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U-2 landing gear strut color


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Been online checking, even code one magazine however no clear picture seem to show if the main landing gear struts are standard white or some other color. FWIW, I'm building the late Testors 1/48 kit and they call for steel however I wanted to be sure before I committed as I know often times the research is not accurate by the kit producer. Does anyone know definitively. TIA.

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Ahhhh...the memories..if you've never seen a "Dragon Lady" take off....you don't know what ya missed...it is in a word spectacular!!!, considering all the folks involved :D , the climb out is awe inspiring; I know why Clarence L. "Kelly" Johnson was so proud B) .

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I used to see those things take off twice a day, always made me stop and watch.

The landing could be quite a show as their trucks and staff car chased it down the runway, trying to get the outrigger gear arrached.

Here's a few shots for inspiration:

scan0039.jpg

this one landed at Korat for some reason, possibly maintenance related. This was the only one I ever saw there.

scan0040.jpg

scan0046-4.jpg

We almost hit this one on our way to the freedom bird at U-Tapapo. I was fortunate enough to be standing in the front of the bus and shot it through the windshield. They didn't like pictures of these taken, but I was only about a 1/2 mile from our aircraft and this was my last chance.

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What kind of U-2? That covers a lot of territory. I'd say for any early U-2 most likely painted silver. For later/modern U-2R/S, I'd say gloss white.

Yes, it's going to be a late U-2R/S, so gloss white it is...thanks Jens!!

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Yes, it's going to be a late U-2R/S, so gloss white it is...thanks Jens!!

The forward (main) gear strut on the U-2R/S is a bare steel color. Not sure of the material but it is definitely not painted white. The main wheels are white. The tail gear assembly is painted white as well.

Cheers,

John

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Here's a little something I found. Scroll down and there are some walk around photos. It looks like the painted the mains black of all things. Logos do indeed look red in the photos. But they have it as being orange in the text. http://www.clubhyper.com/reference/u2sdwa_1.htm

Edited by achterkirch
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Here's a little something I found. Scroll down and there are some walk around photos. It looks like the painted the mains black of all things. Logos do indeed look red in the photos. But they have it as being orange in the text. http://www.clubhyper.com/reference/u2sdwa_1.htm

Already linked in post #2.

The gear leg itself is unpainted with the landing lights and gear door links painted black. The material of the leg looks like titanium to me.

140515-F-CB366-011.jpg

Cheers,

John

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Already linked in post #2.

The gear leg itself is unpainted with the landing lights and gear door links painted black. The material of the leg looks like titanium to me.

140515-F-CB366-011.jpg

Cheers,

John

CF, that's just what I was looking for!!! Excellent pictuture...thank you...Appreciate everyone's help.

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Already linked in post #2.

The gear leg itself is unpainted with the landing lights and gear door links painted black. The material of the leg looks like titanium to me.

140515-F-CB366-011.jpg

Cheers,

John

CF, that's just what I was looking for!!! Excellent pictuture...thank you...Appreciate everyone's help.

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