After WWII, much of Eastern Europe fell under Soviet control, limiting movement and communication. Rising tensions between the Soviet Union and Western nations marked the start of the Cold War, described by Winston Churchill in 1946 as the “Iron Curtain.” In 1949 the USSR tested its first nuclear weapon, making intelligence gathering crucial. Aerial reconnaissance became essential. In 1953 the U.S. Air Force sought a high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft, but Lockheed independently proposed the CL-282. The design used long, high-aspect-ratio wings and extreme weight reduction to fly above 70,000 ft. The CIA supported the project, believing an unarmed spy plane would be less provocative. Approved by President Eisenhower, it became the Lockheed U-2 “Dragon Lady,” first flown in 1955 and deployed from bases in Europe, Turkey, and Japan.
More to read about the KIT here, thanks to scalemates, a Belgian Scale modeling database