ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 155918
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| Date: | Wednesday 19 December 1956 |
| Time: | |
| Type: | Lockheed U-2A |
| Owner/operator: | Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) |
| Registration: | 56-6690 |
| MSN: | 3357 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Navajo Indian Reservation, North Eastern Arizona -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Test |
| Departure airport: | Groom Lake, Nevada |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
On December 19 1956, CIA pilot Bob Ericson was flying U-2A (56-6690) at 35,000 feet when he suffered an oxygen failure. As he began to pass out, the aircraft went out of control. Ericson managed to open the canopy, and parachute to a safe landing on the Navajo Indian Reservation in Arizona.
56-6690 was modified for a series of radar cross section (RCS) tests called Project RAINBOW. Lockheed attempted to reduce the RCS of the U-2 using radar-absorbent materials.
Another U-2, 56-6677, was strung with piano wire of varying dipole lengths between the nose and wings of the aircraft to reduce the radar signature. These methods created extra drag with a resultant penalty in range and altitude. The U-2 aircraft modified under Project RAINBOW were known as "dirty birds" because they were not aerodynamically "clean."
Sources:
http://www.dreamlandresort.com/area51/dreamland_timeline.html
http:/ona/www.blackbirds.net/u2/u2local.html
http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1956_2.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Navajo_Nation
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 13-May-2013 09:29 | Dr. John Smith | Added |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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