U-2 73
  • Reads 7
  • Votes 0
  • Parts 1
  • Time 5m
  • Reads 7
  • Votes 0
  • Parts 1
  • Time 5m
Ongoing, First published Feb 17, 2015
Gary Powers’ U-2 aircraft was disabled. Hit by Soviet surface-to-air missiles, the plane fell from 70,000 feet to 30,000 feet before Powers could release himself and bail out of the damaged cockpit. It was May 1, 1960, and the Cold War was heating up.

At Lockheed’s advanced development group, the Skunk Works® in Burbank, work had already begun on an innovative aircraft to improve intelligence-gathering, one that would fly faster than any aircraft before or since, at greater altitude, and with a minimal radar cross section.  President Eisenhower deeply valued the strategic benefits of the U-2’s airborne reconnaissance during these tense Cold War times.  And now the call came from Lockheed’s customer in Washington to build the impossible – an aircraft that can’t be shot down – and do it fast.
“Everything Had To Be Invented.”
Kelly Johnson, one of the preeminent aircraft designers of the twentieth century, and his Skunk Works team had a track record of delivering “impossible” technologies on incredibly short, strategically critical deadlines.  The U-2 was but one example.  The group was known for its unfailing sense of duty, its creativity in the face of a technological challenge and its undaunted perseverance.

This new aircraft was in a different category from anything that had come before. “Everything had to be invented. Everything,” Johnson recalled. He committed Skunk Works to succeed in its toughest assignment to date: to have the innovative, challenging, envelope-bursting aircraft flying in a mere twenty months.
April 26, 1962 - Maiden flight of the A-12 Blackbird.
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Experiment 5475 by hotpink456
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***** For the last 15 years of her life experiment 5475 has only known the inside of the cold lab they only ever feed her enough to keep her alive and punish her horribly if she fought back. When they weren't experimenting on her with different chemicals and drugs she was kept her in a cold dark room with only a bed and a toilet. The scientists have been experimenting on her for 15 years they took her from a orphanage when she was 5 years old she was currently 20. She didn't know her name before coming to the lab but everyday since she came before the scientist would start the tests they would say "Experiment 1..Experiment 2" so on and so on she decided that the number would be her name since she would probably never know her own. She would try to maintain a strong expression while they were delivering their tests even though most came with side effects and Intense pain. Sometimes her vision would blur others her nose would pour with blood. She had no idea what the scientists were doing all the tests for but now she has different abilities that she did not want them to find out about. She was afraid if they found out the stuff they put in her was working they would throw her out like trash and find another innocent person to suffer or just kill her. She didn't know what life was like outside the lab and she was scared to leave its all she's ever known. But after a horrible event happens she feels like she can no longer stay. **** Nathan Thompson was a ordinary guy trying to move up the ladder at the accounting firm he was working at the past 6 years while also trying to maintain an active social life with his friends. He felt like something was missing in his life he was the type of guy that loved living in his own bubble but he hoped he would get the promotion he was after then he would feel more fulfilled. If he wanted a adventure he definitely got one the minute his black Honda slammed into the brown skinned woman with pink eyes.
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N.Otto was selling 634, 3 hp piston engines a year by 1875 and, between 1908 and 1927, Ford sold over 4 million Model T automobiles. In 1903 the Wright Brother's engine produced 1 horsepower for each 17 pounds of engine weight. In 1943, the Rolls-Royce Merlin aero engine developed 2,000 hp; 1.2 hp for each pound. W.von Braun developed the V-2 long-range rocket used in 1943. Also during World War 2, A.Franz, mass-produced the Jumo 004 turbojet for German aircraft. In 1945, the V-1 cruise missile was powered by a pulsejet engine with virtually no moving parts. The Lockheed "Blackbird" was the fastest manned ramjet; capable of Mach 2 to 4 supersonic speeds. On October 4, 1957 the satellite Sputnik 1 proved that the Soviets were capable of reaching any point in the USA with nuclear weapons. The Syncom 3 communication satellite was placed in geostationary orbits over the Pacific on August 19, 1964. In July 1969 N.Armstrong and B.Aldrin landed a Lunar Module on the moon. WHO THE HELL ARE WE? is a series of short books and videos describing the evolution of civilization. Almost everyone on the planet is five times wealthier than their ancestors only 50 years ago. This astonishing phenomenon has also improved health, education, and longevity. The cause; an explosive growth in ideas and productivity. It began when we learned to control fire, evolved articulate speech and stumbled onto the way to create infinite wealth; free trade. The discovery of agriculture made us richer but we also learned how to destroy wealth. Great civilization grew up but then disappeared leaving only incredible ruins and ideas. Later books detail some of the ideas and developments that increased the average life span from about 40 years to more than 80 and the average world income from less than $3 to more than $33 per person per day (and to $140 per day in some countries).
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Experiment 5475

25 parts Ongoing

***** For the last 15 years of her life experiment 5475 has only known the inside of the cold lab they only ever feed her enough to keep her alive and punish her horribly if she fought back. When they weren't experimenting on her with different chemicals and drugs she was kept her in a cold dark room with only a bed and a toilet. The scientists have been experimenting on her for 15 years they took her from a orphanage when she was 5 years old she was currently 20. She didn't know her name before coming to the lab but everyday since she came before the scientist would start the tests they would say "Experiment 1..Experiment 2" so on and so on she decided that the number would be her name since she would probably never know her own. She would try to maintain a strong expression while they were delivering their tests even though most came with side effects and Intense pain. Sometimes her vision would blur others her nose would pour with blood. She had no idea what the scientists were doing all the tests for but now she has different abilities that she did not want them to find out about. She was afraid if they found out the stuff they put in her was working they would throw her out like trash and find another innocent person to suffer or just kill her. She didn't know what life was like outside the lab and she was scared to leave its all she's ever known. But after a horrible event happens she feels like she can no longer stay. **** Nathan Thompson was a ordinary guy trying to move up the ladder at the accounting firm he was working at the past 6 years while also trying to maintain an active social life with his friends. He felt like something was missing in his life he was the type of guy that loved living in his own bubble but he hoped he would get the promotion he was after then he would feel more fulfilled. If he wanted a adventure he definitely got one the minute his black Honda slammed into the brown skinned woman with pink eyes.