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| In August 1954, the USAF announced that it intended to procure a number of tanker/transports developed from the prototype Boeing Model 387-80 which had first flown a few weeks earlier. These were allocated the designation KC-135A, and the first of them made its initial flight on 31 August 1956; 10 months later, on 28 June 1957, the first was delivered to Castle AFB, California. Since that time a family of variants has been produced in large numbers for service with the USAF, mainly as tankers (Stratotankers) or cargo transports (Stratolifters). Two modified KC-135As are used by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to check navigation aids throughout the United States.
This military version of the Model 367-80 is identified as the Boeing Model 717: it differs primarily from the later Model 707 by having a smaller-diameter fuselage, deletion of cabin windows, reduced size and weight, and accommodation for 80 passengers or an equivalent weight of cargo on the main deck. All equipment for the tanker role is carried on the lower deck, or normal cargo area, and includes the pivoted 'Flying Boom' refuelling gear. This was modified subsequently by the provision
of an adaptor to allow for probe-and-drogue refuelling of Tactical Air Command and US Navy/Marine Corps aircraft. Power is provided by four 6123kg thrust Pratt & Whitney J57-P-59W turbojets.
The Model 717 Stratolifter family differs from the foregoing by being equipped specifically to serve as long-range transports. These have the refuelling boom deleted, but there is a structural similarity between these two basic tanker/lifter types, with interior changes in the latter providing accommodation for up to 126 troops, or 44 stretchers plus 54 sitting casualties. Galley and toilet facilities are provided at the rear of the cabin, and provision is made for an alternative all-freight role. The initial version was the C-135A with turbojet engines, first flown on 19 May 1961, and delivered to MATS on 8 June 1961 to become the USAF's first strategic jet transport.
Now, almost 30 years later and with 820 delivered, it is inevitable that there are a number of variants, including specially-built versions and conversions, and brief details of these are given below. Recent modifications include structural strengthening and re-engining with CFM56 turbofans with increased thrust and reduced fuel consumption.
| CREW | 4-5 |
| PASSENGERS | 126 |
| ENGINE | 4 x turbo-jet P+W TF-33-P-5 |
| WEIGHTS |
| Take-off weight | 125000 kg | 275579 lb |
| Empty weight | 47000 kg | 103618 lb |
| DIMENSIONS |
| Wingspan | 39.9 m | 131 ft 11 in |
| Length | 41.0 m | 135 ft 6 in |
| Height | 11.7 m | 38 ft 5 in |
| Wing area | 226.0 m2 | 2432.64 sq ft |
| PERFORMANCE |
| Max. speed | 970 km/h | 603 mph |
| Cruise speed | 650 km/h | 404 mph |
| Ceiling | 10700 m | 35100 ft |
| Range w/max.fuel | 14800 km | 9197 miles |
| Range w/max payload | 4900 km | 3045 miles |
| DONALD R. WHITLEY, e-mail, 30.12.2009 01:02 THIS IS QUITE A LADY. I WAS PRIVLEDGE TO WORK ON THE P & W
FORD J-57-59W. I AS USAF,BUNKER HILL AFB. 2ND AF 305TH FMS.
I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO WORK THE FLIGHT LINE FROM THE ENGINE
SHOP, AND HAD SOME GOOD MEMORIES. THE KC IS A BIRD OF ALL
BIRDS. ILL FLY ITSELF IF NEDED. WHEN SHE GOES TO ARIZONA IT WILL BE A GREAT LOSOSE. reply | | Donald Warhurst, e-mail, 15.09.2009 06:22 Just a short note to update to my email address from my previoius entry. donme40@wildblue.net
Donald Warhurst, donme40(@)bellsouth.net, 02.09.2008
Many of you may have seen the tragic pictures of 57-1418, damaged by incompetence at Tinker.
1418 was the first active duty aircraft I layed my hands on. The date was August 15, 1966 (as close as I can remember) and 1418 was parked on spot 11 at Clinton Sherman AFB, Ok. One of the first things I got to do was count the 'bright pink rivits' on the bottom of the wing. Fuel Cell had just dusted it to verify and classify how many leaks we had and how serious they were. I don't remember the details but she was a polkadot bird that day.
The crew chief and my trainer was SSgt Robert Skutley.
Another bit of history the Tinker guys destroyed; 1418 was the lead aircraft out of U-Tapao Dec. 11, 1972. I have a sequence of photos of that launch. reply | | George Wilhite, e-mail, 23.08.2009 01:22 Anyone have personal knowledge of 58-0002 (Bergstrom AFB) that crashed 03 /31 /1959 between Belton & Killeen, TX? reply | | Edward Johnson, e-mail, 16.08.2009 08:26 It was a long time ago, but I crewed on 3 different tankers. The first tanker I crewed on was suppose to have been the second bird of the line, it didn't even have a bom on it, 119. The second one, was suppose to be the 16th off the 125. They were both NKC, assigned to System Comand, now Space Comand from what I understand. Does any body know if they are still flying. I know my third one burned up when the engine lost a tee wheel, and it cut through the wing tank. No one was hurt, and thank god, we were in the middle of a ORI, and all the planes had flight crews, or they would have lost a lot more then one plane as close as they were parked. reply | |
| | Matthew Korcek, e-mail, 01.04.2009 14:01 I am a current Aero Repair Specialist / Crew Chief (R&R for the older guys). I have only been in the AF for a few years, but I feel so privledged to be working on this aircraft. I know the history behind many of these aircraft. For those that read this and know about it....the first plane I ever touched whas 58-0050 aka "Spook 50". To those of you who worked on this aircraft when it first came out, to those of you currently working this aircraft. My Hat is off to you. Let us continue to take care of the KC-135 Stratotanker, the back bone of the United States Air Force. reply | | Jerold Dowding, e-mail, 27.12.2008 04:54 I was a KC-135 crew chief for many years of my AF career. To this day I can almost visualize every inch of those birds. They took me in and out of SEA over a period from 1965 - 1972. In fact as a crew chief, they took me for several rides to places on every continent. I just bumped into a retired pilot that had my serial number in his log book 57-1438. Where is my old bird...? That was my first true love...! reply | | daniel murphy, e-mail, 20.09.2008 01:09 crewed kc135A, tail number 7980 up until they took me off the flightline in 1978. I really loved that 'ol bird. Missed the crew chief patch by one take-off. Would love to run into that 2nd Lt who thought it nice to swat the water switches instead of holding them for the required 3 seconds. If your out there looking at this, say high, got a few remarks....... reply | | Donald Warhurst, e-mail, 02.09.2008 02:49 Many of you may have seen the tragic pictures of 57-1418, damaged by incompetence at Tinker.
1418 was the first active duty aircraft I layed my hands on. The date was August 15, 1966 (as close as I can remember) and 1418 was parked on spot 11 at Clinton Sherman AFB, Ok. One of the first things I got to do was count the 'bright pink rivits' on the bottom of the wing. Fuel Cell had just dusted it to verify and classify how many leaks we had and how serious they were. I don't remember the details but she was a polkadot bird that day.
The crew chief and my trainer was SSgt Robert Skutley.
Another bit of history the Tinker guys destroyed; 1418 was the lead aircraft out of U-Tapao Dec. 11, 1972. I have a sequence of photos of that launch. reply | | Jim Evans, e-mail, 01.07.2008 19:38 For what it is worth, the official USAF Fact Sheet for the -135 says that the KC-135R /T with the GE CFM-56 engines (which develop 21.634 pounds of thrust per engine) can takeoff at up to 322,500 pound gross weights. Whew. I had taken off in an A-model at 297,600 at Eielson in Alaska (at 45 below zero F) and at nearly the same weight in an E. The old girl uses a lot of runway at heavy weights! reply | | Jim Evans, e-mail, 01.07.2008 19:30 As you can tell from the e-mail address, I have some small connection with the KC-135...about 4000 flight hours in the KC-135A /Q /E to be specific over twenty years with the old girl. The best source for -135 information I have found is BOEING KC-135 STRATOTANKER: More than just a Tanker by Robert S. Hopkins III. Published by Aerofax in 1997. My favorite A-model (now an R) was 61-0313 'the glider.' She was actually run out of gas on short final to K I Sawyer AFB and landed by the AC /IP after the rest of the crew bailed out...when an A-model is quiet a few hundred feet in the air it IS probably time to go. She landed just short of the overrun, bounced up on the paved surface and rolled to a stop with surprisingly little damage. Loved to take that bird TDY and tell the Transient Alert maintenance folks to "treat her kindly, she's already been run out of gas once." While at the Phoenix Air Guard we had one E-model we were allowed to retrofit with turbocompressors used on the 707 airliners (and the narrow body Air Force One aircraft). That really helped the airconditioning system keep up with the extreme heat here in the Desert. Sadly, a lot of my old friends are now sitting in the Boneyard at D-M. I visit them periodically. More air museums need to request a -135 for their collection before they all become razor blades or cars. reply | | Carl Haug, e-mail, 01.07.2008 07:29 Does anyone know of a site that has serial #'s and histories of all the individual aircraft? Something like C141 Heaven? A daunting task with over so many a /c produed. reply | | John DeVault, e-mail, 02.06.2008 15:33 I was a Boom Operator on the KC-135. 1500 hrs total and half were combat over Viet-Nam. One night we flew into a canyon at 30,000 feet plus with St.Elmos fire on the windshield and the whole aircraft shaking so badly in the effects of a monsoon. The Bird was uncontrollable and the pilot just took his hands of the wheel. Whoever designed this aircraft did a heck of a job. reply | | Chuck Dannheiser, e-mail, 27.05.2008 01:29 I was an IP in the A model and Mike DeCarbo is correct, we had the P&W J-57. Art Schfler is also correct in that the max gross weight was 301600lbs;however, the max gross take-off weight was 297000lbs. 4600 lbs. of fuel was calculated to be burned during taxi and take-off. reply | | Mike DeCarbo, e-mail, 16.04.2008 22:20 The engines on the "A" model aircraft were P&W J57-59W. The "B" models, which didn't go into service until 1962, had the TF-33 fan motors. Thee were primarily for the "Looking Glass" missions. reply | |
| | ART SCHEFLER, e-mail, 01.04.2008 23:28 I didn't know that the apeed and takeoff weight has been degraded. When I was a navgator on A & C models, cruise was 285 IAS, TAS was 450kts and gross weight was 301,600 lbs. reply | | Harlen Dziuba, e-mail, 15.08.2007 21:40 like to know the sil heights for the doors reply |
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