The U-2 was originally designed as a high altitude reconnaissance platform to penetrate the airspace of the Soviet Union in the mid-1950s. Most of the U-2 fleet today was made in the mid-late 1980s. The U-2 was built to operate at altitudes above 70,000 feet. This caused the aircraft to be made with long wings (today's U-2 has about a 104' wingspan) and configured with a bicycle (tandem) type landing gear.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCaNQWzXS-XQOZbzuGd9FEy26L02u5s-lhgc67NmcMaoK5HoalZOn49MWhlkdJXiiGXL6PgCrBEl__fF4BusQWYpgMplCCCg2zQINaz2CfThna8hNjGw89BE05_9glcAt4zy-EOALj9e2V/s400/US_Air_Force_U-2_reconnaissance_aircraft.jpg)
The U-2 pilot is integrated into a full pressure suit, similar to what an astronaut wears because of the hazardous physiological regime of the high altitude flight. The pilot must prebreathe 100% oxygen for 60 minutes prior to takeoff to avoid getting the bends. The pressure suit would be needed if the pilot were exposed to the atmosphere from a rapid decompression or having to eject from the aircraft. If the pilot were exposed to the environment at 70,000 feet, the gases in his body would rapidly expand causing a disastrous burst.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg6yptDrxOc5lAup25JyrVIeR3d31TAwiATtfZBIXRINfAthFCsGmlnoxg3D8g1ptJXNVzv07Nb_xU-ShWKyqJSlTmmcx-AOm2AAU4eaqAQ7zEbkoOEGu6ZH7hw_JvPOyWZ5ReSEn7giZ5/s400/FE_DA_071001u2_1.jpg)
This Elite Force U-2 Pilot "Bob Chapman" was released by BBI in 2003 and is one of the finest pilots/
fly boys ever released, perhaps second only to the
ultimate astronaut ever by Dragon.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIgZ6C3Djo_yAIM0c1qXorEdNu9r3bwy1KZiHbE3Fuv7XaEMUZsZ9qvRF5i-PcpainTWo2SrEZR87Cb-0zUhjJ47MDHIiRL05t615z_zeB6RQKAm0_m6VwcT1j4JznW62rsnDz4V-1ftg/s400/u2+pilot.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg6sPSfqflkHkvz5w4EVNUOXI16fBjkDOpi5AIclTGRL8R4RZ_H8qMkV_mkIsc30e9UDVpWiuJTbL0dgwMgFVZzJg9EyDBSg3Qdv7ElsQyQzJaxqre2LYAaNELHLTl8E6zbnvPxms3eDBD/s400/u2.jpg)
One of the amazing things of this set is the GNS-1031 helmet with movable protective and sun visors, and snoopy cap with comlink
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj102c3MLBxQvml3kBjjNva9_7ycup-Phc4T1vJj0vbsLEdgEHseDxnoFON-L1b9g7BWwFl2d_bz-o6PhtvT3VxWtQVykSCLxOKKLhJF088dhNoeIF04KlIVafRpAIMgL_h85-xr5Ytjd7J/s400/u2+close.jpg)
Sun visor
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv-UQnI3vq1E1TlahPAGYs3N2QlBA40-dd80ctJZc6vZ6qFvZ-xr_3zXSoRcln5c-5hEvVkOn9OkeKMzkJXosP0UxNMTnpaaS1pk24pZmgIYBpTnxRSb96Az2njgJHLQgqx-wSGV6XHgmG/s400/u2+helmet.jpg)
Protective visor
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn_6DfAypFLls8qAigWMN-hg0CaXhGiMNAlY0uU9aw8ls9RKh3B1eoJ6igz3uMYlxem9fFSFKSwGw6nbqACyc1O2aDeJuXDtN-xBOCecukBHxh2foRasqyCXzUc5WMNUWjbLlDEjAwPykZ/s400/helmet2.jpg)
Note the helmet locking ring as well
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsEmT2StXP1OyosWgMdfIe8_JZPgzcZ-Ber_cCHu1UZzvwhqA01rxg4-evVlQHYrlG5C7yDHUWzxZsaeBO6HJTER_kpUQYhyphenhyphenyl3v6BycrWhn-skjOtFK2TM4M1Ee0ItDezvnE9qBv2pet6/s400/helmet3.jpg)
U-2 pilot "Bob Chapman"
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPHQbrL-R3YeKYCTlkFhKuQ_ZYed9bZ9va8NmrlrhewUhJmmlrU3EWLsgqrxVtbNTpXaNC4l9GHTpyFJvzVOvlJGJ6qCFr1JUajxGNKtIlSmsKDGerFa6sduQy0363zakHkakTs8YDndLs/s400/helmet4.jpg)
Full pressure suit with inflatable life vest
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIzX37nY3MrxlNF-11yoQFbbdtMTFf1-QDKIwMXik90l899U0kKEyPFY6KFaN2F44ymSnOooD_DYQGaWtd8-Wvc_gwXK6-W4FhQanHNpuiQZBUWHis3Dwq2h1dYy0IBK1LpsOS965RkdAB/s400/u2+suit.jpg)
Flight boots with boot support
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7hDLZi5pKDLJ4AxHlRPIZjq8o2HT3cyVwEcyMVHOkIAqMnY0vcjFtigtD-IYyQHpLpkPobRmMmc1sa21QsNpyispMqnJ5jbD4_DjbvOYILV9SZ-pnVOTY5E8PZ_Ykaxg-5tXCUkUVF_gZ/s400/u2+pants.jpg)
Clipboard
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4B1TDMv5ud5RbLDfyypweoNpne0HA1aiz1tGY9Ns4CgXa63P3OxiHrvus7bXrck0R0QusCDn3NMc30k4PId5IEMCO_szZ3kITB4H2f7y3Na6WUlXyr8K3rktkkGBBTzxHtmj1kg9lk4Vt/s400/clipboard.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvkvfj9OdA-mmh31ptYs-iv9qaEQ6bbZ6Wm_fEs2U5JhjKNnpJng1iWoiF_jQ8ak3WnNQh_EHT6eV7so04Ro9wshzkKoDFC188TCqY9iF7gligIj1vuryI4KPBb5PrvWpYvp2a2WB8RB0U/s400/BBI+u2+pilot.jpg)
Also comes with patch and two pens
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfFr3ZEFlxGl1m0SRmTHB6v_YOETdIV7DFLXXuzs5h1fC0YvcvNA9PE1IGr31e8CnlTyhTUdUEGnd7OUdtxYtKmfqktgR8hIU3n13o99lHslBJymYHA4Qm3EJvfVRIJfcEfXAuo5_ArVTh/s400/bob+chapman.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNsmLQSulgkJPOsqG_gQ3YHj6g3PYOV4NoZRaJyRgQsxf70X_0l5aK4gra44PTj-7Z02u7Fa_n885ajXLUdT_0sWuDGzZbiHlKjMxhmg8GJ1KeCAOu8Sf7sOWJHfghachhXrlhEm8dpAwS/s400/u2+back.jpg)
The rebreather unit with vent hose
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibpYgdiNAXP5wxA4-nrayUQ4lHtBNhjEisH5eJQU1IPaCLJ-kmgCQ-oGeTXBD3AssjC7_0f4elTuVvI1ya0j8OJ-yTN_-dlsL3IkrAHjQlMhteIvWRWq66oJjCXwhb_fPdrebdOdyQ8n97/s400/u2+pilot+bob.jpg)
Water bottle and food assortment
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs5sSL1GVpY3Mb2CrsD3FmsSRvkdB45yoF12FaI3VTsJ3byDnM1uZZMVylhhWmLKl1WP4iH9QLix0nW90Lf1Xtgvkh1tXYM19PgCFODk13OP69F6mZoH8kBcrT561Fo7fG-xMul-jEPC96/s400/water+bottle.jpg)
How feeding is done in the high altitude environment
2 comments:
Nice toy.
It needs to come with a physiology technician to carry the LOX container.
How I wish I can wear that thing in future too. Its pretty heavy as I can sense it.
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