Spotter type question

[Noeyedear]

I entered the Edmonton FIR today around 1500z and after touching base with centre, I heard "Dragon 21" giving a position report at FL600.

The guy on the radio was clearly pressure breathing.

My curiosity has got the better of me and I have to ask, what aircraft type would it have been?

Cheers.

[NutLoose]

https://henney.com/chm/callsign.htm

[unmanned_droid]

Most likely a U2.

[N707ZS]

F 15s use Dragon.

[Chris Kebab]

Have heard U2s operating in the UK use Dragon more than once, so, given it's at 600, it probably is as suggested above a U2.

[Downwind.Maddl-Land]

Especially as the the U2/TR1 is known colloquially as the 'Dragon Lady'

[Rhino power]

Originally Posted by N707ZS

F 15s use Dragon.

F-15s don't (routinely) operate at FL600...

-RP

[Airbubba]

From the callsign link above: DRAGON U-2R 9th RW, Beale AFB, CA

[TEEEJ]

Dragon 21 was U-2S serial 80-1085.

https://www.jetphotos.com/photo/7358086

[Noeyedear]

Thanks Folks.

My colleague at the time suggested U2, but I thought they were no longer operational. Silly me.

[BirdmanBerry]

They most certainly are. 2 went out of RAF Fairford last week and the sky was alive with the noise, crazy!

[Herod]

"Dragon Lady" I lived with one for a while, many years ago. Sadly, more "Dragon" than "Lady"

[chevvron]

Originally Posted by BirdmanBerry

They most certainly are. 2 went out of RAF Fairford last week and the sky was alive with the noise, crazy!

Akrotiri 1986 you certainly knew when it departed about 7 am local time.

[Herod]

Akrotiri 1986 you certainly knew when it departed about 7 am local time.

It was never there!! There is a thread on here somewhere about that.

[chevvron]

Originally Posted by Herod

It was never there!! There is a thread on here somewhere about that.

Yes I know; I (didn't) start the thread after finding the GE image on that day showed an aircraft lining up at Akrotiri which wasn't there!
I was there with cadets on Easter camp and we went to the beach near the little harbour at the east end of the SBA where there was a perfect view of aircraft on final; when the aircraft which wasn't there came into view, one hundred odd cameras were pointed at it and the ACLO was running round saying 'you can't take a photo of that'.

[Herod]

the ACLO was running round saying 'you can't take a photo of that'.

There would only have been pictures of blue sky, since it wasn't there!!

[pr00ne]

The Russians knew that it was there, the Egyptians knew that it was there, the Syrians knew that it was there, the Iraqis knew that it was there, local Cypriots knew that it was there, what on earth was the point of trying to convince Air Cadets and the public that it was not there?

[Herod]

pr00ne. I don't think you understand the humour. Check out the original thread.

[Yellow Sun]

Originally Posted by pr00ne

The Russians knew that it was there, the Egyptians knew that it was there, the Syrians knew that it was there, the Iraqis knew that it was there, local Cypriots knew that it was there, what on earth was the point of trying to convince Air Cadets and the public that it was not there?

It’s purpose was to distract people from the Nimrod without a MAD boom taking off in the opposite direction

YS

[chevvron]

Originally Posted by Yellow Sun

It’s purpose was to distract people from the Nimrod without a MAD boom taking off in the opposite direction

YS

Well there might have been a Nimrod with 'unusual appendages' there during my stay but I couldn't possibly say could I?
I might (not) even have a photo of it somewhere.Wink