AR48112 AFVClub 1/48 U-2A Dragon Lady

Additional Information

The strategic intelligence officer Lockheed U-2 is intended for deep penetration into the territory of the opponent for the purpose of collecting intelligence information. The project of the original U-2 aircraft was developed by Lockheed in 1954, the First flight of the prototype Lockheed U-2 took place in August 1955 with the delivery of the strategic air command was started in 1956 not Only built more than 150 aircraft Lockheed U-2 of all modifications. The new Lockheed reconnaissance aircraft was designed and built in the strictest secrecy in the so-called company "skunk wax". He had excellent flight characteristics, which provided him with the ability to fly at high altitude and long range, thanks to the powerful engines and layout of the aircraft.

the Aircraft is made according to the normal aerodynamic scheme with a medium-lying trapezoidal wing of great elongation. Tandem chassis with resettable wing struts. 
the Pratt-Whitney J57 engine with a redesigned fuel supply system was used as a power plant, and the aircraft wing had a large elongation (like a glider) and allowed to increase the flight range by switching the engine to the flight small gas and planning for long distances. Designed to operate at altitudes where detection and interception were unlikely, the Lockheed U-2 was equipped with a large number of data acquisition devices. That the U-2 scout was detectable and vulnerable was demonstrated on may 1, 1960, when the aircraft was shot down by a surface-to-air anti-aircraft missile during a flight over the Soviet Union. Nevertheless, the value of the Lockheed U-2 was confirmed in 1962, when these aircraft detected an attempt to deploy ballistic missiles in Cuba.
the Initial production version of the Lockheed U-2A was equipped with turbojet J57-P-7 or J57-P-57A thrust 4763 or 5080 kg, respectively. Some u-2A aircraft under the designation WU-2A were used by the US air force for atmospheric research.