What U2 pilots carried.

The Virginian

The Virginian

New member
My father was a U2 pilot and flew with Gary Powers. Anywho, I was reading up on the U2 and saw these pics in a book "The U-2 Affair" that goes into detail about Gary Powers getting shot down. In formally Russia they still have all of his gear on display along with parts of the plane wreck.

This was circa 1960 and here's his the pistol that was issued to the pilots (my father as well) was a suppressed 22. Look at the length of that pistol they carried on their hip! I believe all of their gear was issued by the C.I.A., not the Airforce.


Some other points of interest:
The U-2 contained this Destructor Unit, housing a three-pound charge of cyclonite-enough to blow the plane to bits. The C.I.A. later said the explosive would only disable the camera and the equipment.


The controversial poison needle carried by powers, The C.I.A. said its use was optional.


The Russians made a public spectacle of the U-2 incident at the exhibition in Moscow's Gorki Park. Included in the display was this photograph of Powers posing uneasily in his flight helmet.


Eric
 
That is neat stuff.
Wonder what the controversy was regarding the poison needle, and what did they tell pilots the use of it would be like? You know, quick, painless? Perhaps better off making a futile stand with your silenced 22 pistol?
 
I think that mighta been a Randall Bird and Trout model in the picture.
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Originally Posted By: RhinoriderAt first I thought it was a High Standard but there is no take down button. Maybe a Smith?

Nah. That's a Colt Woodsman. A seriously modified Colt Woodsman. A fine gun too.
 
All the stuff that was recovered is on display in the museum of artillery in St. Petersburg. I was there about 5 years ago.

It was worth seeing.

Jack
 
Very neat post! It amazes me at times the variety of folks that gather at these sorts of forums and what they bring to the table.
 
The Soviets should be proud of getting those things. It took volleys of missles and shooting down a couple of their own aircraft before one missle was able to make it to the plane. And if we are to believe the Military Channel, this was due to the engine flaming out at high altitude and Powers' efforts to restart the engine failed as he slowly glided down to thicker air. Interestingly, none of this is mentioned in the public histories available on the net.
 
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Originally Posted By: The VirginianDang...
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I thought they were still in service at Beale AFB. They had a long run, that's for sure.

Eric,
I'm pretty sure they were still in service.
The satellites took over most of the surveillance duties, but there were times when the satellite orbits weren't in the optimal positions to get real-time info and the U-2's took up the slack.
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Every time we travel south on US 23 from where we live into VA, we go through the little hometown of Francis Gary Powers, and I always watch for the little dinky sign that they have put up to honor such a great American hero.
 
Originally Posted By: fw707Originally Posted By: The VirginianDang...
frown.gif
I thought they were still in service at Beale AFB. They had a long run, that's for sure.

Eric,
I'm pretty sure they were still in service.
The satellites took over most of the surveillance duties, but there were times when the satellite orbits weren't in the optimal positions to get real-time info and the U-2's took up the slack.
thumbup1.gif


Every time we travel south on US 23 from where we live into VA, we go through the little hometown of Francis Gary Powers, and I always watch for the little dinky sign that they have put up to honor such a great American hero.

Sounds like a road trip for me to go see it. I agree it's a sad state of affair that most of our country never even heard of these pilots. Seriously they had balls that barely fit in their flight suits. The way my father told it, back then the U-2 was the Swiss Army Knife of the USAF. Designed to cruise at 70,000 feet and take pics of anything they wanted, nothing could touch the (unless they had a flame out like Mr. Powers). Back then they had to mix the air fuel mixture by hand. The computers I don't believe were sophisticated enough. They were also set up with a nuclear head and flew on the deck below radar to strike home on a nuclear attack. A no return mission. I believe that was the Korean theater.

Here's a pic of pop if there's any interest... (getting off topic for guns, so my apologies gentlemen)

Eric

 
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