this is the BBC factfile ( 😆 ) on the u2
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http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/2561617.stm
[h1]Fact file: U-2S[/h1]
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/38571000/gif/_38571613_u2s_pic.gif
A high-altitude surveillance aircraft which first flew in 1955 and figured prominently in the Cold War. It is still invaluable to military commanders.
The U-2 was developed as a CIA project to photograph Soviet military facilities. To do so, U-2s were based in great secrecy at Adana in Turkey – later renamed the Incirlik airbase – and operated out of Pakistan.
That was until 1960, when a U-2 was shot down by a volley of Soviet surface-to-air missiles. The pilot, Gary Powers, ejected but was captured and held for two years on spying charges.
It was also a U-2 that showed Soviet missiles being put into Cuba in October 1962. Another was shot down on a similar mission shortly afterwards. Another five have been brought down over China.
The aircraft is long and thin, with wings 100 feet (30.5 metres) across that are more like those of a glider. Landing is so difficult that it requires advice from a second pilot in a chase car that follows the U-2 along the runway.
Later, U-2S versions are bigger and the single engine was updated to be more powerful but also more economical.
It flies at less than 500 mph (805 kph), but its significance as a reconnaissance aircraft is that it can cruise at up to 90,000 ft (27,430 m) – more than 17 miles (27 km) up and so high that the single pilot has to wear a space suit. It is a very uncomfortable flying environment.
The U-2S has interchangeable noses and an equipment bay that allow it to carry different sensors for a variety of roles such as photographic, electro-optic, infrared and radar.
There are thought to be 31 in service, based in the United States, France, Cyprus, Saudi Arabia and South Korea.
Crew: One
Length: 63 feet (19.2 m)
Wingspan: 103 feet (31.39 m)
Max Speed: 430 mph (692 kph)
Weight: 40,000 pounds (18,144 kg)
Range: 6,000 Miles+ (9,650 km+)
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and this is the BBC article on the crash in South Korea
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http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/2695503.stm
Sunday, 26 January, 2003, 10:24 GMT
[h1]US spy plane crashes near Seoul[/h1]
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/38740000/jpg/_38740519_300crash_a…
The crash injured three people on the ground
A United States U2 reconnaissance aircraft has crashed south of the South Korean capital, Seoul.
The pilot ejected by parachute before the crash and suffered only minor injuries.
Three people on the ground were lightly wounded when the plane exploded as it hit a residential area in Hwasong City in Kyonggi Province damaging a house and car repair shop.
The emergency services and US investigators are at the scene.
Pilot in hospital
The plane, which had taken off from a nearby US military base at Osan, crashed shortly before 1500 (0600GMT).
http://news.bbc.co.uk/media/images/38740000/gif/_38740689_korea_hwasung…
The cause of the crash is not yet known although one report has suggested the plane may have had engine problems.
A military investigation has been launched.
Around 37,000 American troops are based in South Korea to help counter any threat from the Communist North.
The two Koreas are still technically at war as their three year conflict ended in an armed truce and not a permanent peace treaty.
North Korea has accused US spy plans of increasing surveillance missions of the country since President Bush took office.
South Korea’s defence minister said recently that since United Nations nuclear inspectors were expelled by North Korea in December, both Seoul and Washington had stepped up their monitoring of North Korea’s nuclear facilities.
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there is a real media piece from the BBC here – i haven’t seen it cos i can’t be arsed with my 56k modem
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after a google news search i got these
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from the straights times
[h1]3 injured on ground as US spy plane crashes near Seoul [/h1]
Pilot ejects to safety; plane’s wreckage sets building on fire
SEOUL – A US U-2 spy plane crashed after its pilot ejected near the South Korean capital yesterday, injuring three people on the ground, the Defence Ministry said.
Police said three people on the ground suffered minor injuries after the wreckage of the plane landed on a vacant plot near a vehicle repair shop, engulfing the building in flames.
US Air Force spokesman Lieutenant Toni Tones said the pilot ‘successfully ejected’ from the plane before it crashed and was the only person onboard.
She said the plane from the fifth reconnaissance squadron of the US 7th Air Force base in nearby Osan crashed in a remote area near Hwasong, about 80 km south of Seoul.
Lt Tones gave no reason for the crash, noting that a military investigation had just begun.
Local resident Kim Yong Pyo told the Korean Broadcasting System (KBS): ‘The plane hit and completely destroyed a car centre. A nearby house caught fire too when the wreckage hit the building.’
Fire was believed to have broken out in an engine of the plane before the crash, the KBS said without giving a source for the information.
The crash comes as the United States is locked in a standoff with communist North Korea over its nuclear ambitions.
It also comes during heightened anti-US sentiment in South Korea after two teenage schoolgirls were crushed to death last June by a US armoured vehicle during exercises.
The deaths and the acquittal of the two American soldiers driving the vehicle sparked huge demonstrations against the US military presence.
About 37,000 US troops are based in South Korea to provide defence against the North. –Reuters, AFP
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[h1]US spy plane crashes in S Korea[/h1]
January 27, 2003
A US spy plane crashed in South Korea yesterday about 80km from the heavily fortified border with North Korea, injuring three local people.
The pilot, who was the only person on board the plane, survived by ejecting before the crash and suffered only minor injuries, US air force spokesman Andrew Leonhard said.
Staff-Sergeant Leonhard said three South Koreans on the ground were injured, prompting an apology from the US military.
“We are deeply sorry for this accident,” 7th Air Force base vice-commander Brigadier-General Mark Beesley said.
“We will make every effort to provide assistance for the individuals who were injured in this accident and take the necessary steps to ensure the claims process works quickly and effectively.”
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Yahoo has reutuers view here
[h1]U.S. Spy Plane Crashes in S.Korea, 3 Hurt[/h1]
Sun Jan 26, 4:40 AM ET
SEOUL (Reuters) – A U.S. U-2 spy plane crashed after its pilot ejected near the South Korean capital on Sunday, injuring three people on the ground, the Defense Ministry said.
The aircraft was returning to a U.S. airbase in Osan when it crashed into a hillside in Hwasong city, south of Seoul, news agency Yonhap said.
Three people on the ground sustained minor injuries after the wreckage of the plane landed on a vacant plot near an auto repair shop, engulfing the building in flames, local police in Hwasong told Reuters.
The pilot ejected before the crash and had been taken to hospital for treatment of minor injuries, a U.S. military spokesman said.
He was said to have reported engine trouble just before the crash, Yonhap said. It was the third crash of a Lockheed Martin U-2 on the Korean peninsula. One crashed near Osan in 1984 and the second into the sea off the east coast in 1992.
“The plane crashed at around 3 p.m. and the pilot had ejected,” a spokesman for the U.S. Forces in Korea said, adding the pilot had been taken to hospital with minor injuries.
“The plane hit and completely destroyed a car center,” resident Kim Yong-pyo told Korean Broadcasting System. “A nearby house caught fire too when the wreckage hit the building.”
The crash comes as the United States is locked in a standoff with communist North Korea (news – web sites) over its nuclear ambitions. Pyongyang says it will only discuss the crisis with Washington and the United States says it will talk but not negotiate.
The incident comes amid heightened anti-U.S. sentiment in South Korea (news – web sites) after two teenage schoolgirls were crushed to death last June by a U.S. armored vehicle during exercises.
The deaths and the acquittal of the two U.S. soldiers driving the vehicle sparked huge demonstrations against the U.S. military presence.
About 37,000 U.S. troops are based in South Korea to provide defense against the North. Korea has been divided by the heavily fortified demilitarized zone since the 1950-53 Korean War.
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yahoo has all these pics
http://us.news1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/rids/20030126/s/1043603409.32885…
U.S. soldier stands guard in front of the wreckage of a crashed U.S. spy plane in Hwasong, west of Seoul, on January 26, 2003. The U-2 spy plane crashed after its pilot ejected near Seoul on Sunday, injuring three people on the ground, the Defense Ministry said. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon
http://us.news1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/rids/20030126/s/1043603279.40937…
A South Korean policeman (R) and soldier look down on the site of a crashed U.S. spy plane as a U.S. helicopter passes in Hwasong, west of Seoul, on January 26, 2003. The U-2 spy plane crashed after its pilot ejected near Seoul on Sunday, injuring three people on the ground, the Defense Ministry said. REUTERS/Rhee Dong-Min
http://us.news1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/rids/20030126/s/1043603272.35569…
A U.S. soldier stands guard in front of the site where a U.S. spy plane crashed in Hwasong, west of Seoul, on January 26, 2003. The U-2 spy plane crashed after its pilot ejected near Seoul on Sunday, injuring three people on the ground, the Defense Ministry said. REUTERS/Rhee Dong-Min
http://us.news1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/rids/20030126/s/1043603183.37583…
A construction vehicle burns after a U.S. spy plane crashed in Hwasong, west of Seoul, on January 26, 2003. A U-2 spy plane crashed after its pilot ejected near Seoul on Sunday, injuring three people on the ground, the Defense Ministry said. REUTERS/Stringer
http://us.news1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/rids/20030126/s/1043603114.33556…
South Korean firemen attempt to put out a fire on a construction vehicle following the crash of a U.S. aircraft in Hwasong, west of Seoul, January 26, 2003. The U-2 spy plane crashed after its pilot ejected near Seoul on Sunday, injuring three people on the ground, the Defense Ministry said. REUTERS/Stringer
http://us.news1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/rids/20030126/s/1043602842.40938…
A South Korean rescue team checks the crash site of a U.S. aircraft in Hwasong, west of Seoul, on January 26, 2003. The U-2 spy plane crashed after its pilot ejected near Seoul on Sunday, injuring three people on the ground, the Defense Ministry said. REUTERS/Rhee Dong-Min
http://us.news1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/rids/20030126/s/1043602766.35569…
South Korean policemen stand guard at the crash site of a U.S. spy plane in Hwasong, west of Seoul, on January 26, 2003. The U-2 spy plane crashed after its pilot ejected near Seoul on Sunday, injuring three people on the ground, the Defense Ministry said. REUTERS/Rhee Dong-Min
http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20030126/lthumb.1043589528.so…
South Korean residents and police officials look at the wreckage of a U.S. U-2 spy plane after it crashed in Hwasung, 10 kilometers (6 miles) west of U.S. Air Base at Osan where it took off, Sunday, Jan. 26, 2003. The U.S. military spy plane crashed in South Korea on Sunday, but the American pilot ejected safely with only minor injuries, the U.S. military said. Media reports said three people on the ground were injured when the aircraft exploded. (AP Photo/YONHAP, Shin Young-kyun).
http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20030126/lthumb.1043588409.so…
U.S. soldiers stand by the wreckage of a U-2 spy plane after it crashed in Hwasung, 10 kilometers (6 miles) west of U.S. Air Base at Osan where it took off, Sunday, Jan. 26, 2003. The U.S. military spy plane crashed in South Korea on Sunday, January 26, 2003, but the American pilot ejected safely with only minor injuries, the U.S. military said. Media reports said three people on the ground were injured when the aircraft exploded. (AP Photo/Dong-A Ilbo, Park Young-dae) ** KOREA OUT *8
http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20030126/lthumb.1043588127.so…
A U.S. soldier investigates the wreckage of a U-2 spy plane after it crashed in Hwasung, 10 kilometers (6 miles) west of U.S. Air Base at Osan where it took off, Sunday, Jan. 26, 2003. A U.S. military spy plane crashed in South Korea (news – web sites) on Sunday, but the American pilot ejected safely with only minor injuries, the U.S. military said. Media reports said three people on the ground were injured when the aircraft exploded. (AP Photo/Dong-A Ilbo, Park Young-dae)
http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20030126/lthumb.1043579767.so…
An armed U.S. soldier walks by the wreckage of a U-2 spy plane after it crashed in Hwasung, 10 kilometers (6 miles) west of U.S. Air Base at Osan where it took off, Sunday, Jan. 26, 2003. A U.S. military spy plane crashed in South Korea on Sunday, but the American pilot ejected safely with only minor injuries, the U.S. military said. Media reports said three people on the ground were injured when the aircraft exploded. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon).
http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20030126/lthumb.1043578558.so…
A U.S. soldier walks by the wreckage of a U-2 spy plane after it crashed in Hwasung, 10 kilometers (6 miles) west of U.S. Air Base at Osan where it took off, Sunday, Jan. 26, 2003. A U.S. military spy plane crashed in South Korea on Sunday, but the American pilot ejected safely with only minor injuries, the U.S. military said. Media reports said three people on the ground were injured when the aircraft exploded. (AP Photo/Yonhap) KOREA OUT
http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20030126/lthumb.1043578546.so…
U.S. soldiers and South Korean residents look at the wreckage of a U-2 spy plane after it crashed in Hwasung, 10 kilometers (6 miles) west of U.S. Air Base at Osan where it took off, Sunday, Jan. 26, 2003. A U.S. military spy plane crashed in South Korea on Sunday, but the American pilot ejected safely with only minor injuries, the U.S. military said. Media reports said three people on the ground were injured when the aircraft exploded. (AP Photo/Yonhap) KOREA OUT
http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20030126/lthumb.1043578207.so…
U.S. soldiers walk by the wreckage of a U-2 spy plane after it crashed in Hwasung, 10 kilometers (6 miles) west of U.S. Air Base at Osan where it took off, Sunday, Jan. 26, 2003. A U.S. military spy plane crashed in South Korea on Sunday, January 26, 2003, but the American pilot ejected safely with only minor injuries, the U.S. military said. Media reports said three people on the ground were injured when the aircraft exploded. (AP Photo/ Yonhap) KOREA OUT
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January 27, 2003 at 10:44 am
