mjt@mcnc.org (Michael Tighe) (10/25/89)
From: Michael Tighe <amdcad!mjt@mcnc.org> dep@ius3.ius.cs.cmu.edu (David Pugh) writes: >Was the U-2 really shot down? I've heard an alternate theory that the >U-2 had either a mechanical problem/structural failure/etc. Arguments >for the later theory included: Don't forget that the pilot of that U2, Gary Powers survived. Although he is now deceased, I do not believe he ever claimed mechanical trouble caused his aircraft to crash. > o No intelligence on the Soviets having a missle capable of > downing a U-2. What makes you say this? > o No other downed U-2s (the US stopped overflights over the > USSR, but Soviet clients could have probably gotten the > SAM and had lots of opportunity to use it). *Many* U2s have been shot down. They are just not publicized. Another U2 victim was Major Rudolph Andersen, who was shot down in over Cuba during the Cuban Missile Crisis. He did not survive.
military@cbnews.ATT.COM (William B. Thacker) (10/31/89)
From: lanl.gov!cmcl2!yale!spock!soup (Constantin von Wentzel) In article <10579@cbnews.ATT.COM> you write: > > >From: Michael Tighe <amdcad!mjt@mcnc.org> >dep@ius3.ius.cs.cmu.edu (David Pugh) writes: >*Many* U2s have been shot down. They are just not publicized. Another U2 >victim was Major Rudolph Andersen, who was shot down in over Cuba during >the Cuban Missile Crisis. He did not survive. Yeah, he was shot down but the difference was, that he had to fly at a relativly low altitude to confirm the mislle buildup over cuba. Since the U2 is a relativly slow flying plane it is no real wonder HOW he got shot down. Correct me if I'm wrong but I think that the U2's used over Cuba had to fly low, this is what I remember seeing in a film about that crisis a year ago. Constantin von Wentzel
mjt@mcnc.org (Michael Tighe) (11/04/89)
From: Michael Tighe <mjt@mcnc.org> > From: lanl.gov!cmcl2!yale!spock!soup (Constantin von Wentzel) > In article <10579@cbnews.ATT.COM> you write: > >> From: Michael Tighe <amdcad!mjt@mcnc.org> >> *Many* U2s have been shot down. They are just not publicized. Another U2 >> victim was Major Rudolph Andersen, who was shot down in over Cuba during >> the Cuban Missile Crisis. He did not survive. > Yeah, he was shot down but the difference was, that he had to fly at a > relativly low altitude to confirm the mislle buildup over cuba. Since the > U2 is a relativly slow flying plane it is no real wonder HOW he got shot > down. Correct me if I'm wrong but I think that the U2's used over Cuba had > to fly low, this is what I remember seeing in a film about that crisis a > year ago. There is rather extensive display on the Cuban Missile Crisis (and Aerial photo-reconnaissance in general) in the Smithsonian's Air & Space Museum. They have lots of photos, and audio-visual displays with the pilots who flew the missions. It is definitely worth checking out if you are in DC. According to this display, the U-2 flew the high altitude missions, and RF-4C's flew the low level missions (some as low as a few hundred feet). So perhaps the film you saw was that of a RF-4C, not a U-2. ------------- Michael Tighe Internet: mjt@ncsc.org