The flight over the 48 contiguous states came just days after the U-2 Dragon Lady was the star of the show at the 2025 Royal International Air Tattoo.
Last week, a Lockheed TU-2S Dragon Lady took part in a historic flight to mark the 70th anniversary of the famed spy plane. On Thursday, July 31, 2025, the aircraft from the 9th Reconnaissance Wing took off from Beale Air Force Base (AFB), California, the US Air Force announced.
It was not a routine flight, nor was it part of a surveillance mission along the southern border. Instead, it was to mark the 70th anniversary of the Dragon Lady’s “accidental maiden flight” on August 1, 1955, when test pilot Tony LeVier was conducting a taxi test at Groom Lake, Nevada. At 70 knots, the aircraft unexpectedly became airborne—which was a problem, as there were no markings for LeVier to judge height. Upon landing, the plane suffered minor damage, but LeVier was back at the controls just three days later to carry out the U-2’s first official flight test on August 4.
The U-2 Dragon Lady Flew over 48 States in 14 Hours
While last week’s anniversary flight was not quite as dramatic as the one on August 1, 1955, it was noteworthy as the aircraft flew for more than 14 hours and covered over 6,000 nautical miles. During that time, it flew a course that saw it fly over all 48 contiguous states!
“This flight is historic, and it is fitting that it was planned and flown by aircrew from the 1st Reconnaissance Squadron, America’s longest-serving flying unit,” said Lt. Col. John ‘JESTER’ Mattson, 1st Reconnaissance Squadron (RS) commander. The TU-2S, the new designation of the TR-1B two-seat trainer that is outfitted with a new engine, saw Cory “ULTRALORD” Bartholomew, 1st RS assigned flight safety officer and U-2 instructor pilot, and Lt. Col. “JETHRO,” 1st RS instructor pilot and U-2 chief pilot.
“Eleven years ago, I realized just how far we could hypothetically fly the U-2 if we really wanted to push its limits to see just what it could do,” said Bartholomew. “Now that we’re on the 70th anniversary of the U-2, 70 years at 70,000 feet, it seemed right to demonstrate the true capability of this aircraft.”
Mattson further praised the flight and the aircraft. It required precision planning of the flight routes, even determining where emergency refueling stops could be made. Minor details, such as wind, temperature, and avoiding inadvertent entry into Mexican or Canadian airspace, must be considered.
The flight also put to the test the aircraft’s mission planning software that had been installed in 2023 with the Avionics Tech Refresh (ATR) upgrade. The system included a new open mission system (OMS) that featured a new mission computer, modern cockpit displays for the Cold War aircraft, and enhanced avionics.
“The character of war is changing, but our extreme ownership of our mission to build aircrew ready to exploit and dominate the electromagnetic spectrum and win, will never change,” Mattson added. “We continue to hone our combat competencies, showcasing Beale’s capacity as a power projection platform to rapidly respond to adversary actions anywhere in the world.”
The U-2 Dragon Lady Is Having Her Moment
The flight over the forty-eight contiguous states came just days after the U-2 Dragon Lady was the star of the show at the 2025 Royal International Air Tattoo, the largest military-themed air show in the world. The UK event at RAF Fairford saw a flyover of the U-2 and ground displays of the famed aircraft.
Developed at Lockheed’s famed Skunk Works division under the supervision of engineering guru Clarence “Kelly” Johnson in 1953, the U-2 took the sleek lines of a traditional sailplane, featuring long, tapered wings that allowed it to fly missions ranging 3,000 miles while carrying 700 pounds of then-state-of-the-art photoreconnaissance equipment.
Beyond highlighting the capabilities of the reconnaissance aircraft, last week’s flight was also meant to “honor” those who “earned the privilege to be a member of the U-2 community.” It acknowledged that the aircraft is not easy to fly and also requires a chase car to assist in its landing.
“Just over 1,000 pilots have qualified to fly this aircraft, making it a tight-knit community,” the Air Force added.
“The incredible thing about this flight is that it shows not only the capabilities of the U-2, but that of our Air Force’s most important asset, its people,” said Col. Keagan McLeese, 9th Reconnaissance Wing commander. “Our Airmen demonstrated they are mission-ready in using the skills, adaptability, and innovation it takes to generate global airpower.”
About the Author: Peter Suciu
Peter Suciu has contributed over 3,200 published pieces to more than four dozen magazines and websites over a thirty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. He is based in Michigan. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: [email protected].
Image: Wikimedia Commons.
