Landing gear
The U-2 has a bicycle-type landing gear, consisting of one main landing gear (2 wheels) and a tail gear (2 wheels). The airplane does also have 2 wing gears but they are dropped when the aircraft takes-off. Caused by this type of landing gear the airplane requires precise control inputs during landing. Because there is also a limited forward visibility due to the extended nose, a second U-2 pilot drives in a high-performance vehicle behind the U-2 for approaching, providing the pilot flying with radio inputs for altitude and runway alignment.

Wings
The wings of the U-2 has a very high aspect ratio (A). Thanks to this, the airplane has lower induced drag resulting in a larger range and performance to fly at high altitudes and at lower speeds than normal. Because of the larger wings the airplane has 2 wing gears on each side.

Specifications

Prime contractor	Lockheed Martin
Primary task	High altitude reconnaissance
Type airplane	Military reconnaissance plane
Length	19.2 meters / 63 feet
Height	4.8 meters / 16 feet
Wingspan	32 meters / 105 feet
Wing surface
Aspect ratio
Pijlstelling
V-Stelling
Engines	one General Electric F118-101
Thrust	17,000 pounds
Weight (empty)	16,000 pounds
Weight (start, maximum, MTOW)	40,000 pounds / 18,000 kgs
Weight (landing, maximum)
Required runway length (start)
Required runway length (landing)
Cruise speed
Maximum speed	> 475 miles / hour or 764 km/h
Ceiling	70,000 ft / 21.212 meters
Maximum range	7000 miles / 9600 km
Fuel capacity	2950 US gallons
Air-to-air-refueling + capacity
Passengers
Payload	5000 pounds
Armament	none
Maximum weapon load
Maximum G resistance
Radar
Sensors
Avionics
Type flight controls
Landing gear	bicycle type
Versions	U-2, U-2S, TU-2S
Manufactured	36 (5 two-seat trainers and 2 ER-2's operated by NASA)
Crew	1 or 2
Costs	classified
Overall flight hours
First flight
Operational since	1956
Successor of	n.a.
Comparable aircraft	n.a.
Users (current and future)	United States Air Force, NASA
Status	out of production, in operational service