The Lockheed U2: Spying Before Satellites 

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

I'd love an A380 video Simon!

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

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

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.

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!

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

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

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

Cover battleship Yamato, the largest Naval decoration ever

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 .>

Great story, and a true aviation legend.

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.

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

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

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

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

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.

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.

Cheers Simon. Your videos are great.

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

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!

Do the antonov an-225

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."

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

You should cover the US interstate highway system.

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

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

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

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

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

Keep up the good content!

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

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!

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

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!

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

I would love to see the XB 70 covered, it was the USA's mach 3 supersonic bomber which never entered service. Super interesting plane and one of the largest bombers ever built

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.

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

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.

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

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!!

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.

Good video Simon....

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

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

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...

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

“ONE of MY other channels” absolute mad lad

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

Really liked this episode

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.

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

Hope you do the sr71 as well

Love your video especially the military videos.

Excellent episode! Please make one about the Erickson Aircrane ;)

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)

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

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

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.

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.

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....

Do all the planes! Love this channel!

Amazing that a plane and it’s camera used in the 1950s is still relevant today.

As a former submariner I'd love to see your take on the Ohio Class SSBNs, and as an aviation enthusiast, a video on the SR-71 Blackbird. I got to sit in the cockpit of one as a young teen. Fascinating machines.

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

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.

Kelly Johnson, a literal legend.

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!

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. 😛

Great channel.

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.

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

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

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.

Awesome video! Had no idea that the U2 was still being used today. Would be really cool to see a video on the Horton HO 229. That also was a plane that was decades ahead of its time.

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

Yes please, please do a video about Skunk Works! 👍

Used to be stationed at a base with a U2 that took daily flights to monitor Cuba. Was awesome to watch it land. 2 S.P. cars would drive out on flight line and get under its wings as it rolled down the runway so they would tip into the ground.

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

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

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

I love cold war stuff ! Thank you Simon ! All your channels are absolutelly amazing!

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

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

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

This is my favourite video on the channel. I'd love to see an A-6 Intruder video.

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