VIProds
I have written a number of articles about the overflights you are interested in as follows:
Op Ju-Jitsu the RB-45C overflights from Sculthorpe -
Op Ju Jitsu
The Canberra overflight of Kapustin Yar -
Kapustin Yar
The RAF U-2 overflights by Sqn Ldr Robbie Robinson and Flt Lt John MacArthur -
Lockheed U-2
The overflights from Sculthorpe were denied for many years but are now in the public domain and some years ago John Crampton wrote an excellent article about these sorties for the Aug 1997 edition of Air Pictorial. He also gave a presentation on this topic RAF Historical Societies symposium on Air Intelligence held on 22 March 1996.
The Canberra overflight of Kapustin Yar is still shrouded in mystery. References to the overflight began appearing in US publications in the mid-1960s, mainly based on a history written by Robert Amory who was Deputy Director of the CIA in the 1950s. Additional detail was added by Stewart Alsop in his book about the CIA entitled 'The Centre' published in 1968. Perhaps they knew what had happened or they confused this with Project Robin -
Project Robin Despite many people hunting throught numerous de-classified files in the National Archives, nothing confirming that this sortie took place has ever been found. My own view is that it did take place and that, for all sorts of reasons, the entire file was eventually destroyed, but I suspect we will never know the truth unless one of the aircrew involved finally breaks cover.
Although details of the RAF U-2 flights are freely available in many books and Robbie Robinson probably assisted in the article in the 7 Aug 1993 edition of Janes Defence Weekly which described in detail what happended, the official MOD position is much less clear. For reasons best known to someone at the MOD, the file on the RAF U-2 operations has still not been de-classified and the offical position seems to be that these sorties never took place!! John MacArthur was invited to talk to the RAF Historical Sopciety on his days on the U-2, but was unable to obtain approval from his 'minder' at MOD!!
I also suggest you get hold of a copy of 'Spyflights of the Cold War' by Paul Lashmar published by Sutton Publishing Ltd in 1996 ISBN 07509 11832 as this book covers many of these sorties and others, although much more detail is now available elsewhere. Also I recommend you try and read the proceedings of the Early Cold War Overflights symposium held at Bolling AFB, Washington on 22-23 Feb 2001 as the articles cover many fascinating sorties and is an appropriate testimony to the skill and bravery of all those involved.
Heimdall
The Spyflight Website