnn
> user314
08/26/2020 at 11:11 |
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it was beloved that one could land and take-off from a Forestall-class supercarrier with only minor modifications.
It is pretty awesome, but I don’t think this is what you mean. ;)
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ttyymmnn
> user314
08/26/2020 at 11:13 |
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CIA pilots kept up with carrier qualifications, flying T-28 Buckeyes, into the Eighties, though again, no further use of U-2 on carriers has been detailed.
Interesting. Didn’t know that.
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user314
> ttyymmnn
08/26/2020 at 11:14 |
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.....dammit.
‘ang on.
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ttyymmnn
> user314
08/26/2020 at 11:14 |
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Don’t worry, I feel your pain.
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user314
> ttyymmnn
08/26/2020 at 11:18 |
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Fixed the T-2/T-28 screw-up too.
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user314
> ttyymmnn
08/26/2020 at 11:20 |
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I’d picked up the “Landing a U-2 on a carrier!” story from somehwere a while ago, but I didn’t know about that or about how the U-2R was carrier-compatible until I started researching this (which technically was posted first on my tumblr account, just with less words).
Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
> user314
08/26/2020 at 11:23 |
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I’ve see the U-2 in person at Beale AFB, they are HUGE. It’s hard to believe they can land and take off on a carrier. They use a lot of the runway at Beale. I just remember being out there doing a sewer survey and looking up and gong “that a god damn u2, damn that things big ”.
facw
> user314
08/26/2020 at 11:26 |
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That’s more than a little awkward... I wonder if they could have made it work with an RB-57 instead?
Thomas Donohue
> user314
08/26/2020 at 11:27 |
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Advances in satellite technology granted the ability to survey wide swathes of land without having to risk aircraft. New camera technology provided lighter modules that also could transmit data in real-time.
Silly old plane. We have no use for it now.
It was obsolete in the 70s....
Meanwhile, in other news ....
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ttyymmnn
> user314
08/26/2020 at 11:30 |
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My TDIAH posts are basically re-re-writes of things created two years ago. I’m still finding typos and making sentences clearer. My hat’s off to you for doing this daily. I was originally going to do TDIAH daily, but it got to be too much, which is why I switched to T-F. Also, the future posts feature is fantastic.
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user314
> TheRealBicycleBuck
08/26/2020 at 11:30 |
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I love the “we landed a non-carrier plane on a carrier just to see if we could” parts of the Cold War...
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TheRealBicycleBuck
> user314
08/26/2020 at 11:37 |
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G otta love that Bronco!
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user314
> Thomas Donohue
08/26/2020 at 11:38 |
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T he U-2 is still a supremely useful airplane, and it’s a testament to Kelly Johnson and the rest of the Skunk Works that we’re still flying them 60+ years later, with no signs of stopping in the near future.
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user314
> facw
08/26/2020 at 11:45 |
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I’m thinking not; the RB-57D had a larger wingspan (granted, only by 3 feet) and needed both longer take-off and landing (especially landing, pilots basically had to repeatedly stall the plane to land) than the U-2.
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user314
> ttyymmnn
08/26/2020 at 12:10 |
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It’s actually easier than I was worried it was going to be at first, since I can queue posts then add to them whenever, even across devices, which is nice when the work firewall blocks me from sources. Still, I’ve surprised myself keeping it going for 34 posts. Fortunately, there’s plenty of interesting pics that I can start from, especially from some of my tumblr mutua ls .
VincentMalamute-Kim
> user314
08/26/2020 at 12:10 |
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Knowing what I know about U2's (evidently not much), if you had asked me if this was possible, my answer would be “Nope”.
Without a catapult too!
I thought they needed silly long runways to take off and those chase cars to help them land.
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user314
> VincentMalamute-Kim
08/26/2020 at 12:57 |
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It depends on how heavily loaded the plane is, but they’re actually rocket ships on take-off, and the initial climb-rate can exceed 15,000 feet per minute . If you get a chance, watch the Flights of Fancy ep of Mythbusters from the 2015 season.
Now for landing, normally yes, you need a long stretch of concrete and a government issue GTO, with another U-2 pilot at the wheel , to talk you down, because:
the U-2 DOES NOT want to land.
You can’t see shit behind and below you
You basically have to get it down to about 2-5 feet, then stall the plane and let it settle to the runway, being coached all the way by the chase car
. For carrier landings, there’s a trained pilot called the
Landing Signal Officer
(LSO) and an
Optical Landing System
(the “Meatball”) that takes the place of the chase car, and the carrier’s arresting gear takes care of pulling you to a stop.
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facw
> user314
08/26/2020 at 13:45 |
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True, but if you can make this work, I imagine you can find a way to do the RB-57:
Landings seem like they wouldn’t be any longer, since you just have get the hook in.
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user314
> facw
08/26/2020 at 14:24 |
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True, but don’t forget that the USAF and Martin had trouble keeping the wings on the -57Ds as it was. I’m not sure one would survive a trap.
415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°)
> user314
08/26/2020 at 14:35 |
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But who gets to drive the Camaro on the Carrier?
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user314
> 415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°)
08/26/2020 at 14:49 |
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Anyone willing to cough up at least 27 large ?
*grin*
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415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°)
> user314
08/26/2020 at 14:51 |
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It will eat tires too, I tripped one time and that anti skid deck is no joke!
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415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°)
> user314
08/27/2020 at 00:08 |
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Are you Skyfire85 on Tumblr? I follow dave-mech and I just saw this in my feed.
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user314
> 415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°)
08/27/2020 at 10:09 |
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Yurp, that’s me. I pretty much keep to the same ID whenever possible, so it’s either 77 or 85. Follow me and I’ll follow back.