#kc 135 stratotanker

[aeroloversone]

Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker Heavy Aircraft

The first aircraft flew in August 1956 and the initial production Stratotanker was delivered to Castle Air Force Base, Calif., in June 1957. The last KC-135 was delivered to the Air Force in 1965. Of the original KC-135As, more than 417 were modified with new CFM-56 engines produced by CFM-International.

[nocternalrandomness]

KC-135 Tanker photographed Oct 1972 as it climbs out of Kadena Airbase, Japan

[dark0ta]

Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker & Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II Taken: 7/26/24

[usafphantom2]

Still cleansing... an oldie but a goodie - water power!

@Tcamp202 via X

[tpmmpt-1]

"Practice makes perfect..."

Mid-flight refueling testing for the YA-10 Thunderbolt II with a KC-135 Stratotanker

[blackros78]

A four-ship formation of F-15 Eagles from the 44th and 67th Fighter Squadrons (FS) fly in close formation with a KC-135 Stratotanker from the 909th Air Refueling Squadron, during Exercise COPE NORTH 02.

[planesawesome]

U.S. Air Force B-1B Lancer approaches a KC-135 Stratotanker to conduct

aerial refueling during a Bomber Task Force mission over the Pacific Ocean, Jan. 15, 2025.

[dangerousthingobservation]

U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor refueled by a KC-135 Stratotanker over the Nevada, June 16, 2016.

[learnearninfo]

Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker #aviation #airplane #flight

[enriquemzn262]

The might of the United States Air Force tanker fleet.

Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker, McDonnel Douglas KC-10 Extender, and Boeing KC.46 Pegasus

[nocternalrandomness]

Dragging Eagles over the Cascades

[girlactionfigure]

🟥 U.S. MILITARY BUILDUP AND STRATEGIC SECURITY DISCUSSIONS AMID ESCALATING MIDDLE EAST TENSIONS AND HEZBOLLAH CONTINUED ATTACKS ON ISRAEL

🔴 Another four KC-135 Stratotankers (refueling planes) and two American B-52 strategic bombers are heading to the American Air Force base in Qatar to bolster presence in the Middle East.

🇺🇸🇮🇱 Last Thursday, General Michael “Erik” Kurilla, Commander of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), visited Israel as an official guest of Chief of the General Staff LTG Herzi Halevi. The two leaders assessed strategic security issues and joint regional readiness, focusing on threats in the Middle East, particularly from Iran. General Kurilla also visited the recently deployed American THAAD aerial defense battery in Israel, reinforcing defense against emerging threats.

⭕ As of 3:00 PM, around 100 projectiles launched by Hezbollah have crossed from Lebanon into Israel today.

💥 The attacks commenced in Baalbek, Lebanon, following an IDF evacuation warning earlier today (seen in the attached video).

🔷 Channel 12 News reported a vehicle being struck by missile shrapnel at the Golani Junction, west of Tiberias.

🔷 A 57-year-old Nahariya resident, wounded by shrapnel last month, was declared dead on Sunday, according to Israeli media.

◾ The Iranian rial has hit an unprecedented low, exceeding 700,000 rials per dollar. This drop reflects the escalating tension and anticipation of potential military clashes between Iran and Israel.

[usafphantom2]

What are the most amazing things you've seen as a Boom Operator?

Five KC-135Rs and Sixty F-16s Refueling Near Kuwait 🇰🇼

In November and December of 1990 during Operation Desert Shield I was flying out of Jeddah, Saudia Arabia. The flight lunches always had goat cheese on the sandwiches, but our quarters were ok, and the flying was good, sometime even flying twice a day.

General Schwarzkopf was attempting to plant the idea that US forces would invade Kuwait with an amphibious assault from the Persian Gulf. The Marine’s plans were called Operation Desert Saber, and my understanding was that the Air Force was supporting the operation with F-16s. It was all a feint of course, but the mission was flown to make it look like that’s what we were going to do. In support of this, we were tasked with a large mission with five KC-135Rs.

When multiple tankers fly in formation at altitude, the second aircraft flies 500 feet above, 1 mile behind, and on a 30-degree offset from the lead aircraft. Each subsequent aircraft also flies off lead, but the each add an additional 500 feet of altitude, and 1 mile in distance. So, if Lead is at 25,000 ft, Two is at 25,500, Three is at 26,000, Four is at 26,500 and Five is at 27,000. That’s two thousand feet, plus a thousand above and a thousand below for other air traffic clearance. Needless to say, it’s a bit of a headache for air traffic controllers, whether they are regular ATC, or as in our case an E-3A Sentry and a USN E-2A Hawkeye.

We were lucky enough to be assigned as aircraft number five, tail end Charlie. The great thing about being last in the formation is that you can see everything, and this formation was one worth watching.

We flew toward the southern tip of Kuwait where we were to meet up with sixty F-16s. Yes, sixty! Fighters join up with tankers by flying straight at them, usually a bit lower in altitude, and then just turn in behind the tanker with whatever bank angle they need to make the turn, so it’s not uncommon to see them coming around behind you at 90-degree of bank. Each F-16 formation is called a flight, and each flight tended either two or four aircraft, but for this tasking, each tanker was responsible for twelve F-16s and we had no idea how they were going to be divided up.

As I recall, all air refueling at the time was done using radio silent operations, which meant that everything was pre-briefed, and the radios were only used went they were really needed (safety of flight issues, or to prevent mission failure.) So, while you had receivers assigned to you, if different ones showed up, you just recorded the tail numbers and refueled them. Saudia Arabia was paying for the gas anyways, we just had to record who got what.

I remember standing in the cockpit before any had arrived on our wing yet because we were at the highest level and watching all these F-16s buzzing around like bees in the spring, flying up to their tankers to get some nectar.

Eventually they swarmed on us, and I headed back to the boom pod to get to work. As each flight joined up with its tanker, they would normally form on the left wing, and when it looked like the tanker was ready, the boom down and extended to 10 feet, they would get into position.

They were using a technique known as “Quick Flow Air Refueling”. An F-16 would get into the pre-contact position and wait to be cleared to contact. The next F-16 would fly fingertip formation with the one on the boom. When the first one finished, he would move off to the right, and the next one would slide right into the contact position, we’d plug him and give him his gas and so on. They would continue this until the entire flight was topped off with fuel. It was very efficient and quick.

When they were all done, they disappeared as if the wind had blown them away, and we just hung around for a bit in case anybody needed a little extra.

Let me tell you, it was a sight to see, and I haven’t seen anything online that would compare to it. Wish I’d taken photos or better yet, videos.

@tcamp202 via X

[captain-price-unofficially]

F-105D Thunderchiefs refueling from a KC-135 Stratotanker while en-route to targets in North Vietnam, c. Jan., 1967

[lboogie1906]

General Darren W. McDew (September 29, 1960) was born in Rantoul, Illinois. He graduated with a BS in Engineering from the Virginia Military Institute.

He trained as a pilot in the 82d Flying Training Wing, Williams Air Force Base. He took combat crew training in the Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker in the 93rd Bomb Wing at Castle Air Force Base. He was at the 42nd Air Refueling Squadron, Loring Air Force Base, as a pilot instructor and flight commander. He served in administrative and support capacities in DC, as an Air Force aide to President Bill Clinton. He was promoted to the rank of Colonel and was put in charge of the 62nd Operations Group, McChord Air Force Base. Command assignments were with the 375th Airlift Wing, Scott Air Force Base, 43rd Airlift Wing, and Installation Commander, Pope Air Force Base, Air Force District of Washington, Andrews Air Force Base, and two stints at the Pentagon. He was made Commander of the 18th Air Force and promoted to Lieutenant General.

Upon being promoted to the rank of 4-star General, he took command of the Air Mobility Unit at Fort Scott Air Force Base. He served as Commander of, the United States Transportation Command headquartered at Fort Scott, which provided air. He is responsible for coordinating the Air Force’s Air Mobility Command, the Navy’s Military Sealift Command, and the Army’s Surface Deployment and Distribution Command.

Among his numerous awards and decorations are the Armed Forces Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Kosovo Campaign Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Air Force Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Defense Superior Service Medal with oak leaf cluster, Air Force Command Pilot Badge, and Presidential Service Badge.

He logged more than 3,300 flight hours in military aircraft ranging from the small, twin-engine Cessna T-37B, to the Northrup T-38A supersonic trainer jet, the Bell UH-1N Twin Huey helicopter, the Lockheed C-130 Hercules turboprop transport plane, to the mammoth four-jet engine Boeing C-17 Globemaster III.

Married since 1983 to Evelyn K. Massenburg, they have a daughter and a son. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence