Despite first taking to the skies in 1955, the Lockheed U-2 spy plane is still used in reconnaissance missions to this day and a vital tool for the air force.
However, the U-2 has never been the most maneuverable plane on the ground. Consequently, it needs a chase car to help it take off and land safely due to its incredibly poor visibility.
According to those with much more knowledge of aircraft than us, the air force has purchased a number of muscle cars to help the U-2 take off and land and in one of the videos below, we see a bright blue 2006 Pontiac GTO being put to good use on the runway. In another, a white Tesla Model S acts as the pilot’s eyes.
To ensure the U-2 can land safely, the chase car waits at the end of the runway and speeds up behind the aircraft as it approaches the runway. The driver then provides altitude and wing altitude details to the pilot.
When it lands and comes to a stop, the U-2 tilts to one side because it only features a single wheel right in the middle of the fuselage. Crews on the ground therefore have to manually engage the wheels under the wings so the plane can taxi back to the hanger.