A definitive technical guide to the Lockheed A-12 plus coverage of the interceptor and mother/daughter drone developments.
During the early years of the Cold War, the most effective way to gather strategic intelligence about the Soviet Union and its allies was manned overflight. Lockheed's U-2 was spectacularly successful in this role, however, much to the concern of US President Eisenhower, its shape meant that it could be tracked on Russian radars. Given the highly sensitive nature of such flights, the President insisted that every effort should be made to reduce to zero the U-2's radar cross section (RCS), thereby making the aircraft invisible. When this was proven to be impossible, the stage was set for a U-2 replacement.
Following a competition between Lockheed and Convair, the former was declared the winner and the result was the A-12. Designed to incorporate 'stealth' features before the term was even coined, the A-12 has to date proven to be the fastest, highest flying jet aircraft ever built.
Featuring illustrations throughout, this book also explores a two-seat variation of the design built as an advanced interceptor - the YF-12.
| ISBN: | 9781472801135 |
| Publication date: | 20th January 2014 |
| Author: | Paul Crickmore |
| Illustrator: | Adam Tooby |
| Publisher: | Osprey Publishing an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing (UK) |
| Format: | Paperback |
| Pagination: | 64 pages |
| Series: | Air Vanguard |
| Genres: |
Military vehicles Cold wars and proxy conflicts Air forces and warfare |
A definitive technical guide to the Lockheed A-12 plus coverage of the interceptor and mother/daughter drone developments.
During the early years of the Cold War, the most effective way to gather strategic intelligence about the Soviet Union and its allies was manned overflight. Lockheed's U-2 was spectacularly successful in this role, however, much to the concern of US President Eisenhower, its shape meant that it could be tracked on Russian radars. Given the highly sensitive nature of such flights, the President insisted that every effort should be made to reduce to zero the U-2's radar cross section (RCS), thereby making the aircraft invisible. When this was proven to be impossible, the stage was set for a U-2 replacement.
Following a competition between Lockheed and Convair, the former was declared the winner and the result was the A-12. Designed to incorporate 'stealth' features before the term was even coined, the A-12 has to date proven to be the fastest, highest flying jet aircraft ever built.
Featuring illustrations throughout, this book also explores a two-seat variation of the design built as an advanced interceptor - the YF-12.
Lockheed A-12 features in the following genres: Military vehicles, Cold wars and proxy conflicts, Air forces and warfare
Lockheed A-12 is available in Paperback
Lockheed A-12 was written by Paul Crickmore and published by Osprey Publishing an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing (UK)
Lockheed A-12 has 64 pages
Yes it is part of Air Vanguard series
£13.49