Dragon Lady

✈DRAGON LADY🚀

The Lockheed U-2, nicknamed “Dragon Lady”, is an American single-jet engine, ultra-high altitude reconnaissance aircraft operated by the United States Air Force and previously flown by the Central Intelligence Agency. It provides day and night, high-altitude, all-weather intelligence gathering.This aircraft is introduced during the cold War (between American and Russia)to be able to detect the Russian hide and seek!

Top speed: 805 km/h Introduced: 1957 Wingspan: 31 m Range: 960 km Engine type: General Electric F118

👁‍DO YOU KNOW WHY HIGH WINGS ARE MOSTLY USED IN RECONNAISSANCE /CARGO AIRCRAFTS?

✅Due to lower aspect ratio it produces more induced drag. More induced drag means higher co-efficient lift that make the reconnaissance aircraft can go up to 70,000ft.

Reasons:

1⃣.The horizontal tail area of an aircraft with a high wing is about 20% larger than the horizontal tail area with low wing. ✈more downwash of a high wing on the tail ✈structurally about 20% heavier than low wing but can reduces when struts are employed. The struts can withstand the tensile stress which gives the aircraft lighter.

2⃣.High wing will increase dihedral effect 🛫It makes the aircraft laterally more stable 🛫The aircraft lateral control is weaker compared with mid-wing and low-wing, since the aircraft has more laterally dynamic stability. Eg. Antonov An-22

3⃣.Producing more induced drag(di) due to higher lift co-efficient(Induced drag=C²L/pi.e.AR) 🛩Produce more lift compare with mid and low wing.

4⃣.During take-off and landing operations, the ground will influence the wing pressure distribution ✈The wing lift will be slightly lower than the low wing configuration ✈The aircraft will have low stall speed since CLmax will be higher.

5⃣Eases and facilitates the loading and unloading of loads and cargo into and out of cargo aircraft. ✈facilitates the taking off and leading from the sea