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U-2 spy plane with fictitious NASA markings, USA, 1960. Creator: NASA
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U-2 spy plane with fictitious NASA markings, USA, 1960. Creator: NASA
U-2 spy plane with fictitious NASA markings, USA, 1960. After Francis Gary Powers was shot down over the Soviet Union during a CIA spy flight on May 1, 1960, NASA issued a press release with a cover story about a U-2 conducting weather research that may have strayed off course after the pilot reported difficulties with his oxygen equipment. To bolster the cover-up, a U-2 was quickly painted in NASA markings, with a fictitious NASA serial number, and put on display for the news media at the NASA Flight Research Center at Edwards Air Force Base on May 6, 1960. The U-2 cover story in 1956 was that it was an NACA plane to conduct high-altitude weather research. But various observers doubted this story from the beginning. Certainly the Soviets did not believe it once the aircraft began overflying their territory. The NASA cover story quickly blew up in the agencys face when both Gary Powers and aircraft wreckage were displayed by the Soviet Union, proving that it was a reconnaissance aircraft. This caused embarrassment for several top NASA officials
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Media ID 24045354
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Aeroplane Air Transport Aircraft Airplane Aviation Diplomatic Incident Espionage Exploration Fake False Flight Heritage Space International Relations Nasa Plane Reconnaissance Space Space Exploration Space Travel Spying Cover Up Fictitious Sham
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EDITORS COMMENTS
This print captures a pivotal moment in history, showcasing a U-2 spy plane adorned with fictitious NASA markings. Taken in the USA in 1960, this image represents an attempt by NASA to conceal the true nature of these aircrafts' missions. Following Francis Gary Powers' unfortunate shooting down over Soviet Union during a CIA spy flight on May 1st, 1960, NASA swiftly devised a cover story. They issued a press release claiming that the U-2 had been conducting weather research and had accidentally strayed off course due to pilot-reported oxygen equipment difficulties. To bolster this elaborate ruse, an actual U-2 was promptly painted with authentic-looking NASA markings and assigned a fictional serial number. This decoy was then presented to the media at the prestigious NASA Flight Research Center located at Edwards Air Force Base on May 6th, 1960. However, doubts about the legitimacy of these claims were present from the beginning. The initial cover story dating back to 1956 stated that these planes were used for high-altitude weather research under NACA (National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics). Yet as time went on and flights began encroaching into Soviet territory, it became clear that they served another purpose entirely - reconnaissance. The embarrassing truth came crashing down when both Gary Powers himself and wreckage from his aircraft were displayed by the Soviet Union. This revelation exposed not only the covert operations but also caused significant embarrassment for top officials within NASA. This thought-provoking photograph serves as a reminder of how even well-crafted deceptions can eventually unravel under scrutiny and highlights one of many intriguing chapters in aerospace history.
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