How do you move an aircraft that no longer flies? This time-lapse video of the Lockheed U-2C being lowered gives you a sense of the work involved with lowering and moving artifacts of this scale.
The Lockheed U-2 was recently removed from the Looking at Earth gallery as part of our ongoing renovation of the Museum in DC.
The Lockheed U-2 is an incredibly versatile, and successful intelligence gathering aircraft designed for high-altitude flight. Satellites are still unable to rival the precision and speed in which the U-2 can complete tasks. It is one of the few aircraft types that has been in service for over 50 years and continues to serve today.