No, Not The Band... The Plane Of Course
The folks with the Experimental Aircraft Association tell ANN
the Lockheed U-2, an aircraft that grabbed headlines and
imaginations during the height of the Cold War and still is a key
"eye in the sky" for the US military, is the latest major aircraft
to join the long list of featured airplanes at EAA AirVenture
Oshkosh 2007.
This year's arrival of the U-2 marks the first appearance at
Oshkosh since 1997 for the sleek aircraft, which has been in use in
various configurations since August 1955. The U-2 is
currently scheduled to be at EAA AirVenture on July 26-29, and will
be parked on the event's showcase AeroShell Square. A US Air Force
T-38 support aircraft will also be part of the display.
"We look forward to welcoming the U-2 back to Oshkosh this year,
as we commemorate the U.S. Air Force's 60th anniversary," said Tom
Poberezny, EAA president and AirVenture chairman. "The
airplane's unique shape and flying capabilities, not to mention its
history and rarity for up-close viewing, makes it a popular draw.
Only at EAA AirVenture can one see the U-2 and scores of other
airplanes that have made history in one location."
A U-2 aircraft was involved in one of the most suspenseful
episodes of the Cold War, when one piloted by the late Francis Gary
Powers was shot down over the then-Soviet Union in 1960. An exhibit
of some of Powers' memorabilia, including that from a Soviet
prison, was on display at the EAA AirVenture Museum in 2002 and
2003.
The U-2 that will fly to EAA AirVenture 2007 is based at Beale
Air Force Base in California, and is one of just 33 that exist --
including five two-seat trainers and two ER-2 models operated by
NASA. The single-seat models flown by the US Air Force provide
continuous day or night, high-altitude, all-weather surveillance.
The aircraft provide critical intelligence for both combat and
peacetime operations.
Long, wide, straight wings give the U-2 glider-like
characteristics. It can carry a variety of sensors and cameras, is
an extremely reliable reconnaissance aircraft, and enjoys a high
mission completion rate. Because of its high altitude mission, the
pilot must wear a full pressure suit. The U-2 is capable of
collecting multi-sensor photo, electro-optic, infrared and radar
imagery, as well as performing other types of reconnaissance
functions.
Along with the U-2, a number of other Air Force aircraft will
participate in the 60th anniversary commemoration activities at EAA
AirVenture. Those aircraft will be announced as their appearances
are finalized.
Billed by the EAA as "The World's Greatest Aviation
Celebration," EAA AirVenture -- the 55th annual edition of the
Experimental Aircraft Association fly-in convention -- will take
place July 23-29 at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh, WI