# U-2 video. Nice footage! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 10, 2010, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-2-video-nice-footage/535663 "2010-04-10T20:11:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2010, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-2-video-nice-footage/535663/1 "2010-04-10T20:11:27Z")
> **[Wimp.com](https://www.wimp.com/)** > > Amazing Videos, Funny Clips. Updated daily. That guy has a helluva job. Sure, he has to eat baby food through a straw; and he probably has to piss in his suit. But imagine seeing what he sees every day! šŸ†’ I wonder why nobody (or if anybody) has tried to build a homebuilt that could give a taste of what the U-2 does? ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2010, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-2-video-nice-footage/535663/2 "2010-04-10T20:15:21Z")
Wow, the Air Force is getting lax. I wouldā€™ve thought 20/20 vision would be a minimum requirement for that job. šŸ™‚ ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2010, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-2-video-nice-footage/535663/3 "2010-04-10T20:46:22Z")
why do they still have U-2 planes? I would have thought that satellites would have replaced their spy function? also, how does it keep from tipping over on the ground, when it only has two sets of wheels, in direct line? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2010, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-2-video-nice-footage/535663/4 "2010-04-10T20:59:49Z")
Unlike satellites, a U-2ā€™s flight path cannot be predicted. Assets can be assigned as need arises. The wings have titanium skids on them for landing. (Of course, it would only tip over at low speeds.) For take-off there are outrigger wheels called ā€˜pogosā€™ that fit into sockets near the wingtip. These fall off upon take-off, and the ground crew puts them on after landing for taxiing. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2010, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-2-video-nice-footage/535663/5 "2010-04-10T21:43:43Z")
ā€œBut all weā€™ve ascertained from satellite photos is that itā€™s not on the roof!ā€ ---
**Author:** ![Nanoda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Nanoda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nanoda)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2010, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-2-video-nice-footage/535663/6 "2010-04-10T21:55:07Z")
FYI, thatā€™s [James May](http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/features/2491326/Take-off-for-Top-Gear-ace-James-May.html), taken from ā€œJames May At The Edge Of Spaceā€ (or possibly ā€œMay On The Moonā€, they both used similar clips) (If the BBC could be bothered to sell [TV licences to non-brits](http://iplayerhelp.external.bbc.co.uk/help/download_programmes/outsideuk), or use Region 0 rather than Region 2 for their [DVDs](http://www.amazon.co.uk/James-May-Moon-DVD/dp/B002COIN9C), I think millions would pay to watch them) ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2010, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-2-video-nice-footage/535663/7 "2010-04-10T22:16:34Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > I wonder why nobody (or if anybody) has tried to build a homebuilt that could give a taste of what the U-2 does? From what I hear, that thing is a stone-faced bitch to fly. At operating altitude, thereā€™s about a 10 kt speed range between stalling and overstressing the airframe. ---
**Author:** ![NinetyWt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/cc9497/32.png) [@NinetyWt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinetyWt)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2010, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-2-video-nice-footage/535663/8 "2010-04-11T00:23:03Z")
I couldnā€™t watch the whole thing. For some reason it was too scary. šŸ™‚ ---
**Author:** ![rbroome](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/838e76/32.png) [@rbroome](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rbroome)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2010, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-2-video-nice-footage/535663/9 "2010-04-11T01:19:14Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > [Wimp.com - Amazing Videos, Funny Clips. Watch amazing videos and funny clips. Updated daily.](http://www.wimp.com/breathtakingfootage) > > That guy has a helluva job. Sure, he has to eat baby food through a straw; and he probably has to piss in his suit. But imagine seeing what he sees every day! šŸ†’ > > I wonder why nobody (or if anybody) has tried to build a homebuilt that could give a taste of what the U-2 does? wonderful! Thanks