John MacArthur's flight was IIRC 3 flights before the Powers shootdown.
He launched out of Norway and recovered in Turkey after 9 hours with
about 5 minutes fuel left.
I asked him how he got the job. He'd been flying Hawker Hunters in
the RAF and was asked if he'd like to fly an interesting aircraft.
Next he was in the US learning to fly the U-2.
The Americans were nervous about flying their people over the USSR,
the Brits wanted to know what was going on over there too so agreed
to provide personnel for some flights. They had done this late
1940s/early 50s when they borrowed some B-45 Tornado bombers and flew
over the USSR including Moscow.
Now think about flying a single engine, sort of experimental aircraft
deep over the territory of a hostile power in 1959 and those people
are doing thier best to shoot you down. The U-2 pilots used to watch
the Migs climbing up and stalling out.
As I said.
If you haven't already done so I'd also recommend Brian Schul's books
"Sled driver" and "the Untouchables" about flying the SR-71. The
latter has a section where he and his backseater flew the pre, strike
day and post strike reconnaissance on the 1986 Libyan raid.
Starts off ingressing at IIRC Mach3.2 at 79000 feet, climbing slowly
and slightly behind the fuel consumption line. So he pushed it up a
little when a radar found them. Then some more as it began
acquisition (they figured the Libyans were pissed off and waiting for them).
Ends with seeing the water ahead and glancing at the Machmeter which
was reading numbers "large,scary and new to our experience". It also
made up to the fuel line. Still an amazing aircraft.
Mike
At 10:34 PM 3/10/2016, you wrote:
Content-Type: multipart/alternative;
boundary="----=_NextPart_000_005C_01D17B25.754249E0"
Content-Language: en-au
Hi Mike,
Big Brass ones ? Is this guy now a pawnbroker?
OK, OK, just joking; PLEASE tell us more.
Gary
From: Aus-soaring [mailto:aus-soaring-boun...@lists.base64.com.au]
On Behalf Of Mike Borgelt
Sent: Thursday, 10 March 2016 6:13 PM
To: Dave Donald; Discussion of issues relating to Soaring in Australia.
Subject: Re: [Aus-soaring] perlan
Yes, he's still around too. Living in Toowoomba.
He told us all about his flight over the USSR. Big, brass ones.
Mike
At 04:12 PM 3/10/2016, you wrote:
Wow. My interest was piqued when I saw 'RAF U2'. Got on line and saw
an article in the independent.co.uk which names Mr MacArthur. What a
fascinating bloke he would be talk to!
<https://overview.mail.yahoo.com/mobile/?.src=Android>Sent from
Yahoo7 Mail on Android
On Thu, 10 Mar, 2016 at 4:00 pm, Mike Cleaver
<<mailto:womba...@internode.on.net>womba...@internode.on.net> wrote:
The figures quoted in the article are the officially admitted FAI
records they hold. Unofficially higher flights were " classified "
information, but the F4 Phantom did a zoom climb to 104,000 ft at least once.
Wombat
Sent from Wombat's iPad
On 10 Mar 2016, at 12:48, Mike Borgelt
<<mailto:mborg...@borgeltinstruments.com>mborg...@borgeltinstruments.com>
wrote:
Apart from the bit about recreational glider pilots avoiding
mountain wave, the late model U-2 easily goes straight to 74,000
feet. There was an article in AW&ST about it years ago where they
flew an editor from the magazine in a two seater.
The A-12 (early single seat version)/SR71 was apparently tested to
91,000 feet or so. Kelly Johnson told them not to push their luck
any higher. Got that from Pat Halloran who used to fly U-2 and SR71.
I sure hope the Perlan guys have their meteorology right. John
MacArthur, former RAF U-2 pilot who lives in Toowoomba told be it
was always smooth as a baby's bottom at 70,000 feet. He did say they
avoided thunderstorms and known turbulence.
Mike
At 11:33 AM 3/10/2016, you wrote:
Even the aviation press doesn't always get things right.
<https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/perlan-2-glider-starts-cabin-pressurisation-tests-422970/>https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/perlan-2-glider-starts-cabin-pressurisation-tests-422970/
Mike
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