KerbalX

The Lockheed U-2 Dragon Lady on display in the SPH.

• I had considered adding Dragon Lady to the craft name, but then I found out that it did not have an official name after the designation (on account of starting out as a secret project). So, I left it as just Lockheed U-2, although I included dragon as a tag in case someone comes looking for it and doesn’t want to attract half the Sukhois on KerbalX.
• I had originally used two clipped-together Wheesley engines like in my A-7 Corsair II replica, but the test cruise that followed resulted in the plane flying at a low altitude of 9 km. This is a high-altitude spy plane I mean a research aircraft, not your average everyday sightseeing glider with an engine strapped on to it. So, I went with a single Whiplash engine since that has proven to be more reliable (so far) than a Panther engine and I can still attach stabilizers and gear to it. While it did make the plane go high, it also ended up making it supersonic.
• At first, I wanted to simulate how the real U-2 took off by adding detachable landing gear to the wings. That meant that I would be relying on poorly-balanced landing gear along the fuselage to land (also like the real U-2), although that would mean I would most likely destroy my wings in the process. So, for the user’s sanity’s sake, I just left the wing gear permanently.

POV: you’re flying high enough to see the curvature of the planet.

• Just like in real life, U-2 pilots wore pressure suits because they were cruising so high.
• They started out as original designs, but eventually an incident in which a pilot forgot how to fly due to a lack of oxygen forced Kerbin’s air force to reconsider their pressurization plan. In the end, they decided to use the same EVA suit model as the ones issued to the Kerbal Space Program.

The U-2 getting settled (somewhat) at an altitude of 19.7 km. Despite flying at a velocity of 1000 m/s, the flames weren’t nearly as bad as expected - probably because there’s not as much oxygen to feed into said flames that high.

• This plane went as high as 24 km, but it would not stay there when MJ aircraft autopilot was on. With all the bouncing and altitude-dropping, I had to settle for 19.7 km. Although there was still some bouncing that came, it was still somewhat stable and the altitude was centered around that mark.

In nearly an hour, the U-2 cruised to the dark side of the planet.

The U-2 returning to the sunny side of the planet after completing the dark half.

• This plane had already gone one full flight along Kerbin’s equator (as in passed the KSC) when this shot was taken.

Less than 80 minutes after takeoff, the U-2 was flying past the Kerbal Space Center. If you look at the center of the green circle, you can see tiny specks which are the lights.

• Since this plane still had plenty of fuel left after passing the KSC, it can be safely said that it pefrormed better than Plane Prime V5. On the other hand, Plane Prime was designed as a luxury supersonic transport while the U-2 was a high-altitude surveillance photographic aircraft - which means comfort would not be a high priority.

U-2 pilot Francis G Kerman running away from his plane after landing in Marxan territory.

• In the early days of Kerbin’s central government, which was formed after the end of the Second Imperial Wars, Marx and a few allied regions wanted control of the planet for itself. Albeit, it was not willing to start a hot war to get it - yet. To assess Marx’s ICBM capabilities, Prime Minister Haparnold Kerman authorized a reconnaissance flight over the rumored missile sites. The U-2 was chosen for this task since it was the air force’s best surveillance aircraft of the time.
• After getting to cruising altitude, Francis G took a nap before reaching his mark. When he woke up, however, he noticed that he was on the opposite side of the planet from where he was supposed to be. Since the U-2 had such an immense range, and since secrecy was essential to mission success, he decided to go around and try again instead of landing to refuel.
• The Marxans had detected Francis G flying over the first time, but they could not scramble their fighters and SAMs soon enough before he left their airspace. When he came back for the second time, they were ready. A SAM detonated underneath his plane, causing fuel to leak out. As a result, he was forced to land within Marxan borders.
• He was soon captured, convicted of espionage, and sentenced to life of torturous labor. Ten years later, however, he was released in exchange for a Marxan agent convicted of extortion by Kerbin’s central government.