56-6692
Article 359

Lockheed U-2A 56-6692 was delivered on 22 October 1956. It was the 19th U-2 to be built and was first flown in October 1956. This particular aircraft operated from Giebelstadt, Germany for a year from late 1956 flying photographic missions over Soviet territory.

This aircraft operated as a U-2A, to a U-2CT, to a U-2C, to the American Air Museum at Duxford.

Later in it's operational career it flew for a period from Taiwan, undertaking photographic missions over Communist China. ECM pods for 56-6692 arrived at Taoyuan AB in September 1964 and the aircraft was deployed to Charbatia from Taoyuan AB for mission(s) over Tibet in December 1964. It stayed at Taoyuan for most of 1964. After spending the early part of 1965 at the factory getting the dorsal canoe modification, it returned to Taoyuan in May/June, 1965 and stayed there through at least December, 1965.

The USAF received 56-6692 in TRIM (Target Radiation Intensity Measurement) configuration) in June 1967. The aircraft was the very first to be rebuilt as a U-2CT trainer as a result of ground loop and a fire in 1972. Spending time as a two-seater, it was returned to single seater configuration at RAF Alconbury in September 1991 just prior to it's transportation by road to Duxford. The aircraft is currently suspended, on display, from the roof in the American Air Museum at Duxford. It is one of only two examples on display in Europe.


Click on the description text to view the photograph.
  1. 56-6692 suspended from the roof of the American Air Museum in Duxford - March 2003.
    Courtesy Mark Rogers.

  2. 56-6692 suspended from the roof of the American Air Museum in Duxford - April 2000.
    Courtesy Nigel Roling.

  3. 56-6692 suspended from the roof of the American Air Museum in Duxford - April 2000.
    Courtesy Nigel Roling.

  4. 56-6692 at the museum in Duxford prior to being suspended into position.
    Courtesy Thomas Wilberg.

  5. 56-6692 at the museum in Duxford prior to being suspended into position.
    Courtesy Thomas Wilberg.

  6. 56-6692 at the museum in Duxford prior to being suspended into position.
    Courtesy Thomas Wilberg.

  7. 56-6692 confirgured as a U-2CT trainer aircraft.
    Courtesy Fred Carmody.

  8. 56-6692 without its normal white paint.
    The addition of the second cockpit did not adversely affect the handling of the aircraft.
    Courtesy Dennis R Jenkins via the Mike Roth collection.

  9. 56-6692 configured for the Target Radiation Intensity Measurement (TRIM) project.
    Note the two tracking sensors in rotating domes.
    Courtesy Lockheed Martin Skunk Works via the Tony Landis collection.

  10. Aerial photo of 56-6692 in flight.
    Note the "Slipper Tanks" used for extra fuel on the early U-2s.
    Courtesy Fred Carmody.

  11. Aerial photo of 56-6692 in flight.
    Note the "Slipper Tanks" used for extra fuel on the early U-2s.
    Courtesy Fred Carmody.

  12. Aerial photo of 56-6692 in flight.
    Note the USAF markings and the two-tone grey camouflage.
    Courtesy Lockheed Martin Skunk Works via Denny Lombard.


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Updated: December 7, 2003