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Description
| Notes: C-135A equipped with flying boom for aerial refueling. May be used as a cargo/troop transport (4 CREW, 80 PASSENGERS) . | ||
| Manufacturer: | Boeing | |
| Base model: | C-135 | |
| Designation: | KC-135 | |
| Version: | A | |
| Nickname: | Stratotanker | |
| Designation System: | U.S. Air Force | |
| Designation Period: | 1925-1962 | |
| Basic role: | Transport | |
| Modified Mission: | Tanker | |
Specifications
| Length: | 136' 3" | 41.5 m | |
| Height: | 38' 4" | 11.6 m | |
| Wingspan: | 130' 10" | 39.8 m | |
| Empty Weight: | 109,000 lb | 49,433 kg | |
| Gross Weight: | 297,000 lb | 134,693 kg | |
Propulsion
| No. of Engines: | 4 | ||
| Powerplant: | Pratt & Whitney J57-P-59W | ||
| Thrust (each): | 13,750 lb | 6,235 kg | |
Performance
| Range: | 4,000 miles | 6,441 km | |
| Cruise Speed: | 552 mph | 888 km/h | 480 kt |
| Max Speed: | 600 mph | 966 km/h | 522 kt |
| Ceiling: | 40,000 ft | 12,191 m | |
Known serial numbers
Examples of this type may be found at
| Museum | City | State |
| Castle Air Museum | Atwater | California |
| Dyess Linear Air Park | Dyess AFB | Texas |
| March Field Air Museum | Riverside | California |
| Scott AFB | Scott AFB | Illinois |
KC-135A on display
Castle Air Museum | March Field Museum |
Recent comments by our visitors
| michael brooks columbia, MO | Was Crew chief on Aircraft number 55-3137 at Barksdale AFB from early 70 to June72.We came in from Spain an aircraft went to Boeing for insp and I went on to the PI with aircraft to follow. Was told later when Boeing pulled the skin back on wings they were so cracked she was sent to bone yard.It was lead the fleet aircraft it this time. I still have the last set of aircraft forms don't know why I kept them at that time but sure am glad. 03/23/2016 @ 14:42 [ref: 69538] |
| michael brooks columbia, MO | Was Crew chief on Aircraft number 55-3137 at Barksdale AFB from early 70 to June72.We came in from Spain an aircraft went to Boeing for insp and I went on to the PI with aircraft to follow. Was told later when Boeing pulled the skin back on wings they were so cracked she was sent to bone yard.It was lead the fleet aircraft it this time. I still have the last set of aircraft forms don't know why I kept them at that time but sure am glad. 03/23/2016 @ 14:41 [ref: 69537] |
| earl r wells barnesville, OH | crew chief kc135a 563617 warner robins ga. 1966 thru 69 12/07/2015 @ 16:17 [ref: 69351] |
| Terry Graham Renton, WA | I was the crew chief on KC135A 58-0032 in 1967-68. I was the 3rd ground crew on a young tiger mission in 1966-67 from Fairchild AFB assigned to U-Tapaio Royal Thai AFB in Thailand. We had 20 OK flights and the Thai Marines guarded our aircraft. In 1968 I was assigned to 4258th U-Tapaio which now had B52s. 032 was a great aircraft and I was proud to keep her flying in top condition. 06/25/2015 @ 09:40 [ref: 69143] |
| Robert Nelson Reno, NV | I was a KC-135 Crew Chief from 1970 to 1974 stationed at March AFB, Ca. in the 22nd OMS. I spent more time away from my home base than the length of my assignment. I was TDY to Kadena Okinawa, Utapao Thailand, Torrejon Spain, Mildenhall England, Andersen, Guam and Eilison Alaska. I also sent quite a bit of time on alert duty at Ellsworth, SD, and March AFB. I crewed 3 different tankers. 61-0323, 63-8019, and 63-8017. After leaving SAC, I was staioned at Rhein-Main AB where I was in a en-route squadron taking care of C-141s and C-5As. I eventually was assigned to Maintenance Control in the 435th TAW. Two years ago I was at the Reno Air Races where they had a KC-135 on static display and I was able to take a good look at the upgrades that had been done over the years. No more water burner engines, a much better APU and avionics.
I really enjoyed my days as a tanker crew chief and think of them fondly. 05/24/2013 @ 12:24 [ref: 67834] |
| Tom , VA | Lloyd, in the address block change the 135a to 135q, and then you will be on the Q model page, and have a better chance of finding old buddies. 01/03/2013 @ 13:03 [ref: 67470] |
| lloyd gillespie ponte vedra fl, FL | Iwas the crew chief of 59-1523 from 1966to 1970 at beale afb it was know as kc-135q .I make this plane and a great flight crew from 903th to make it the best plane in 15af for 4 years running and i have the paper that say it . yes we refueled sr71 and 52 and fighter.I wood give my left arm to see it .I'm proud to be the crew chief of that a/c .I left af and join grumman and was plane capt of f-14 for 31years and retired after 37years.anybody from beale afb from that time please email thank you 12/20/2012 @ 03:32 [ref: 67430] |
| mike swick Wiesbden, AK | Crewed tankers at Fairchild, Wright Patt, Kincheloe and March 1970-78- lots of hours in flying gas station- will always remember water takeoffs at Guam on super hot days praying for more runway 04/23/2012 @ 00:19 [ref: 56417] |
| Donald Walker Pensacola, FL | I was one of the first Baby Boomers back during the end of the vietnam war 1972. In basic tranning I signed up for anything flying and had no idea what a inflight refueler was, more that that I didn't know aircraft could be refueled in air. 100 recuites when in for the medical flight check and 6 of us come out. Three refuelers and three B-52 gunners. ( that was my second choice ). First I was sent to water training in south Florida , that was great then up to washington state for land. Got put in a box for a day the size of a suite case and then throwned in a camp over night with a few hundred others. Then out in the woods for a few days of camping and dieting. Then Castle Air Force Base in Calif. for four months.After seven months of training I arrived at my base for the next three and a half years, MINOT NORTH DATOTA. We heard that southern boys went north and northern boys went south. I think that was true. On November 1, 1972 I was in South East Asia refueling F-4s and F-105s in the largest thunder storm I ever saw. The other tanker never showed so I had a total of 34 fighters that day. For six hours I stayed in the boom pod refueling one after the other. Some time during all the refueling one of the F-4 flamed out and lost power just as it was about to hook up. I made the connection barely and stopping him from running me over. He took on about 3000 pounds and re-started his engines and went back to his base. O'h by the way the just so happened to be the first time I ever refueled without an instructer at my side. This TTY was for three months and was a trip of a lifetime. All was fun and games until the first B-52 was shot down in Dec. 1972 and things changed. No more flashing pictures at each other during refueling and we all had our helments on. I went back to the states in Feb 1973 and returned in April, by then alot had changed. I traveled all over the world , Spain, England, Alaska, japan, Guam and many others. Every Time a TTY was up to leave Minot North Dakota, I raised my hand. I flew maybe 100 different KC-135s and Only one tryed to kill me twice. 0157 was the tail number out of Barksdale, La. I lost two engines in South East Asia and had my hand on the bailout bar, I told my pilot if one of the other two even burps I was out of there. Thats when the rest of the crew put on there parachutes and helments. The following year in Aug. 1974 we were taking off in Merdrid Spain in 115 heat and we got 0157 again that day. Cars had to stop on the freeway to let us go by we were so low. The pilot had to make several hard turns just to stay away from hitting buildings. I saw that plane when we arrived and told the crew this is not good, not good at all, and it came true that day. We made it with no room to spare and refueled two F-4s painted sand color a first for us. Over the three and a half years flying the KC-135, most was boring hours of just flying or standing alert for days on end. I did meet some of the best people on this earth that you trusted with your life and they trusted their with yours. I traveled the world and meet so many people outside of the service was well as in, refueled the first F-15 over Alaska and racked up over 1750 flight hours. Not bad for a 23 years old. 01/20/2012 @ 08:53 [ref: 52178] |
| The Liberty Bell Philadelphia, PA | Hu Jintao is a communist pig!
China's communist domination of the eastern region will come to an end. Communism will fall across the world at last. The chinese people will be freed and the dreams of Chiang will be realized. Communist China must die!Communist China must die!Communist China must die!Communist Communist China must die!Communist China must die!Communist China must die!Communist China must die!Communist China must die! 09/03/2011 @ 06:33 [ref: 48452] |
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