SJC-Alien From United States, joined Jul 1999, 916 posts, RR: 1 Reply 2, posted (3 months 1 day 23 hours ago) and read 1921 times:
Gong.!
years ago - on all China Lake NWS - all a/c with red insignia and lettering was related to a laser guided weapons program and I was wondering if that was the same type of scenario for the U-2/TR-1.
Rwessel From United States, joined Jan 2007, 596 posts, RR: 0 Reply 3, posted (3 months 1 day 21 hours ago) and read 1862 times:
My understanding is that the low visibility markings are there to satisfy the requirements that the aircraft have proper national insignia, but that they add as little visibility to the aircraft as possible. A bright white symbol or lettering on a black aircraft is counterproductive.
One of the books on the SR-71 stated that they spent a considerable amount of effort coming up with paint that could be used to apply the proper markings and stand up to the Mach 3+ heat, despite the fact that no one was ever going to be close enough to the aircraft to see them. Especially the ones on the top of the wings.
Spacepope From Vatican City State (Holy See), joined Dec 1999, 1706 posts, RR: 1 Reply 9, posted (3 months 1 day 5 hours ago) and read 1650 times:
Quoting Oroka (Reply 7): lol, in the case of the NKC-135E, it WAS a target to test the YAL-1s targeting systems.
Quoting Studedave (Reply 8): I didn't think so- 'cuz those ain't them... Next.
Is there a "Facepalm" smiley?
In any case, I wonder what kind of curtains they used on the captain's side windows of that 135. Even a targeting laser in the eye could really ruin your day!
Scooter01 From Norway, joined Nov 2006, 704 posts, RR: 5 Reply 10, posted (3 months 21 hours ago) and read 1559 times:
Quoting Studedave (Reply 8): Did you even read the rest of what I wrote???
(or ever see one of these birds we're talking about???)
I didn't think so- 'cuz those ain't them... Next.
Don't get so uptight....
Of course I read all you wrote, my point was that a lot of older planes (in the late 50's and early 60's) were painted black with red lettering and markings, so this is nothing new.
Maybe red since it is the first color of the spectrum that diappears when you lose the sunlight, -as at night (twilight) or as when going underwater.
As for your second question; YES -several times, first time when I was on holidays up north when I was 8 years old, saw one at an airshow in Toronto in the mid 80's and last time here last summer: http://www.luftfart.museum.no/Engelsk/Exhibitions/U-2.htm
Furthermore, as it happens, I have access to many interesting papers and photo-albums made by a neighbour and close friend who happened to drive RF-84Fs and RF-104Gs from Bodø both when the U-2s operated from there and when the "Sled" had some "diversions" to Bodø.
Scooter01
"We all have a girl and her name is nostalgia" - Hemingway
DODCFR From United States, joined Mar 2008, 44 posts, RR: 0 Reply 11, posted (3 months 21 hours ago) and read 1556 times:
Without a picture to look at I would have to guess that the red lettering is to identify the locations of the canopy ejection handles, or other safety/ egress devices used by the fireguys in the silver suits.
Spacepope From Vatican City State (Holy See), joined Dec 1999, 1706 posts, RR: 1 Reply 14, posted (2 months 4 weeks 1 day 18 hours ago) and read 1426 times:
Quoting Scooter01 (Reply 13): Black paint has been around since WW2 ,or possibly earlier, to conseal aircraft involved in night-time (or low-vis) operations
You're absolutely right. British bombers used black undersides with red lettering. This is not exactly re-inventing the wheel.
SJC-Alien From United States, joined Jul 1999, 916 posts, RR: 1 Reply 15, posted (2 months 4 weeks 18 hours ago) and read 1336 times:
How many other aircraft are up at 70,000ft flying around looking for a single U-2/TR-1.........to justify the low visibility red paint? If it was being tracked by a satellite - it's location would be known anyways.....why would it need low visibilty paint..?....only a handful of people know when these a/c are on a Mission - I don't understand the need for low visibilty paint on an a/c like this........that can virtually take off straight up in the air.....who is in the area watching for it..?
SJC-Alien From United States, joined Jul 1999, 916 posts, RR: 1 Reply 18, posted (2 months 4 weeks 1 hour ago) and read 1274 times:
2H4
that is why I posted the question in the 1st place....................
why is the lettering red on this aircraft..................?? Low visibiltiy is a plausible reason - but on this a/c..? Black Ops a/c photos from years ago didn't have red lettering - though a few did - I just feel there is another reason.
Spacepope From Vatican City State (Holy See), joined Dec 1999, 1706 posts, RR: 1 Reply 20, posted (2 months 3 weeks 6 days 20 hours ago) and read 1241 times:
Perhaps the red lettering on the U-2 (and SR-71s before) had more to do with low vis on approach and departure from their airbases. Especially with the SR-71, it could have been painted da-glo pink andit still wouldn't have helped the Russians...
Not being able to identify a specific aircraft (and therby not really being able to track its movements) has its benefits.
The T-38s belong to the same squadron as the U-2s. I think it's purely a commonality thing.
Scooter01 From Norway, joined Nov 2006, 704 posts, RR: 5 Reply 21, posted (2 months 3 weeks 6 days 20 hours ago) and read 1231 times:
Low visibility while "at work" has it's benefits, because somebody might try to object to this type of "work" with an AA-11.
The AA-11 is a heat-seeker but can also be steered by a HMS (Helmet Mounted Sight) and can be carried by aircraft like the Su-27 which has an official service-ceiling at about 60000'. You can find aircraft of the Su-27 family all over the world.
At those heights the sky or background is almost black, so why give the opposition the extra benefit of white markings that might give a contrast to the black background?
Quoting Spacepope (Reply 20): Not being able to identify a specific aircraft (and therby not really being able to track its movements) has its benefits.
That is also true...
Scooter01
"We all have a girl and her name is nostalgia" - Hemingway
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