The Central Intelligence Agency and Overhead Reconnaissance; The U-2 and OXCART Programs, 1954-1974

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Sec, et NOFORIQ
Chapter 3
shutter ruined much of the photography of one of the flights. The
third mission (2023), on the following day, included the Crimean
Peinsula. 31
The film from the first overflight (4 July) was flown to the
United States immediately after the U-2 landed at Wiesbaden. Several
members of the Photo Intelligence Division were on hand when the
film was developed to check on the results. Also present was James
Baker, who had accepted an offer by project officials to get a first­
hand look at how the new A-2 lenses were working.·'1
The photos from July overflights were generally good, despite
occasional problems caused by cloud cover. The huge amount of film
taken by these missions provided more information about the Soviet
Union's ability to track and intercept U-2s. Photointerpreters examin­
ing the films eventually discovered the tiny images of MiG-15s and
MiG- l 7s beneath the U-2s in various pursuit and attack attitudes:
climbing, flipping over, and falling toward Earth. It was even possible
to determine their approximate altitudes. These photographs showed
that the Soviet air defense system was able to track U-2s well enough
to attempt interception, but they also provided proof that the fighter
aircraft available to the Soviet Union in l 956 could not bring down a
U-2 at operational altitude. )l
One problem with early U-2 photography became apparent only
after the first films were developed. If there was surface water on the
runway at Wiesbaden when the U-2 took off, the camera windows be­
came begrimed. Although the water dried during the flight, the oily
scum it left behind degraded the photographic image. To combat this
problem, AQUATONE ground crews took brooms and spent several
hours before takeoff sweeping puddles of water from the runway to
be used by the U-2. Kelly Johnson eventually designed a jettisonable
cover for the camera windows, which was released at the same time
as the pogos so that it could be recovered and reused. 34
" Mission folders 2020 (9 July 1956), 2021 (9 July 1956), and 2023 ( 10 July 1956), OSA
records. job 67-8-328, box 7 (TS Codeword).
" Cunningham interview (TS Codeword).
'' Lundahl and Brugioni interview (TS Codeword).
'"' Baker interview (S).
Sec, et