CIA Aircraft Projects

[fightingirish]

This topic for built and unbuilt aircraft projects for the CIA, which are no longer in service.

In late 1954, President Eisenhower approved a top-secret project to build a reconnaissance airplane that could fly undetected and collect imagery on the status and disposition of Soviet military forces. The aircraft was designed by Clarence "Kelly" Johnson and built at Lockheed Corporation's "Skunk Works" in just 18 months. Designated Utility-2 (U-2), it first flew over Moscow on July 4, 1956. To learn more about the CIA, visit the CIA Museum athttps://www.cia.gov/about-cia/cia-museum/index.html.

Video:

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfz6hs-5Rog&feature=plcp

Under the highly secret Project OXCART, CIA contracted with Lockheed to develop the supersonic A 12 as the intended successor to the U-2 reconnaissance plane. The A-12 remains the fastest, highest-flying, piloted jet aircraft today. To learn more about the CIA, visit the CIA Museum at https://www.cia.gov/about-cia/cia-museum/index.html.

Video:

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXD36XOCpQM

CORONA, America's first successful photoreconnaissance satellite, revolutionized the collection of intelligence in the 1960s. To learn more about the CIA, visit the CIA Museum at https://www.cia.gov/about-cia/cia-museum/index.html.

Video:

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dEkMh54otJ8

Watch CIA-developed miniaturized UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) and listening device "Insectothopter" fly! To learn more about the CIA, visit the CIA Museum at https://www.cia.gov/about-cia/cia-museum/index.html.

Wikipedia - Insectothopter
Video:

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZ3spmVqnco


The CIA has an interesting YouTube channel:
http://www.youtube.com/user/ciagov?feature=watch

Dear mods, feel free to move or to edit this topic or post!

 

[riggerrob]

There were also a variety of transports operated by CIA-funded Air America, Southern Air Transport, etc. (see film starring Mel Gibson) including stock: Bell UH-1, Beechcraft 18 Expediter, C-46, C-47, Fairchild/Pilatus Porter, Helio Courier, Helio Stallion, Sikorsky ?, etc. One rumor has it that the CIA wanted to establish a Helio Stallion production line in a friendly South-East Asian country, but ran afoul of the Helio factories owners. Volpar did a variety of STOL conversions to CIA-operated Beech 18s, including more powerful Garret turboprops, extended fuselages, etc.
More militant was the RAVEN program that used ex-US military FACs flying Cessna O-1 Bird Dogs in support of Thai and Cambodian guerillas harrassing the Ho Chi Minh Trail.

 

[aim9xray]

er, Mel Gibson, I should think.

Mel Brooks would have made a very different film ("There wolf. There hooch." "More beans, Mr. Taggert?")