Yes, the CIA Flew U-2 Spy Planes From Aircraft Carriers

Medium.com via Real Clear Histroy ^ | January 13, 2014 | By Steve Weintz

[Navy Patriot]

U2's fly so easily that in order to land on carriers, special spoilers were added to prevent gliding over the deck when the pilot "requested" a stall.

On takeoff, young Navy gentlemen were necessary to hold the lady's wingtips up and level, but other than that, easy peasy.

[Brad from Tennessee]

Powers plane was hit at 68,000 feet by an advanced Soviet surface to air missile. For quite some time the Pentagon refused to believe the Soviets had a SAM that could reach that altitude. They insisted Powers’ U-2 had experienced a flame-out forcing him to descend to 30,000 feet where the missile could reach him. After Powers bailed out and parachuted to the ground he saw another parachute descending in the distance. He surmised that a Soviet fighter plane, attempting to track him, had been hit by the same volley of missiles fired at the U-2. Under interrogations and during his trial Powers repeatedly told the Russians that the U-2’s maximum altitude was 68,000 feet. In fact it was approximately 90,000 feet.

[Fiji Hill]

At the time of Powers’ shootdown, there were some who thought that he may have been a Soviet agent and that he landed the plane in Russia. However, it turned out that the Soviets bagged him with an SA-2 Guideline, the NATO name for the missile. The Soviets called it the S-75 Dvina, but that name wasn’t known in the West until many years later.

[B4Ranch]

The U2’s were modified with stronger landing gear and spoilers to over come the U2’s tendency to glide, and a tail hook. Some later, larger U2R’s were even modified with folding wings.

http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=9171

[Brad from Tennessee]

After the Kennedy assassination put the spotlight on Lee Harvey Oswald, Francis Powers speculated that Oswald may have played a role in the U-2 incident. Oswald worked in a Marine air traffic control unit based in Japan. As a radar operator Oswald had knowledge of the altitude of U-2’s based in Japan. Powers believed Oswald may have passed this information to the Soviets before or after his defection to Russia.

[PLMerite]

"Are you telling me the U-2 had folding wings???!!"

Sure. On the other hand, getting a C-130 on the elevator was trickier.

[Hardastarboard]

KGB Col Rudolf Abel who had operated a spy ring in the US for many years in the NYC area

Today he would be the leading candidate for Mayor of New York and a strong Presidential contender.

[Brad from Tennessee]

RealClear Defense is a daily digest. Always has some gems.

http://www.realcleardefense.com/