“Firestreak” (#42) or Mike Hale (#45) Zoom climbs in a Lightning
Will “Firestreak” (#42) or Mike Hale (#45) please describe for us the profile that they used to reach a U-2 flying at it’s normal height of some 70,000’+?
On start up, the Lightning Mk3 (including XR749) had a maximum of 7,576 lbs of jet fuel in the tanks (2 x 2,496 AVTUR in the main and leading edge tanks, 2 x 264 in the flaps, 2 x40 in the recuperators & 1 x 1,976 in the ventral tank).
Frank Powers in his book “Operation Overflight” writes that he was in cruise climb when he was shot down over central Russia in 1960. He states that he told his Russian interrogators that he was at a lower altitude of 68,000’ so as to protect the true capability of the U-2C. Chris Pocock, the celebrated U-2 author writes in his 1989 U-2 book Dragon Lady:
“Maximum altitude continued to depend on weight, outside air temperature,and other variables, but was still around 75,000’ for all practical purposes.”
So, “Firestreak” & MH please give us the broad outline of the Mk3 climb profile that you used to zoom to great heights. It will help other aviators to understand and possibly believe these zoom claims. Credence will be added by including:
- 1 max IAS/Mach/altitude at the end of the acceleration (energy)?
- 2 IAS/Mach passing say 60,000’, 70,000’ & 88,000’?
- 3 IAS/Mach/altitude at your U-2/Concorde intercept?
At peak altitude, were the burners still alight, did the pilot throttle back, and was there severe banging in the air intake just under your feet? Did either of the engines flame out?
What fuel did you land with and
where?
After all it should be in your logbook.
A footnote: FAI certified time to height records were set by U-2C article 349 on 17 Apr 89 at Edwards AFB by NASA pilot Jerry Hoyt. (349 was built in the mid 1950s, ex CIA, donated to NASA).
U2C Time to Height Records recorded by FAI observers -
airframe ‘349’ on retirement to a museum, 34 years after the first flight of this airframe.
- 00 to 9,842 feet in 52 seconds
- 49,212 feet in 6 mins 15 secs
- 65,617 feet in 12 mins 13 secs
- 73,700 feet in 16 mins from brake release