Still shrouded in secrecy over 35 years after its creation, the Lockheed U-2C was originally designed as a strategic reconnaissance aircraft, playing a crucial role during the tense years of the Cold War. Built by the famous ‘Skunk Works" by Lockheed under the direction of Clarence L. "Kelly" Johnson, the U-2C was truly one of the most successful intelligence- gathering aircraft ever produced. The U-2C on display at NASM flew the first operational mission over the USSR on 4 July 1956, piloted by Hervey Stockman. Highlighted in this image is the exhaust on the Lockheed U-2C. Created by Mark Avino Date Created 09/25/2017 Source Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum Keywords Aircraft; Aviation; Cold War; Military; Reconaissance Rights and Restrictions CC0
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