Air Transportation: Old Tankers Fade Away

Archives

May 26,2008: The U.S. Air Force is retiring its oldest KC-135 aerial refueling aircraft. The recent retirement of this KC-135E, after 48 years service, leaves only one KC-135E still in service. But it will be retired soon, leaving only the KC-135R to serve for another 10-15 years (until the KC-45 replaces them).

The 157 KC-135Es were originally KC-135As that had their engines replaced with more powerful ones taken from retired commercial Boeing 707s (the commercial version of the KC-135). These aircraft were used by reserve units. Later, 500 more recent KC-135s had new engines installed, to produce the KC-135R. The replacement engines enabled the tankers to carry more fuel and stay in the air longer.

Retired KC-135s are placed in storage at the air force "bone yard" in Arizona. There, the aircraft stand ready for activation in a national emergency or, as is more likely, being picked apart for spare parts, and eventually being chopped up for scrap metal.

 


Article Archive

Air Transportation: Current 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 1999 


X

ad
0
20

Help Keep Us Soaring

We need your help! Our subscription base has slowly been dwindling. We need your help in reversing that trend. We would like to add 20 new subscribers this month.

Each month we count on your subscriptions or contributions. You can support us in the following ways:

  1. Make sure you spread the word about us. Two ways to do that are to like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
  2. Subscribe to our daily newsletter. We’ll send the news to your email box, and you don’t have to come to the site unless you want to read columns or see photos.
  3. You can contribute to the health of StrategyPage. A contribution is not a donation that you can deduct at tax time, but a form of crowdfunding. We store none of your information when you contribute..
Subscribe   Contribute   Close