Gary Powers U2 mission 1960
Archimedes, yes, you waste your time in pompous and smug lecturing that seeks to demonstrate your apparently superior knowledge of unknowable things (or were you senior in the CIA too?) over we normal members of the race, we that do not seek to flaunt our politically correct 20-20 revisionist hindsight.
Clearly you never believe anything you are told or were given to believe in the past - it must be a real handicap believing that everyone you obtain information from is lying to you and that all your memories are falsehoods. To berate yourself so caustically for recalling past events as you so unreasonably berated me must be particularly distressing. I'm sorry for you.
The article that provokes this discussion suggested that the US Govt were disapproving of FGP at the time, as was commonly understood at the time. Sorry pal, it's there in the history (i.e.the real one you haven't re-written).
finis.
Clearly you never believe anything you are told or were given to believe in the past - it must be a real handicap believing that everyone you obtain information from is lying to you and that all your memories are falsehoods. To berate yourself so caustically for recalling past events as you so unreasonably berated me must be particularly distressing. I'm sorry for you.
The article that provokes this discussion suggested that the US Govt were disapproving of FGP at the time, as was commonly understood at the time. Sorry pal, it's there in the history (i.e.the real one you haven't re-written).
finis.
"The article that provokes this discussion suggested that the US Govt were disapproving of FGP at the time, as was commonly understood at the time. Sorry pal, it's there in the history (i.e.the real one you haven't re-written).
finis."
The early USG response toward Powers rested primarily with the DCI and was not generally accepted among others in the USG. Sense eventually prevailed once Kennedy's first DCI left office. Powers was awarded the Star once the DDCI was free to do so. The appropriate, if delayed, conclusion. FINIS indeed.
finis."
The early USG response toward Powers rested primarily with the DCI and was not generally accepted among others in the USG. Sense eventually prevailed once Kennedy's first DCI left office. Powers was awarded the Star once the DDCI was free to do so. The appropriate, if delayed, conclusion. FINIS indeed.
Interested to learn that Powers was not shot down in the conventional meaning of the word, the missile shockwave as it passed by caused the aircraft to breakup between the empennage and wing trailing edge (see 3:40), a good video.
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Every day's a school day - will sit down and watch the whole thing when the Easter p***y-little-jobs-list has shrunk to manageable proportions. Thanks for the post, megan 
One evening crossing the USA/Canadian border returning from IAH we had a visitor on the flight deck. He was an American in his 60s and after a general chat about airline flying and life style he commented on Gary Powers and the U2. He said that he had been on the same squadron as Powers and said Powers was considered to be slightly unpredictable and unconventional. He said that Powers had dosed off during the flight at a critical time when he needed to change fuel tanks and suffered a flame out. The only way to restart the engine was to descend into more dense air and was then within reach of SAM missiles. He might have been spinning a line but seemed knowledgeable. 🤪
dosed off during the flight at a critical time when he needed to change fuel tanks and suffered a flame out
Facts....mere facts!
Does anyone have a list of avionics of Garry Powers' U-2C #56-6693 (item 360)? I am trying to ascertain from the old manuals what kind of COM, NAV and other systems could have been used on his flight. The Soviets showed the remains of an AN/ARC-34 UHF COM set, which was actually pretty standard on the early U-2s, along with an ELINT package and the Granger Box SA-2 radar jammer circuit breaker field plus the cameras. These photos can be found at wiki.
One evening crossing the USA/Canadian border returning from IAH we had a visitor on the flight deck. He was an American in his 60s and after a general chat about airline flying and life style he commented on Gary Powers and the U2. He said that he had been on the same squadron as Powers and said Powers was considered to be slightly unpredictable and unconventional. He said that Powers had dosed off during the flight at a critical time when he needed to change fuel tanks and suffered a flame out. The only way to restart the engine was to descend into more dense air and was then within reach of SAM missiles. He might have been spinning a line but seemed knowledgeable. 🤪
Interesting stories. Could you please ask your friends about the possible avionics setup on Powers’ plane apart from the already known ARC-34 UHF, which was documented by the Soviets? I presume that an ADF was also on-board, either an ARN-6 or ARN-44, since he admitted after his release to the States that he had had a chart with frequencies, and that he had tuned to the Chelyabinsk station. Albeit, it’s unknown whether it was a real NDB or simply a medium wave broadcast station.
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GN,
During the days of the Vietnam War, many pilots captured by the North Vietnamese had knowledge of very classified Nuclear Information and other information that would have been of much value to the North Vietnam, China, and the Soviets.
It was always a risk they could be convinced to disclose what they knew.
I don't suppose those who were so critical of Powers would have considered using their own Service issued Revolver to shoot themselves in the Head to prevent their deciding to talk while being tortured would they.
During the days of the Vietnam War, many pilots captured by the North Vietnamese had knowledge of very classified Nuclear Information and other information that would have been of much value to the North Vietnam, China, and the Soviets.
It was always a risk they could be convinced to disclose what they knew.
I don't suppose those who were so critical of Powers would have considered using their own Service issued Revolver to shoot themselves in the Head to prevent their deciding to talk while being tortured would they.
Bat 21 a.k.a Lieutenant Colonel Iceal hambleton, having watched the film (filmed with co op of Royal Malaysian Air Force S-61 Nuri doubling up as HH-3) the opening credits says NVA after him, as he was a missile intelligence officer, but when I read about his biography aside from being a navigator he commanded an ICBM wing so of course he be of strategic value to the Russians if captured..
cheers
Would you have had the RAF U2 Pilots commit Suicide had they been shot down?
The RAF's secret spies: Declassified CIA documents reveal British pilots flew U2 missions over Soviet Union during the Cold War | Daily Mail Online
The RAF's secret spies: Declassified CIA documents reveal British pilots flew U2 missions over Soviet Union during the Cold War | Daily Mail Online
Trying to remember the book that covered the RAF ‘berra missions. Maybe that’s that the Mail was click-baiting about.
I thought that the use by the RAF of American RB-45s, with British markings, for overfllghts of the Soviet Union in the 1950s was now well documented and a relatively open secret.
Apparently once again the US was sensitive to any Russian reaction, but wanted the information, and the UK was willing to help.
Apparently once again the US was sensitive to any Russian reaction, but wanted the information, and the UK was willing to help.
Great book and good read btw.
https://www.abebooks.com/97815575083...1557508372/plp
https://www.abebooks.com/97815575083...1557508372/plp
I transitioned to jets as a co-pilot on Lear Jet 24. Spent a few hours hand flying it at FL 45.0
You have to be real smooth on the controls. As I recall a change of 1/72 of an inch on the attitude indicator would give you +- of 100 feet of altitude. Usually, I hand flew it at FL 41.0
All pre RVSM. I have a lot of respect for U-2 pilots that flew for hours at 70,000 feet without an autopilot.
You have to be real smooth on the controls. As I recall a change of 1/72 of an inch on the attitude indicator would give you +- of 100 feet of altitude. Usually, I hand flew it at FL 41.0
All pre RVSM. I have a lot of respect for U-2 pilots that flew for hours at 70,000 feet without an autopilot.
Interesting stories. Could you please ask your friends about the possible avionics setup on Powers’ plane apart from the already known ARC-34 UHF, which was documented by the Soviets? I presume that an ADF was also on-board, either an ARN-6 or ARN-44, since he admitted after his release to the States that he had had a chart with frequencies, and that he had tuned to the Chelyabinsk station. Albeit, it’s unknown whether it was a real NDB or simply a medium wave broadcast station.
He said that all of the 1950s to early sixties had ARN 6’s
the only other navaid they had was a VOR without a glide slope.
He said also that the airplane was literally unflyable without the autopilot, and that it took constant tweaking to keep it in the envelope.
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He said also that the airplane was literally unflyable without the autopilot
Could you please ask your friends about the possible avionics setup on Powers’ plane apart from the already known ARC-34 UHF
C-823/AIC-10 Interphone control
AN/ARC-34 UHF transceiver
ARC TYPE 12 VHF transceiver
KWM-1 HF fitted to select aircraft
AN/ARA-26 Keyer fitted to select aircraft (automatic transmission of distress via KWM-1)
AN/ARN-6 Radio compass
AN/ARN-44 Radio compass alternative to ARN-6
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