Weather balloons
I can confirm that there were absolutely no, non, ziltch U2's at Akrotiri in the '80's when we visited often and regular.
Did see the all-black weather balloons a lot though. Seem to remember a veryyy nice V8 engined pick-up used for chase back then.
Strangest thing I ever did see in aviation in about '87. A weather balloon doing circuits and bumps. All morning. Not the usual noise at 0-early o'clock. One of the guys took some great pics of the weather balloon. Never saw the prints though.
And besides, if there were U2's based there and not weather balloons, we wouldn't have been allowed to take pictures of them, would we?
What was that? Not supposed to take pi....... Oh. Damn.
Also remember the 'T' shirts.
camlobe