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Old 25th Sep 2016, 14:10
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AtomKraft
 
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Well, Megan.

It took off and the pilot had a catatonic seizure. Conked out.

The a/c was a bit left wing low and in a shallow descent. They sent up another jet for a look see, but couldn't do anything that woke the pilot up.

It continued as it was and looked set to hit still with the left wing down, which would no doubt have caused a cartwheel.

Just before this happened, it flew through a set of power lines. Amazingly, this happened in such a way that the a/c was restored to wings level and it then flopped into a field with the engine still running. Fuel came out, but ran away downslope without catching fire.

The arrival woke the pilot up and he decided to leave the scene. However, as he climbed out, he accidentally fired the ejection seat. He did a somersault and landed on the ground beside the plane. It chipped one of his teeth.
As he stood there, presumably trying to gather his thoughts, his seat arrived beside him with a mighty thud- but without hitting him.

The U-2C was recovered, and I believe it's the one preserved at Davis-Monthan AFB.

Info by memory from Chris Pococks' book 'Dragon Lady'.

edit to add, the one lost over Sverdlovsk on Mayday 1960 was also force landed previously somewhere in Japan. I think he was out of gas. It was rebuilt and went on to take its place in history as Frank Powers mount that day. Was article #360 I believe.
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