Lockheed's Blackworld Skunk Works: The U2, SR-71 and F-117 (Osprey Aviation Pioneers 4)

A study of Blackworld Skunkworks U2, SR-71 and F-117, three military jets from the same manufacturer. It explains, in uncluttered language, the reasons why it was necessary to design and build them, the challenges faced by their Skunkworks designers and test pilots, and how these challenges were overcome. It also describes key operational missions. The reader is taken on a journey that maps out how the "world order" has changed. From the downing of Gary Powers by the Soviet Union to the part played by the U2 during the Cuban Missile Crisis. The story ends with the success achieved by the F-117 during Operation Desert Storm. The work is illustrated with photographs.