The Legacy of the Lockheed U-2

Project Dragon Lady

Securing the Legacy of the Lockheed U-2 “Dragon Lady”

Help bring an iconic aircraft—and its extraordinary story—home. The National Museum of Nuclear Science & History is proud to acquire a Lockheed U-2 “Dragon Lady” for permanent display in Heritage Park. This legendary high altitude reconnaissance aircraft helped avert nuclear war, reshaped deterrence strategy, and defined the modern intelligence age. We invite you to help preserve this legacy for generations to come.

DONATE TODAY!

Why the U-2 Matters

Each year, more than 78,000 visitors—families, veterans, engineers, and thousands of New Mexico students—experience history firsthand at the Museum. The U-2 transforms Cold War history from an abstraction into a powerful, human story.

• For visitors: Stand next to an engineering marvel that has provided policymakers with key intelligence for more than 70 years.
• For students: A hands-on STEM catalyst connecting physics, aeronautics, materials science, photography, and geopolitics. Nearly 10,000 students and educators participate in Museum programs annually.
• For veterans and the intelligence community: Recognition of a lineage of service that operated unseen, but changed the world.

This is an investment in how history is experienced, remembered, and passed forward.

Why the U-2—and Why Here

The U-2 sits at the intersection of nuclear science, intelligence, and New Mexico history, making the National Museum of Nuclear Science & History its natural home.

• Nuclear Deterrence & the Cuban Missile Crisis: U-2 imagery provided definitive proof of Soviet missiles in Cuba, directly shaping President Kennedy’s response and helping prevent nuclear conflict.
• A Direct New Mexico Lineage: The aircraft’s story runs through Los Alamos and Sandia National Laboratories and Kirtland Air Force Base, where nuclear science, delivery systems, and reconnaissance evolved side by side.

Together, these threads align squarely with the Museum’s mission to interpret the science, history, and global impact of the nuclear age.

The Challenge: Preserving a Black Airframe in the High Desert

Unlike many aircraft in Heritage Park, the U-2 is finished in its iconic midnight-black, radar-absorbing coating—engineered for the edge of space, not prolonged exposure to New Mexico’s intense sun.

The Risk

• Extreme UV exposure and temperature swings accelerate paint degradation and surface stress.

The Solution: This campaign funds both installation and a permanent conservation strategy, including:

• Advanced UV-resistant aerospace coatings
• Scheduled inspections by trained technicians
• Long-term monitoring appropriate for an outdoor black airframe

Campaign Goal: $170,000

This figure reflects the cost of responsibly installing and preserving the U-2 for its Heritage Park display.

$100,000 — Tactical Logistics & Reassembly

• Specialized heavy-lift transport to Albuquerque
• Expert aerospace technicians to reattach the U-2’s 104+-foot wingspan on site
• Updated costs reflecting fuel increases and specialty logistics

$70,000 — U-2 Conservation Endowment

A dedicated, restricted fund to ensure perpetual care.

• At a 4% annual draw, generates $2,800/year for ongoing preservation
• Planned, proactive care rather than reactive repairs

Giving Levels & Recognition

$25,000+ — Mission Leadership Partner

• Prominent recognition on the U-2 interpretive display
• All Particle Partner corporate benefits
• Invitation to an exclusive annual leadership briefing
• Commemorative U-2 plaque
• U-2 Challenge Coin

$10,000–$24,999 — Strategic Partner

• Recognition on interpretive display
• Atomic Associate corporate benefits
• Invitation to an exclusive annual leadership briefing
• Commemorative U-2 plaque
• U-2 Challenge Coin

$5,000–$9,999 — Strategic Partner

• Recognition on interpretive display
• Invitation to annual leadership briefing
• Oppenheimer Level Membership
• U-2 Challenge Coin

$2,500–$4,999 — Heritage Park Steward

• Listing on donor panel
• Fermi Level Membership
• U-2 Challenge Coin

$1,000–$2,499 — Dragon Lady Supporter

• Listing on donor panel
• Seaborg Level Membership
• U-2 Challenge Coin

Gifts of any amount are welcome.

Urgency & Timing

The aircraft is cleared and staged for transport, with a limited logistical window coordinated with federal partners and specialty vendors. Delays risk increased costs, loss of vendor availability, and postponement of public access by an entire year.

The Impact

A gift to Project Dragon Lady is more than funding an aircraft display. It ensures future generations can:

• See the technology that shaped world events
• Understand the science behind national security
• Remember the people who flew, built, and depended on these machines

Your leadership ensures the story of the Invisible Guardian remains visible—and meaningful—for decades to come.

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