U-2 "Dragon Lady" 20oz (590ml) Stainless Steel Tumbler

Sale price$21.99 USD

Tax excluded.


The U-2 Dragon Lady, introduced in 1957, is a high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft crafted by Lockheed Martin for the USAF. Distinguished by its long wings and lightweight structure, it soars at altitudes of up to 70,000 feet, enabling vital intelligence-gathering missions. The U-2's legacy includes an innovative emphasis on minimizing radar cross-section, a precursor to stealth technology. Despite its vintage, the U-2 remains a pivotal asset, serving global intelligence agencies and leaving an indelible mark on the evolution of reconnaissance and stealth aircraft.

 

In 1963, the CIA started Project Whale Tale to develop carrier-based U-2Gs to overcome range limitations. During the development of the capability, CIA pilots took off and landed U-2Gs on the aircraft carrier Ranger and other ships. The U-2G was used only twice operationally. Both flights from Ranger occurred in May 1964 to observe France's development of an atomic bomb test range at Moruroa in French Polynesia.