Five Amazing Facts About the Lockheed U-2

The Lockheed U-2 has been around for decades, but much of the information was classified.  A new book is coming out, and it will probably be interesting.

The amazing fact I learned is that due to the operating altitude, conventional jet fuel boils off.  To research an appropriate fuel, they turned to Jimmy Doolittle, of Doolittle Raid fame, who was then a VP at Shell Oil.

The amazing facts are:

  1. The U-2 was often mistaken for a UFO.
  2. Jimmy Doolittle developed the U-2 fuel.
  3. The U-2 was delivered on-time and under budget.
  4. U-2 pilots were given suicide pills.
  5. Pilots had special diets to minimize the need to poop.