THE TORY II-A REACTOR

Thorton, G. (1963). Introduction to Nuclear Propulsion. Nuclear Materials & Propulsion Operation. General Electric Flight Propulsion Laboratory Department, p.60.
https://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/19640019868.pdf

The Tory II-A reactor had a power rating of 155 megawatts. This translates to 207,859 horsepower. The J-58 produced 160,000 horsepower giving it 120 Megawatt power rating. If the Tory II-A had the same thrust to megawatt ratio as the 500 megawatt Tory reactors then it had 10,800 pounds of thrust. This is an interesting result in that at 10,800 pounds it is nearly the same thrust as the J-57 used in the first U-2's. The Tory II-A also had similar dimensions to the J-57.

http://afftcmuseum.org/exhibits/blackbird-airpark-exhibits/j57-engine-u2/

Given the fact that the U2-A only weighed 8 tons (or 3.125 times less than 25 tons); it had the power to go well over Mach 2 at sea level. But since it was flying over 100,000 feet where air resistance is practically nil. The atomic U2-A had the power to travel at 21,642 mph or Mach 32. So, it appears as though what Col. L Fletcher Prouty claimed about the U2 "spy" plane was true. Although he left out the nuclear part. He did make odd claims about the U2 being hydrogen supplemented with a tank approximately the size of a fire extinguisher. He was dog whistling to those in the know about the U2-A being nuclear powered. So, his claims about Gary Powers being set up were true. Because the Soviets did not have the ability to shoot down the U2-A in their wildest dreams.

Prouty does look  down and to his right when he makes the claim @08:00 minutes that the U2 was hydrogen powered. He is making excessive hand gestures throughout the video. So, he appears to be lying when making these statements, using the traditional eyes to the right or the new excessive hand movement standard of lying. 

Sherwin, A. (2021) The truth about lying: It’s the hands that betray you, not the eyes, The Independent. Available at: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/the-truth-about-lying-it-s-the-hands-that-betray-you-not-the-eyes-b1943708.html (Accessed: 27 July 2025).

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/the-truth-about-lying-its-the-hands-that-betray-you-not-the-eyes-7936522.html

27 July 2025

The video seems to have been edited. The reference to the fire extinguisher sized tank has been removed. It has been changed to a propane tank. Either way it is a preposterous claim. Combustion requires oxygen. Hydrogen is not going solve the supposed flameout problems of the U2. Hydrogen is 4 times less energetic than kerosene. Prouty leaves out a lot of things in his U2 account. The most egregious thing is the fact that Powers was expected to commit suicide. The U2 pilots were supplied with a poison pen and were expected to use it to prevent capture. He also leaves out the fact that the U2 was rigged with explosives. It was set to self destructed after the pilots bailed out. The pilots believed that they would be killed , if they used the self destruct mechanism. That's why Powers manually bailed out of the U2. The fact that Powers lived is what shocked the U2 program people. 

Interestingly the SNAP 8 reactor was about the size of fire extinguisher. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pratt_%26_Whitney_J57

Specifications (J57-P-23)[edit]

Pratt & Whitney J57 turbojet

Data from^{[citation needed]}

General characteristics

• Type: Afterburning turbojet
• Length: 244 in (6197.6mm)
• Diameter: 39 in (990.6mm)
• Dry weight: 5,175 lb (2,347 kg)

Components

• Compressor: Two-spool 16-stage axial compressor

Performance

• Maximum thrust: 11,700 lbf (52.0 kN) dry, 17,200 lbf (76.5 kN) with afterburner
• Overall pressure ratio: 11.5:1
• Air mass flow: 165 lb/s (75 kg/s) at maximum power
• Turbine inlet temperature: 1,600 °F (870 °C)
• Specific fuel consumption: 2.10 lb/(lbf⋅h) (59 g/(kN⋅s)) with afterburner
• Thrust-to-weight ratio: 3.32:1 (32.6 N/kg)