There is a variant of the current kc 5 called a kc 5 rt. Kc 5 stratotanker stock pictures, royaltyfree photos. The kc 5 was the us air forces first jetpowered refueling tanker and replaced the kc 97 stratofreighter. Operated by the 101st squadron, stationed at the incirlik air base. These can be refueled inflight by another kc 5 or kc 10. Air forces strategic aerial refueling fleet, the kc 5 stratotanker is a military version of the 1950sera 707 commercial passenger jet. Space for copy ohio air national guard kc 5 tanker from rickenbacker angb landing on runway 29 at raf mildenhall. Your kc 5 checkride fourth edition january 2009 maj rob randall 97tthh operations support squadron altus afb, ok. The new jersey air national guards 108th air wing flies the kc 5 air refueling tanker. All the air refueling squadrons of the usaf kc10 kc. Both the kc5 and the boeing 707 airliner were developed from the boeing 36780. A kc 5 tanker takes off from beale afb at an air show in 1985. Find highquality kc 5 stratotanker stock photos and editorial news pictures from getty images. Page 3 gao12366 kc 46 tanker aircraft in 1996, gao reported that the aging kc 5s would eventually need to be replaced.
Sr71 taking fuel from kc 5 tanker following the reconnaissance, it slowed and descended to tank again, and flew back to base. It looks similar to the kc 5, but it is in fact a completely different airframe with different refueling hardware and systems. Analysis of alternatives aoa for kc5 recapitalization. The boeing companys model 36780 was the basic design for the commercial 707 passenger plane as well as the kc 5a stratotanker. Other notable applications of the c 5 include the ec5b and ec5n missile and spacecraft tracking models used to support the apollo moon missions as well as the rc5s and rc5x models used to track. This is a patch for the united states air forces kc 5 stratotanker. Kc5 stratotanker aerial refuelling aircraft airforce. Through the years, the kc 5 has been altered to do other jobs ranging from flying command post missions to reconnaissance. The kc 5 transfers fuel through the tanker s flying boom, controlled by an operator stationed at the rear of the fuselage. The boeing kc 5 stratotanker is an aerial refueling military aircraft. If anybody has information on these crashes, please use the comments below as a forum to add your inputs. The kc5 constitutes the bulk of the current tanker. In fact, im not sure of any units that would fly only one or the other model. The joint base currently operates a fleet of outdated and expensive planes known as 32 kc 10s.
Two reengined kc 5rs could do the work of three kc 5as. The kc5 flying tanker is turning 60 popular mechanics. List of united states air force air refueling squadrons. Kc 5 stratotanker stock photos download 78 royalty. Download premium images you cant get anywhere else. The new tanker is set to augment and eventually replace the kc 5 stratotanker, currently the oldest airframe still in use by the air force. Below is a table that shows all destroyed 5 aircraft. Kc 5 tanker stock photos download 60 royalty free photos. Air force has produced a video to mark the sixtieth year of the kc 5 stratotanker in service. Kc 5 aircraft in storage at the 309th aerospace maintenance and regeneration group at davis. The kc5 stratotanker provides the core aerial refueling capability for the united states air force and has excelled in this role for more than.
The kc5r stratotankers primary mission is to refuel longrange bombers. Air force to build the nextgeneration aerial refueling tanker aircraft, the kc 46, based on the boeing 767 commercial airplane, to replace 179 of the services 400 kc 5. The kc 10 aircraft are relatively young, averaging about 20 years in age. See more ideas about military aircraft, fighter jets and aviation. The stratotanker was initially tasked to refuel strategic bombers, but was used extensively in the vietnam war and later conflicts such as desert storm to extend the range and endurance of air force, navy and marine tactical fighters and. Boeing built 732 kc 5 stratotankers for the us air force between 1957 and 1965. A total of 808 c5 aircraft were delivered to the usaf, in various models and configurations. All departments men women kids baby drinkware accessories bags buttons flip flops hats neck ties. Our kc 5 patches are 100% embroidered with velcro backing. The vast majority of the kc 5r fleet is not capable of being refueled in flight. Even a brief look at this listing shows that flying the kc 5 and similar aircraft was anything but. Senior airman charlton hampton refuels an f15c eagle from a kc5 stratotanker dec.
Turkish air force kc 5 tanker plane departing raf fairford. The boeing 707 has been used as a refueling tanker for many years. The worlds only kc747 tanker is flown by the iranian air. Usaf presently uses two types of refueling aircraft. It must have been one of the most frightening view in the career of the kc 5 s flying boom operator. Of the 803 units produced between 1954 and 1965, 56 of the kc 5 s were converted to q and later to t specifications. The kc 10 is based on the dc10 aircraft, and the kc 5 is similar to the boeing707 airliner. Consequently, much of the focus on modernization of the tanker fleet is centered on the kc 5s. History of destroyed aircraft air refueling archive. The boeing kc 5 stratotanker is a military aerial refueling aircraft.
When you think of a kc5 stratotanker, lowlevel operations in total darkness and radio silence doesnt come to mind. The dark world of usaf special ops air refuelers and their. The kc 5 stratotanker has been serving with the united states air force since 1957, along with multiple other countries air forces. Mission the kc5 stratotanker provides the core aerial refueling capability for the united states air force and has excelled in this role for. Joint base selected to receive next generation aircraft. United states air force kc 5 stratotanker taxiing on runway of langkawi airport lgk usaf kc 5 stratotanker tanker plane. Both the kc 5 and the boeing 707 airliner were developed. Local news outlets are reporting that a c 5 tanker most probably a kc 5 aircraft disappeared from radar screens near kyrgyzkazakh border owned by u. The crash of a kc 5 refueling tanker today in kyrgyzstan brings a thorny question back to the forefront. It was designed specifically for aerial refueling and replaced propellerpowered kc97 tankers.
Download 60 kc 5 tanker stock photos for free or amazingly low rates. Military patch usaf kc 5 stratotanker ebay air force patches, army. My dad flew the kc 5 doing the refueling in this photo during vietnam. The boeing kc5 stratotanker is a military aerial refueling aircraft. The reengined tanker, designated the kc 5e, is 14 percent more fuel efficient than the kc 5a and can offload 20 percent more fuel. The wing is located at mcguire afb new jersey and consists of three types of logistical aircraft, the c17 heavy transport the kc 5 tanker and the most interesting of the three, the kc 10 tanker. Underside of a us air force kc 5 stratotanker aerial refueling aircraft. Advanced tankercargo aircraft an attempt to replace the kc5 with a modified. A nato e3 sentry almost hit the tail of the tanker and its flying boom during airtoa. Air force use such old planes as the backbone of its global reach. Air forces kc 5 stratotanker fleet some of which are. The most expensive part of the sr71 program was the tankers which could only be used for the sr71 program due to the special fuel they carried.
The first kc 5 was delivered to castle air force base, calif. The principal model remaining in service is the kc 5r tanker whose updates allow it to do the job of three of the original kc 5as. The us air force still has about 550 kc 5 stratotankers in. Kc 5 stratotanker in september 2006 the air forces kc 5 stratotanker fleet celebrated 50 years of enhancing fighter, bomber and cargo aircraft missions. The kc 5 was the us air forces first jetpowered refueling tanker and replaced the kc 97 stratotanker. The patch includes the slogan snuggle up its feeding time. Ive asked him what, if any purpose, a highbank had during refueling. Us air force raf mildenhall based boeing kc 5 stratotanker tanker plane of the 100th arw on us air force kc 5 stratotanker. It also provides aerial refueling support to air force, navy, marine corps and allied. The tanker is longestserving aircraft is air force history and has flown in. The 747 heavy tanker transport concept evolved out of a mid1960s usaf initiative to field a much larger tanker than the plentiful boeing 707 derived kc 5 stratotanker. He was a captain of a kc 5 and spent most of his time refueling the sr71. Air force kc 5 strato tanker based at loring air force base in limestone, maine, was returning to base after a six hour refueling operation over canada when the aircraft suddenly exploded in a massive fireball.
The boeing kc 5 stratotanker is a fourengined airtoair tanker and cargo aircraft produced by the usamerican manufacturer boeing company. This unique configuration of the kc 5 allowed the tanker to put jp7 in the forward and aft fuselage tanks available for offloading to a receiver, while allowing the tanker to burn jp8 from the. The boeingbuilt kc 46 tanker is a military version of the 767 commercial aircraft. Us air force eyes selfprotection systems for aging. Kc 5a in flight closeup of winglet with attached tufts. Both indeed do have significant fuselage tanks the kc 10 is notable for being dualmission capable, meaning it can carry both fuel and cargo, and the kc 10 is also airrefuelable so a kc 5 can offload extra gas into a kc 10 when their crew rest is up, allowing the kc 10 to stay on station and refuel other planes longer. Just a little nit, the 344th, 349th, 350th, and 384th are kc 5rs and ts.
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