combat aircraft

‘PF’ took the controls, obtained a climb-

out clearance to 10,000ft and taxied

 awlessly onto the runway centerline. As

he completed the pre-take-o checklist I

noticed the maintenance crew scurrying

beneath the wings assuring that the

‘pogos’ were safety-wired to remain in

their wing sockets for the duration of the

 ight and until I could possibly learn to

stall and remain on the runway. Mobile

circled us and gave a ‘thumbs-up’ as ‘PF’

advanced the throttle to 80 per cent

while standing on the brakes for one

last instrument check. What happened

next took my breath away. Releasing the

brakes, he  rewalled the throttle as I was

slammed back in the seat, and after a

take-o roll of about 250ft the U-2 leapt

into the air as he rotated the nose past 60°,

dumping my cheat sheets somewhere

behind the ejection seat. We took o

half-way down the runway with 6,000ft

remaining and leveled o at 10,000ft

before crossing the departure end. All I

could remember during that 40-second

climb from brake release was uttering one

expletive prior to becoming speechless.

I was handed the controls as we

departed for the practice area so that

I could get the feel of this incredible

machine. When I commented that the

controls were not dissimilar from the

KC-135, ‘PF’ stated that the ‘Dragon Lady’

was designed to  y above 70,000ft where

the controls were feather-light and why

she was such a handful low down.

http://www.combataircraft.net // July 2018 89

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