Citius, Altius: By Kaiser Tufail

[VCheng]

I cant this link to open here..
but the ceiling stated here should be the most accurate
Factsheets : General Dynamics WB-57F

So you meant the WB-57F. Thank you, makes sense to me now.

from the link:

WB-57F - Redesignated RB-57F

TECHNICAL NOTES:
Armament: None (although the bomb bay could be converted to carry bombs if necessary)
Engines: Two Pratt & Whitney TF33-P-11 turbofans of 16,000 lbs. static thrust each, plus two (removable) Pratt & Whitney J60-P-9 turbojets of 3,300 lbs. static thrust each
Maximum speed: 550 mph / 475 knots
Range: 4,000 miles / 3475 nautical miles
Service ceiling: 82,000 ft.
Span: 122 ft. 5 in.
Length: 68 ft. 10 in.
Height: 19 ft. 0 in.
Crew: Two (pilot and navigator-observer)
Serial numbers (RB-57F): 63-13286 to 63-13302; 63-13500 to 63-13503

 

[SQ8]

I am not sure if he mentioned about pak pilots flying missions over russia--

On the record of many senior PAF pilots.. Including .ACdre Rais Rafi, AVM Ansari(both B-57 pilots), ACdre SS Sajjad Haider(also stated in his book).. that there were overflights of the union (now Tajikistan) taken by these ELINT aircraft in attempts to get a better reading.

 

[Thorough Pro]

The post of the U S colonel is here on this board---this officer was posted and incharge of the program in pakistam. Accordingly if I am not forgetting--he stated that the missions flown upto 83000 feet---.

I was intrigued so had to find this, here is the link to the original article and magazine

WEST PAKISTAN, 1963-1965, U-2 DUTY
By George L. Singleton, Colonel, USAF, Ret.

http://www.coldwar.org/text_files/Co...mesMay2010.pdf

and here is a sample U2 flight

 

[Thorough Pro]

Below is the link to an earlier thread which MK mentioned.

http://www.defence.pk/forums/military-history-strategy/60610-1965-war-role-rb-57f.html

http://www.defence.pk/forums/milita...ar-times-article-1965-india-pakistan-war.html

A long but informative bideo on cold war spy missions and secret projects.

[video]http://www.wilsoncenter.org/event/mayday-1960-reassessing-the-u-2-shoot-down[/video]