lxbfYeaa, e-mail, 14.03.2024 06:58 20

Rob Schultz, e-mail, 04.11.2022 13:36 They were re-engined with CFM56/F108 engines and redesignated KC-135T

Brantxdq, e-mail, 12.10.2020 22:16 Four women testify to drugged date rapes MUSKEGON, MI A procession of young women told a jury on Wednesday that drugs had been slipped in their drinks before they were raped by theco defendant of a man already convicted of raping two of them. Larry rigid, 32, Is accused of first degree criminal sexual conduct in the alleged drugging and rapes of two of the victims who testified in Muskegon County Circuit Court Aug. 30. an additional man, Joshua Humphrey, 35, was already convicted of the two rapes and is serving 28 to 51 years in prison. Both women said Humphrey ushered them shots at a bar, And within minutes began to feel dizzy, Foggy and nauseous and began blacking out. the trainer told us they remember only seconds long snippets of the night: Being motivated with Humphrey and Stiff to a home, Walking proper into a "gross" bsmt, Coming to while someone was sexually going through them, understanding the other woman was lying beside her, And the inability move or cry out. Though Stiff is going to be tried for two rapes, Two other women testified they too had been drugged and raped, And another said she was drugged but her friends stopped Humphrey and Stiff from carrying her off. The district attorney office has said more than two dozen women came forward to accuse Humphrey and Stiff of drug assisted rapes. Muskegon County Senior Assistant district attorney Brandon Davis said in his opening statement Stiff and Humphrey operated a three year "plan, against 2013 to 2016, To lure women through Internet social media and dating site to bars. presently, Humphrey would slip date rape drugs into their drinks and the men would transport them to a home where make use of them rape the women. Though neither Humphrey nor Stiff were involved in any larcenies, Davis ideal that the men also stole phones, Money and clothing from the ladies. Defense Attorney Frederick Johnson did not dispute that the women had been drugged and raped. he explained Humphrey was the "Sexual predator and sociopathic beast" Who drugged and raped the women. high was "unaware" To the fact the women were drugged and joined "The party not being aware what going on, johnson said. "These women were emailing him. They were giving him authorization, manley said. "the ladies don remember any of that, To convict Stiff of first quality CSC, He required known the women were incapacitated and unable to give consent, johnson said. He also needed only to be serving to Humphrey commit the rapes, Davis said. A forensic scientist testified dna testing indicated "Strong help" That both Humphrey and Stiff semen was recovered from any of the victims. That victim urine sample also protected two drugs: Amitriptyline, an effective the actualtidepressa freet, and even gabapentin, An anti convulsant drug used to stop muscles from contracting and has unwanted of dizziness and sleepiness, Another scientist testified. 30, 2013. amazingly, instead, He indicated they go to a bar, the first kind Cancun Connection that was on Hall Road. There she struck up a interaction with a woman she didn know, seen by here as woman 2, too as met Stiff. Humphrey bought the ladies shots and about 20 minutes after drinking hers, Woman 1 said she started to feel dizzy and nauseous and began losing awareness. She said she valued snippets of the evening, Including visiting a "yucky" basements of a home, Sitting on a couch next to woman 2 and then realizing she was on a bare mattress and incapacitated. She said she believed she was at at home where Stiff was staying because she was told to stop barking because his aunt was sleeping upstairs. Woman 1 described waking up briefly and the inability to see but realizing someone was penetrating her sexually. Woman 1 said she also realized at many point that woman 2 was naked and next to her on the mattress. Woman 2 gave identical account of snippets of memory from the evening: Of seeing a basement, placed next to woman 1 on the couch, Then lying next to her on the mattress and coming to periodically including at one point when someone was sexually penetrating her. "going being on the bed but I couldn move, She had said. "I attempted to move my body and I just could not move my body. I was trying to get up, the morning, The women realized their mobile phone handsets were missing and still were in a groggy state. Both women said they felt pain from vaginal and anal sexual penetration. After asking two service station clerks for directions and still feeling groggy, Woman 1 made her approach to her mother in the Grand Rapids area, She testified. "Her arms never before felt so safe, Woman 1 said in tears. Woman 1 ended up calling policeand undergoing a rape examination. Woman 2 said she didn call police simply "I just wanted to keep it to myself, "I felt embarrassed that I had put myself into a situation when I was just working to make new friends and I let my guard down, She said lightly. "I ...

Laura McLaughlin, e-mail, 07.09.2020 22:23 Anyone know what the KC135A carried from Guam to Okinawa in 1070-1972?

Mary Kunkowski, e-mail, 22.01.2018 06:05 Spent a few years as a Boom Operator on the KC-135A w/J57 engines I think (1978-1980). Having hearing loss issues that I am trying to get the VA to award. Any information about ambient noise levels, etc. would be most appreciated. Thank you

Danita Stromley, e-mail, 04.08.2016 00:53 I help I was trying to email Don Barker that was in the airforce from (1971 to 1980) that was station at Pease and that was also at U-Tapao.. And Spencer Johnson. But for some reason having a hard time being able to find the emails. Also would like help from anyone that was a crew for a KC-135 tanker that was on the Young Tiger Mission, My dad is having some health issues that is having to do with agent orange. Where he was on the crew of the tanker they are saying he was not exposed but he slept in tents along the runway in U-Tapao and he also did the tringle.. I also have gotten Hogdkins twice now that is stemmed down to the agent orange. I had to have a stem cell transplant.. So if anyone can help me please email at stromleydanita@yahoo.com Thank You So much!!

ADIN LANGILLE, e-mail, 05.05.2016 23:27 Looking for info on J57 & TF33 engines noise.I am fighting the VA for a hearing disability.

Kirk, e-mail, 09.06.2015 09:19 Well, the last comment on here was 7 years ago. These old birds are still taking off and landing, and passing gas, of course. I guess I'm glad to be part of a long legacy of Tanker maintainers.

Anthony Hernandez, 30.03.2015 19:37 Make sure you check your "other" message box on FB for a message from me after you request membership. Looking forward to seeing some new Crew Dawgs.

Anthony Hernandez, 30.03.2015 19:33 USAF KC-135 CREW CHIEFS VIA FACEBOOK, GOOD INFO AND PICTURES.

Charles Thompson, e-mail, 27.02.2015 04:34 Looking for anyone who was on k c 135 between 1963-1967 from Carswell Airforce Base, Fort Worth, Texas. Suffering hearing loss and ringing in the ears.Possibly caused from noise levels enroute to Anderson AirForce Base, Guam.Would like to hear from anyone.

David T. Rule, e-mail, 06.12.2014 23:44 I was stationed at Kadena AFB May 1965 to Nov 1966 F-105 Jet Eng Shop. On May 19, 1966 we were walking to the Eng shop around lunch time. The road we were on was higher then the runway so we had a good view of the KC-135 on its takeoff roll, and we could see the heavy rain at the end of the runway, then the explosion and fire. I was on the Disaster Team, I went back to the barracks got on my motorcycle went to the crash site, there was a AP at the end of the runway he told me to go back I told him I was on the Disaster Team looking for SGT ? he told me to go in but be careful. I saw the Gard at the ammo storage gate he was alive but in Shock. Then body parts and bodies.there was nothing I could do. I went back to the Jet Eng Shop waiting for orders,none came. I told my Sgt I did not want to do that anymore.One of the worst days of my life.

George, e-mail, 02.12.2014 04:02 Crewed A-Frames @ Grand Forks AFB from 76 to 79. Tail #58-008 "8balls8". How about two back to back 'black last name initial" flights. Remember thinking about attempting a third but decided every QC white hat within 2000 miles would show up if I did...

Tom Poole, e-mail, 26.11.2014 03:08 I was the crew chief on 60-0320. I've been around the world so many times and have met so many great people. I retired in 1997 and just want to give a shout out to everyone from wurtsmith afb and altus afb and to everyone I've had the priviledge to meet over the years!

George Haloulakos, CFA, e-mail, 25.06.2014 21:17 The KC-135 enabled Boeing to bet the entire company on a program that simultaneously helped win the Cold War and also launch the commercial jet age [707]. Detailed cost break-downs and order information on this aircraft are covered in chapter 1 of my new book. Here is the info.: HIGH FLIGHT Aviation as a Teaching Tool for Finance, Strategy and American Exceptionalism By George A. Haloulakos, MBA, CFA ISBN: 9780-1007-2738-0 Order your copy online at: ucsandiegobookstore.com Or by phone: 858-534-4557 “Partial proceeds support aviation heritage”

Martin, 29.04.2014 11:02 I was stationed at Travis in 1963,what you was on probley was a C-135B

george linhares, e-mail, 28.04.2014 00:30 I was Air Force personnel deployed to Southeast Asia (Thailand) in 1966. We left Travis AFB in what I think was a KC-135 retrofitted with seating facing backwards. I remember we had engine trouble over the Pacific, was told by someone we lost an engine. We landed at Hickam and after the plane was worked on for days we left in a C-141. Is there any way to verify that it could have been a KC-135?

George, 19.04.2014 17:54 8,419 hours as an Inflight Refueling System Operator/Instructor/Evaluator on "A's" and "E's" from 1978 to 2008. I was on the aircraft (A model)that accidentally landed at Phillip Billard Municipal Airport in Kansas, instead of Forbes Field which was 11 miles further down the road on the same heading. The airplane had been stripped down for the depot, so the op weight was only about 100k. We had min fuel (again, for the depot's request) so maybe 125k was the gross weight for takeoff. We jumped off the ground at about 2,500'. We proceeded to Forbes, traded airplanes with the depot guys, and when we landed back home, the group commander had driven the crew bus out to get us. Dead silence on the drive back into ops. We get inside the building, and the colonel looks at the P, CP, and nav, and says "You three, in my office!" He looks at me and says, "Go home George." It was an okay life.

Ron Hughes, e-mail, 17.04.2014 05:18 Worked on KC's & sometime EC's , mostly recovery for 9 months at Ellsworth SD , Prior to that stationed at Hickam, HI working C-124's. Does anyone know how they did the fuel load when they refueled the SR-71, since the SR used different fuel than the KC. What would have been normal fuel load ? Seems 132,000 - 138,000 comes to mind . What type of engine did the Q model KC have ? How did the SR ever fly slow enough to refuel from the KC ?

spencer johnson, e-mail, 08.03.2014 00:01 I'm trying to find anyone that may have flown with my dad in the kc-135 59-1444 he was either the assistant crew chief or crew chief of that bird. He was stationed at Kincheloe AFB and Utapao. Any info would be appreciated thanks

orville, e-mail, 15.11.2013 19:49 The Kc135A & Kc135Q were the back bone of the USAF for many years.Thank God for the flying crew chiefs that word 20 hour days on deployments to SEA & Spanish Tanker task force.Without the men Bombers Fighters Recon. Cargo planes could not do thier mission. Now many of the brave men suffer hearing loss and a ringing in the ears due to the j57 engines. The engines had the worse noise level at 165db twice the max. Level acc. today. If any of you crew chiefs are having this trouble E-mail me and Ill forword some info to you.

Thomas, e-mail, 21.07.2013 21:33 Does anyone know what they did with the Q model 135s when they stopped using them to refuel the SR 71? I was a Crew Chief at Beale from 77 to 80.

Bill Collins, e-mail, 23.04.2013 14:08 I was a crew chief on the KC i35 aircraft (pick up new from Boeing) at K.I. all of them were A frames I though a 10,000 foot Grd. run was normal, lots of TDY's and alert tours in the seven years I had the plane. the only reason I stop crewing, to much rank. Best job of my 30 years. Ray I remember that.

Larry Fisher, e-mail, 07.03.2013 20:28 Rodd Luna, one of my best freinds from the Air Force Crash Rescue Fighters was one of the responders on C-3 P-2 crash truck. He had a diary about the accdient.

Larry Fisher, e-mail, 07.03.2013 20:23 I was one of the first responders with the Crash Rescue Firefighters of that terrible accident, there were no survivors. Was a bad day for us all.

Leroy McVay, e-mail, 24.02.2013 22:34 Worked original conversion to air-early warning. Re-work drawings were for current line aircraft about #200; Air Force gave us line number 13! Nothing matched. High security on how it worked, range, etc. Mechanic bought avation magazine off the rack that told WHOLE story. So much for security! This one used infra-red light to spot aircraft / missels.

JOHN, e-mail, 07.02.2013 00:51 WAS A CREW CHIEF 43151E 1970-1974 ON KC135A'S. STATIONED AT KI SAWYER MICH, KADENA OKINAWA, MCCONNELL KANSAS. WENT TDY TO ALASKA FOR ARC LIGHT(WAR GAMES)1970-1971 FLEW MANY FLS MISSIONS TO UTAPAO THAILAND, ANDERSEN GUAM AND RETURN TO KADENA DURING 'NAM. SEVERAL TYPHOON EVACS OUT OF KADENA TO CLARK PHILLIPINES, CCK TAIWAN. LEAVING HICKAM HAWAII, LOST #1 ENGINE AFTER CLIMB OUT WITH FULL LOAD OF PASSENGERS AND HEAVY FUEL LOAD WHICH WE HAD TO DUMP TO LAND. FLEW FOUR COMBAT AERIAL REFUELING MISSIONS OVER GULF OF TONKIN 1972 IN BUILD (63-7984) MOST FUN WAS FILLING WATER TANK WITH 670 GALLONS OF DE-MINERALIZED WATER FOR OUR J57'S. GOOD RELIABLE AIRCRAFT.

Gary Adams, e-mail, 12.01.2013 02:51 Jim - The e-mail address is correct, except change the = to @. boomer@guam.ne Sent an e-mail to you awhile ago. Am I in trouble - AGAIN???

Jim Ford, e-mail, 09.12.2012 03:36 Trying to contact Gary Adams who was in Anderson Tanker Task Force. Tried to your e-mail but does not go through.

Lauren Eastwood, e-mail, 01.12.2012 18:53 Worked on the KC-135 at Minot AFB North Dakota from 83 - 88 when I retired. The In-flight refueling boom was the most memorable, once you got it figured out.

Dave Brown, e-mail, 16.11.2012 17:36 I flew as a navigator in the KC-135A and Q, and the EC-135N/E (ARIAs) at Beale (76-81), Wright-Patterson (81-86, 4950th Test Wing), and Grissom (86-87). My one claim to fame is that in 2800+ flying hours in the -135, I never pulled one hour of alert!!

Gary Adams, e-mail, 16.11.2012 04:25 What a great site this is - brings back a lot of memories. Boomer from July 1968 until retirement on February 1, 1986 Assignments - 916th Travis (Jul 68 - Nov 70), 305th Grissom (Nov 70 - May 72), 909th Kadena (May 72 - May 80) and Pacific Tanker Task Force, Guam from May 80 until retirement. Spent 12 years in Personnel - retraining to Boomer was the absolute highlight of my life. Well, there are others, but Christians might be reading here and I best decline further comment. Would be delighted to hear from those I've been assigned with or crossed paths with. That would be hundreds during my tenure at the PTTF.

william whitten, e-mail, 10.11.2012 20:28 the best aircraft built i crewed 56-3622 for 4 years i had the first new engines going. which made it a e modle. i flew out of ang, bangor me.i cant find a plastic modle of it. any help

DANNY GRATTAN, e-mail, 06.08.2012 01:05 WAS A CREW CHIEF AT BEALE AFB ON THE KC135Q MODELS IN SUPPORT OF THE SR 71 YEARS 1966 TO 1970 MANY TRIPS ACROSS THE POND ON THE 135

Sage Suo, e-mail, 30.05.2012 02:15 I flew KC-135s as a CP,AC,and IP from 1967 thru 1981 interspersed with a little time in C-130s. Yes, all the TDYs to Young Tiger, Eielson, Spain, Guam, Kadena, U-tapao,alerts, etc. Wouldn't trade the experience for anything,except at the time, much of it wasn't much fun. I would love to hear from some of my buddies who I haven't hear from in years. Hope you guys are out there reading this.

mark snyder, e-mail, 15.05.2012 16:16 i was a supply troop at barksdale around 1968 -70. does anyone remember a kc 135 losing no. 3 eng. which came off the pylon and up ,hitting and removing the tail off the a/c during rotation?? boeing sent us a new tail and the a/c was repaired. cannot remember the date and the accident was not listed anywhere i could find. think the crew that landed it got awards

mark snyder, e-mail, 15.05.2012 16:15 i was a supply troop at barksdale around 1968 -70. does anyone remember a kc 135 losing no. 3 eng. which came off the pylon and up ,hitting and removing the tail off the a/c during rotation?? boeing sent us a new tail and the a/c was repaired. cannot remember the date and the accident was not listed anywhere i could find. think the crew that landed it got awards

Robert Contreras, e-mail, 26.03.2012 08:29 I was stationed at March A.F.B. Ca.from 1966 to 1970.My first tanker to crew chief was 59-1508,i remember when we flew it to Hayes International at Birmingham Ala.for depot Maint.From Mar.1967 to Sept. the 22nd Bomb Wing tankers went to Kadena and the B-52s to Andersen at Guam in support of Young Tiger.Rain or shine me and my fellow crew chiefs were out there on the line for launch and recovery.We also went TDY to Clark and Utapao in support of F-105s,F100s,B-52s,F-4s and RB-66s.The buffs were loaded upto the max with 12 500 pounders on each wing pylon and the rest in the bomb bay.It was an experience i'll never forget.The A model J-57 tanker was a great acft.,they always had OK flts.I remember for alert we used to fuel up to 189,000 and i've forgotten how much used to go in the upper deck tank.When the klaxon would go off on alert we would hope the cartridge would go off so as not to call for an MA-iA and hook it up.I didn't like the real early morning klaxon alert because initially we didn;t know if the cartridge fire in order to call eng. rotation to the pilot.Two a/c commanders that i remember were Maj.Fred Pennell and John Saylor,these two pilots were great with me and the other crew chiefs.I flew all over S.E.Asia and the good ol U.S.A. on KC-63-7995 and 63-8016 and really enjoyed it.Well take care fellow KC A model guys.

jake coy, e-mail, 23.02.2012 04:36 I started flying on RC135D acft in Alaska in 1964,00356, 00357, 00362, and finished flying on the same three acft out of Mildenhall in 1973. They were deployed one at a time from AK, to a small detachment in GB. I hear they have all been sent back to the world of KCs and still flying. Bless their hearts.

Ray Wright, e-mail, 05.12.2011 01:29 I forgot to mention that we were TDY with the tankers from Turner AFB in Albany, Ga. The bombers went to Guam, but I went with the KC-135s to Okinawa.

Ray Wright, e-mail, 05.12.2011 01:06 I was stationed TDY at Kadena AFB in 1966. On May 19th, we were getting ready to launch about 30 a/c for their normal mission. The lead a/c was going on a separate mission with a replacement engine to either Japan or Alaska. The mission was cancelled due to very high crosswinds and heavy rain. I was in a truck at the departure end of the runway. The lead a/c taxied onto the runway, we thought to go back to the tarmack, but he started the takeoff roll, much to our suprise. I watched the a/c rotate, then plummet back to earth. It crashed on a bridge that went to the ammo storage area. I volunteered to go the to site and search for survivors, and found none. We pulled bodies out of the creek and on the bridge itself. One of the worst days of my life that I will never forget.

stephen r doughty, e-mail, 04.12.2011 06:08 Can someone help me with this problem trying to find pictures of57. 1424 a kc 135 a model that crashed at marillo air force base in may 17 1966 it was assigned to the 909 th arefs anything would help me I know nothing of the as I was rather young then thx srd:-)

stphn r doughty, e-mail, 04.12.2011 06:03 That boat anchornever should have flown over 400 people were killed flying the a model in 78 crashes the q models might be up to par the a model was anything but safe my dad and the rest of he crew gave their life flying that plane

Lisa Hafendorfer, e-mail, 25.11.2011 04:02 The KC 153 that crashed in Okinawa was on May 19 1966 at 0331:47 time. My father Charles Thomas Hafendorfer was the Navigator on that flight

Donald R. Laferty, e-mail, 08.10.2011 03:15 I retired in 1975 as a avionics (doppler/nav aids, air refueling beacon,search radar)tech and of all the airplanes I worked on during my 21 year career, the KC-135A was one of the greatest. "Young Tiger" and "Crome Dome" support operations took me to a places like Kadena, Spain and state side SAC units, Seymour Johnson, Carswell and a few others. One tail number that I remember is the first KC-135A, 55-3118 at SJAFB, the TAC commander's airplane. Those of us that were on flying status at SJAFB would try to get our required monthly flying time on 118 because it was so plush. Brings back lots of memories to read some of the comments on here and see some of the familiar tail numbers mention. God speed to all.

Clifford W Brown, e-mail, 15.09.2011 02:07 I too remember (56-3594) Iwas the asst. C/C on that aircraft, at Castle AFB after the wing was repaired. It very good until it got into the heavier fuel loads at Eielson AFB AK. Looking for anyone who Knows the fate of 55-3146, and 64-14828. It is a great airplane and they finelly got fans.

Lewis Godfrey, e-mail, 19.08.2011 23:03 The KC-135 was the first military aircraft I ever flew on after I joined the Air Force in 1977. My first ride was in 1981 or 82 and we took off out of Dyess AFB, TX in the early morning to refuel some new F-15A & B's over the desert of Arizona at sunrise. I got some spectacular photos of the -15's flying off our left wing and during the refueling. The Boom Operator was even nice enough to let me fly the boom for a little bit, between refuelings!

JERRY MALDONADO, e-mail, 21.07.2011 05:05 RE: Mike Pickett, I was in Okinawa on Kadena AFB in 1967, not to sure what month, I was in 3rd grade and my dad was in the AF. Lots of rain and dark on that day we heard a loud expolsion while in class, we went to the door a seen the fire. Later we learned a KC-135 had crashed and hit a highway. We seen the wreckage after school. Sorry about no exact date, but it was during the school year. Thx, Jerry.

mike pickett, e-mail, 26.06.2011 19:05 I need the date of a KC-135 crash at Kadena AFB, Okinawa around 1965-67

Richard VanBuren,(VAN), e-mail, 04.04.2011 15:10 USAF Ret, 1951-1974, MSgt, I was a crew cheif at Bunker Hill from 61-66. I crewed 59-1450 and a62 model 0022.I beleive 1450 is now at Knoxville,TN airport in the reserves. I saw it there one day while on a shopping trip.Sure would like to get up close and personal again.

Art Schefler, e-mail, 28.03.2011 03:56 I flew in the KC/EC as navigator from 1961 to 1970. Been almost everywhere that rice was served with every meal. Time in Takhli, and U-tapao. Flew with A/Cs John Saylor, Bill King, Lennie Jankowiak, Bob Harter. CPs Ron Wilson, Paul Davis, Roger Metcalf (Killed on Approach to Spain), Leroy Tietsort. BOs William O. Jones, Charlie Brown.

Bob Ponti, e-mail, 26.03.2011 19:10 KC 135 midair over Med (lost H bomb) was with a crew from Bergstrom AFB, Austin Tx.. AC involved had flown B-17s in the big one--name was Major Chapla. I have lots of KC-135 stories--A full spin in 1964, Chased by a MIG in 1966, Looked down on Hanoi in 1964, though a typhoon in1966 (med evac). Lots more--great old bird!

charles holt, e-mail, 24.03.2011 19:02 i worked on the kc-135 at barksdale afb from about 1962 until 1964 i was asst c/c on a/c 1507 most of the time my c/c was sgt catalano and later sgt chaffee we had a good time on that a/c it was a good one a little under powered with the j-57 engs on it we spent some time in madrid spain with it we were there during the cuban crises and also when kennedy got killed

Don Barker, e-mail, 17.02.2011 23:26 During my Air Force years (1971-1980), I worked Doppler/INS on KC-135A at Pease AFB, U Tapao RTNAB, K.I.Sawyer AFB, RAF Mildenhall and TDYs on Guam. I have a very soft spot for this aircraft and the crews who flew them.

hardison michael, e-mail, 14.02.2011 16:37 55-3118 was the first acft. i was assigned to as a fresh crew chief. 1976 til 1978 i was a member of the 8th ...TDCS. We located to Tinker AFB from Seymour Johnson in 1978 after the crash of Acft 3536*. Blues uniforms n all.

Wayne Stutes, e-mail, 05.01.2011 16:13 I flew as a Nav in the KC-135A model from 1970 to 1976. As most of crews, I flew two short tours in SE Asia and many alert tours and fighter drags. As Navs we had very basic navigation; celestial, pressure pattern and dead reconing. What we navigated with on a normal basis, other aircraft were not allowed to only operate with. Flew most of my time with Tom Kelley (AC), Tony Larenzano (CP), Mel Aronoff (CP) and Vince Bobrowski (BO). Hows that for a diverse crew. We functioned very well as a crew. I believe we were crew E-157 out of Grisson AFB, IN. We were "Crew of the Quarter" for saving a tanker that had an engine fire in #2 engine on takeoff. We handled it in a calm and professional manner. My hands only started shaking after I called my wife from Base Ops and told her that our mission had been canceled for maintainence problems. She didn't know what happened until the base newspaper announced us crew of the quarter a month later. It was a great bird and I enjoyed it and the people I flew with tremendously. Thanks to Uncle Sam, a Cajun from Lafayette, LA got to see most of the United States and and a good part of the world.

Dan Friedlander, e-mail, 04.12.2010 00:06 I had my first experience with 135s at Carswell AFB texas in January of 1960 when helping out with Chrome Dome ops. I was assigned to Acft 57-1493 working for Rich Fields. After 3 years on B-47s the 135 was a Cadillac in comparison. My next contact with this great bird came when I was assigned to Minot AFB in 1963. I had the good luck to be assigned to Acft 58-0119 (Huckleberry Hound) with Harvey Harris as my Crew Chief. Harvey was a great C/C and 119 was a great bird We made several reflex support and Chrome Dome support missions to Spain and a couple of Lima Mike missions taking fighters to the far east. Old Huckleberry performed perfectly on all of those missions. In late 64 I was assigned to Ramey AFB PR and luckily to 135s once again. I made two 60 day tdys to Okinawa and one to Clark with 57-2597 our lead the fleet bird. Once again almost flawless missions did a couple of Chrome Domes to Eielson AFB with 57-1501 and Leonard Mobley. I was tdy to Torrejon with Captain Tom Dugan and crew when the Midair took place between the tanker from Blytheville and the 52 from Seymour Johnson. Many memories from my tanker days,Great people and great birds. Hopefully Boeing will get the contract for the 135 replacement bird. They make a great product and I don't think there is anybody that can come close to them when making large aircraft. Does anyone know where 58-119 is assigned these days?

Jim Ford, e-mail, 08.11.2010 05:34 Flew as a B.O. on the old gal for 18 years. Retired in 1978. Guam, U-tapao, Kadena were my second home for 10 years or so. So many stories. Flew into North Viet Nam once to bring out a 105 low on fuel. Red Crown asked and we went. Asked a Nav. at an air show not too long ago when they got rid of the J-57s and put on the new fans. He told me the plane had always had fan jets. Ended up flying the Q model. Lots of good SR stories. Love that TANKER.

DON MOIR, e-mail, 22.10.2010 20:33 I was stationed at Minot afb. North Dakota from 1958 till 1962. I cewed 58-108, 58-126. and picked up 59-1501 from Moses Lake Wa. Does anyone know where any of these happened to be.

martin waldman, e-mail, 13.10.2010 19:20 I served as a crew member on the first 135 made EC-135k 55-3118 at Seymour-Johnson Goldsboro N.C. What a great aircraft.We carried Gen. William Momyer,Gen Robert Dixon all over the world.

Larry Hannah, e-mail, 12.10.2010 06:49 Jim Evans You brought back memories of the day 61-0313 glided in at KI Sawyer. I was on the crew that towed it off the runway. We had to load the cargo area, just inside the cargo door, with barrels of water to bring the c/g forward enough to keep it from tipping aft before we could tow it off the runway. Thanks for the memories.

Buz Allen, e-mail, 10.10.2010 04:03 I got 1600hrs in the A model 1971-76 and what a battleship she was!! Boring holes over the Gulf of Tonkin waiting for receivers my AC and I got into a waterfight and left the poor nav ondeck alone at FL260. Next thing I know she starts a smooth roll but doesn't stop at 30degress of bank a look at the nav shoulders shrugged tells me we got trouble!! At approx.4000ft I'm firmly in Co-pilot seat completing the aeileron roll the auto-pilot started when the aeileron axis failed, above Mach 1!! Not one panel or piece departed this a/c which Far exceeded it's speed limitations! And yes she will fly on ONE engine loosing 200ft/min.all the while orbiting waiting for runway to open! General still asleep on that side of the A/C!!!

Jake, e-mail, 30.09.2010 05:25 One day I was a new co-pilot on alert at March AFB when we were tasked with pre-flighting line aircraft early one morning. As the newby cop, I had to go up in the cockpit and advise the command post where we were. They related we had an emergency launch as there was a buff coming in from Guam and was not going to make it to conus. They had permission to land downwind at LAX but we had to save them. There were no procedures for this "Emergency Launch" so our launch message was the wing commander waving a fire extinguisher saying get that son of a bitch in the air. We went to the hammerhead and started the refueling pumps, spraying JP-4 all over the place. Then the WC said again the launch message and we started. About halfway down the 12,000 foot runway we were still way under rotate speed. I looked at the AC and he just nodded. Full throttle and we over boosted all four engines, rotated at the overrun and somehow got airborn. Called for the gear up and the red light would not go out in the handle... stuck nosewheel gear door. Went around the hill adjacent to the runway and gradually got to altitude. Found the buff and gave him some gas and sure to their their reputation, never even got a thank you. Later figure our takeoff weight to be about 290,000 lbs. It was a mighty bird and I spent the next four years flying it all over the globe. It saved me several more times and I will never forget the good times we had in the cockpit. Go Boeing !!

Dan Read, e-mail, 28.09.2010 05:07 I logged 2,000 hours from 1960 to 1964 in the KC, VC, Looking Glass, and others. Wright-Pat and Offutt after training at Castle and Walker. CP, ICP, P, and AC. I recall one night in the U.K. when a copilot was making the take-off with no visual cues. From Barksdale, I believe. The attitude indicator failed with no apparent warning and the airplane went into a steep nosedown attitude below 500 feet. The AC horsed the yoke back with all his strength and bent the fuselage till it looked like a twisted plastic bottle, but the airplane recovered and held together till they landed without further incident (immediately). Tough bird. Honest. Reliable. Forgiving.

Norm Parker, e-mail, 02.09.2010 05:31 What a great plane. I have over 5,000 hours in the KC, EC and RC-135. I flew out of Barksdale AFB, LA, Eielson AFB, AK and Andrews AFB, MD. About half of my time was in EC's and RC's with TF33 Engines.

Rodney Councell, e-mail, 01.09.2010 02:24 I was crew chief on the 17 KC-135A build. (56-3594) In late 1958, the fuel cell specialist were trying to find a fuel leak in the right wing; and through their and instrument errors, they blow the right wing off. At the time I was setting on the wheel chock at the right main gear during paper work. Luckly no one was killed or injured. The Boing Company bought a wing in from Boeing, part way by boat I was told. Anyway it took about a year to repair the aircraft there at Castle AFB. After that the aircraft had a 1956 wing on the left side and a 1958 wing on the right side. I crewed the aircraft several years after that and always had a problem with supply. Every time I ordered something for the right wing (1958) They would call back wrong part number. It's 1956 aircraft. The KC-135 was a great aircraft, showed me many good times and of course a few bad one.

Sevin R., e-mail, 25.08.2010 02:46 I missed having the KC's out at Mountain Home AFB(1995-2001). So fun to watch landing and taking off. Also, walking inside one was awesome.

Randy Weber, e-mail, 23.08.2010 02:25 Rick When I was stationed at Travis in 1967 they used a silver/aluminum based paint called Coraguard/or koraguard.Our civilian painters just hated the stuff. If it wasn't preped properly it would peal off in sheets over time, or as soon as the first flight. I'm not even sure you can even get anymore but you should be able to get real close. Best of luck.

Randy Weber, e-mail, 18.08.2010 20:03 One of my most memorable moments on the KC-135A was when we were ferrying F-105 "thuds" from Viet Nam to the states. We were in a cell of three tankers with three 105's attached to each. We arrived at Hickam, refueled the jets and were to leave there the following day. We were performing our preflight when were told to upload another 25K of fuel,as our #2 jet had broke hard. We fueled her to 175K, and filled the water tank. When we took the runway I had decided to view the takeoff in the boom pod. We started our take off roll, very noisey, lots of black smoke and a not so very fast acceleration. I was listening to the crew as they were calling out info. When the crew called out committed, everything changed. At that precise moment we had lost water in our outboards, the crew without any hesitation hit the fuel dump switch and began dumping fuel. From my vantage point everything wasn't moving fast enough. Our take off roll seemed to take forever and when the aircraft finally rotated the it just seemed to hang there, and the runway for the longest time was to close for comfort. When we finally got airborne we were on the overrun and barely cleared the chainlink fence. We passed over several people off to our right and the look on their faces I shall never forget. The Acft continued dumping fuel even as we passed over the beaches and along the hotels. The Flight crew did a remarkable job, When we arrived back at FAFB we were asked what the heck happened in Hawaii as they already had a letter on file at wing Hq. I believe it was either the Ac or Boom who said in answer to their question. "we allmost died" The 34 years I spent working on the KC-135A, EC-135H, KC-135H, and KC-135R were some of the best times of my life. I'll allways remember this remarkable aircrft and the crews and maintenance crews with the greatest respect and admiration. I can't remember the Flt crews names anymore but I shall never forget their actions that day.

Bernard Panitch, e-mail, 10.08.2010 09:48 Flew the KC-135 at Biggs(1963-1965),Dyess(1965-1968),and Westover(1969-1973). Went to the 9thACCS and flew the EC-135 from 1973-1981). Harold Skipper was the Operations Officer in 1973. I became the Operations in 1975 and kept that position until 1981. Wonderful airplanes with a great mission.

Matthew Korcek, e-mail, 19.07.2010 01:18 Update on my email matthew.korcek@gmail.com. I am separated from the Military now, but I still miss this old gal. I hope the KC-X can fill the shoes that this gal will leave.

Frank Winterling, e-mail, 06.07.2010 05:52 My wife's father was Camillo DeBonis on 58-0002 which went down in a thunderstorm on March 31, 1959. Does anyone have information on this crew to share ?

Cary Christian, e-mail, 25.05.2010 23:34 I was a crew chief on the KC-135A. I crewed tailnumber 58-0116, 56-3616 and 56-4832. I loved these birds. I served from 1978 to 1992 at Dyess AFB Tx. I call this the cadilac. Gross weight 286,000 lb. Alert load.

Tom, e-mail, 07.05.2010 17:03 Bill, you asked: Do any of you with experience with the KC135R know if it can be used to deliver chemical dispersant to our Gulf of Mexico oil slick? It would have to be done with a -Q model, not an –R model 135. That is the only variation where the fuel tanks are separated so that the crew could not accidently feed dispersant instead of fuel to the engines. The air refueling boom would not be a good delivery system. The dispersant would come out of the boom more as a stream than a spray, and the aircraft would be flying too fast for it to have a good concentration on the oil.

Bill Johnson, e-mail, 02.05.2010 07:21 Do any of you with experience with the KC135R know if it can be used to deliver chemical dispersant to our Gulf of Mexico oil sliek? Can the fuel tanks be separtated to provide fuel for the aircraft and dump dispersant from a different tank/tanks out the boom?

Dan Wallace, e-mail, 28.04.2010 19:10 I was a J-57 Jet Mech at Travis SUU for the 307th (916th Ref. Sq) in the '70s. I got my start on the SAC 135s and have the AF to thank for my career at Fedex. If anyone was at SUU from the 307th please say hi

Rick Gaddis, e-mail, 24.03.2010 19:10 I just noticed that the KC-135E you have on this page is a picture of the E-model the we are putting on display(59-1487)which I crewed for many years. Also we need the information on the markings.

Rick Gaddis, e-mail, 24.03.2010 19:05 I have been a crew chief on the KC135A/E/R for 30 years. I need help finding information on the old SAC gray paint scheme. We are putting a KC-135E on display and want to put it back like the old SAC days.

Harold Skipper, e-mail, 17.03.2010 05:32 I went to Castle in 1958. Flew the KC-135 until 1968. After C-123s Vietnam, then was ops off in the EC-135 at 9th Airborne Comand and Control Squadron until 1974. Did our air paths cross ?

Bob Phillips, e-mail, 30.01.2010 23:20 I have great memories of flying the KC-135/A AC/IP , one ride that brings memories of performance was when I was shown by a great IP how this fine aircraft could fly with two engines out on the same side..what a confidence and airmanship builder. I do miss those air refuelings and great crewmembers of yesterdays.

Buck Buckland, e-mail, 30.01.2010 01:12 Just a short note to the fact that I was a boom operator for 15 years at Fairchild, Grissom and retired in 1979 at Dyess with 4000 hours. I know it is much compared to the older guys, but it was enough.

John Williams, e-mail, 11.01.2010 03:35 flew these old birds for 26 years, the A model did not leave any runway in front on takeoff, the E model reversers saved many a crew on the slicker than owl S--t runways up north and the R model was like flying the F-135. Great aircraft and mission until AMC took over. Hope my grandson can fly something else. Hats off to all you aircrew and maintainers!!!

martin waldman, e-mail, 06.01.2010 13:36 I was a crew member on the first 135 made 55-3118,when it was a EC-135K stationed at Seymour-Johnson A.F.B. Goldsboro N.

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.

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.

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?

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.

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.

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...!

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.......

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Harlen Dziuba, e-mail, 15.08.2007 21:40 like to know the sil heights for the doors