A bit of a long shot, i recall a book launch at Telford a few years ago for a U2 history by Chris Pocock, im looking for a snap of the Lockheed display model which was on the authors signing table, I seem to recall it had roundels on the black finish ? (im wandering if it was part of Lockheeds ASTOR proposals or a stand alone submission?) I dont recall seeing the U.2 noted as a type the RAF. were interested in purchasing directly? altho I do no a number of RAF. pilots flew the aircraft operationally
Cheers, Joe
Didn't I just read this post a while ago?
Yip, id posted it in the wrong section, :rolleyes:
One of my tasks during the festive break is to see if I can find the folder of relevant Telford snaps, im sure I photographed the model in question :banghead:
Cheers, Joe :)
The RAF would have certainly insisted on a Spey in the tail, and PRU Blue should look good on an U-2, too...?
I dunno know why they'd have needed U-2s when they already had Meteor PR19s.............. ;)
Quote from: PR19_Kit on December 23, 2015, 03:27:31 AM
I dunno know why they'd have needed U-2s when they already had Meteor PR19s.............. ;)
:thumbsup:
Hehe, good point Kit :thumbsup:
Roy Braybrook sketched a U.2 like Hunter derivative c. late 60's, I finished a model of same in overall PRU.blue, def suited the colour :)
Cheers, joe
Quote from: TsrJoe on December 23, 2015, 05:09:24 AM
Roy Braybrook sketched a U.2 like Hunter derivative c. late 60's, I finished a model of same in overall PRU.blue, def suited the colour :)
I've seen the drawing and your model Joe.
It looks superb, and a suitable candidate for a Freightdog conversion if only Revell would re-pop either of its Hunter kits!
PRU Blue wouldn't be good for the U-2 except maybe on top as the sky's black at high altitude or very very dark blue. You would want something like
1. Bottom: Dark-blue/black
2. Top: Hill Grey variation would have been decent
Quote from: KJ_Lesnick on February 03, 2016, 03:56:59 PM
PRU Blue wouldn't be good for the U-2 except maybe on top as the sky's black at high altitude or very very dark blue. You would want something like
1. Bottom: Dark-blue/black
2. Top: Hill Grey variation would have been decent
But it looks GREAT!
I'd go with PRU Blue or Medium Sea Grey upper sides (or even both for a two-tone scheme? The European U-2s based in Germany carried a two-tone erap-around scheme in light grey and light blue grey, IIRC) and Extra Dark Sea Grey undersides, which should be effective at altitude.
Dizzyfugu,
I thought they were all painted black?
NASA has a few white and blue ones.
The early U-2s weren't painted at all, they were still in NMF even when the USAF started flying them.
Quote from: KJ_Lesnick on February 04, 2016, 05:40:46 PM
Dizzyfugu,
I thought they were all painted black?
No, only later machines (when the TR-1 started) were black, AFAIK.
Here's one in that two-tone scheme:
(https://www.whatifmodellers.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.airpowerworld.info%2Fother-military-aircraft%2Flockheed-u-2.jpg&hash=9406df242426d082270be97c625981977040748a)
Quote from: Dizzyfugu on February 05, 2016, 02:00:58 AM
Quote from: KJ_Lesnick on February 04, 2016, 05:40:46 PM
Dizzyfugu,
I thought they were all painted black?
No, only later machines (when the TR-1 started) were black, AFAIK.
Not the case Thomas, some were black even in the early days. The one in the roof at Duxford is a black U-2A.
(https://www.whatifmodellers.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimageshack.com%2Fa%2Fimg924%2F3729%2FW8dGGN.jpg&hash=ae4734912c365ae985eb63e506e92a8d586a86f0)
I have never seen a camo U-2 ! Love it. I like the blue and gray idea, especially in RAF roundels.
:wub: :thumbsup: :cheers:
Early examples of the U-2 were in NMF.
When the CIA started operating them (two years before the USAF got any) they were black, and that tended to be the totality of markings that they carried.
USAF examples were NMF or overall light grey, and a whole lot of special schemes depending on what they were being used for.
The two tone camoflage scheme was known as the "Saber Scheme" and was applied to U-2Cs operating out of bases in the UK. This was at the insistence of the UK Government as it was felt that overall black would appear too sinister. :rolleyes:
The later "big" U-2s, U-2R etc, were invariably black.
There were of course examples operated by civilian agencies and these tended to be mostly white.
The two tone "sabre scheme" was the white and blue one?
Quote from: KJ_Lesnick on February 24, 2016, 08:34:06 AM
The two tone "sabre scheme" was the white and blue one?
Yes: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:U-2C_in_%22Sabre%22_livery_%282184203314%29.jpg
Not certain, but my bet would be on FS36622 (Camouflage Grey, from the SEA scheme; could also be FS36440) and 35190 (Pastel Blue) - there were USAF Cessna A-37s painted in a similar livery.