USAF KC-135 Crash In Kyrgyzstan
Discussion
Not a good week for aviation 
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-22397266
http://au.news.yahoo.com/latest/a/-/article/170018...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-22397266
http://au.news.yahoo.com/latest/a/-/article/170018...
Various crash site photos here:
http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/showthread.ph...
Zero chance of survival there then, and looks like it came apart in mid-air too.
http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/showthread.ph...
Zero chance of survival there then, and looks like it came apart in mid-air too.
Mojocvh said:
Paid for in '77 then?
So that's what, about 35 years old?
Bugger.
I had the privilege of a '135 flight out from Eielson, fantastic experience watching the refuelling process from the rh observers station, numerous A10, F15/16 and a 'Bone.
RIP Airmen.
More like 1957 rather than 1977 - so 56 years old.So that's what, about 35 years old?
Bugger.
I had the privilege of a '135 flight out from Eielson, fantastic experience watching the refuelling process from the rh observers station, numerous A10, F15/16 and a 'Bone.
RIP Airmen.
All the KC-135s were acquired in the 1950s/early 1960s - although they have been through a number of upgrade programmes since then.
Eric Mc said:
Mojocvh said:
Paid for in '77 then?
So that's what, about 35 years old?
Bugger.
I had the privilege of a '135 flight out from Eielson, fantastic experience watching the refuelling process from the rh observers station, numerous A10, F15/16 and a 'Bone.
RIP Airmen.
More like 1957 rather than 1977 - so 56 years old.So that's what, about 35 years old?
Bugger.
I had the privilege of a '135 flight out from Eielson, fantastic experience watching the refuelling process from the rh observers station, numerous A10, F15/16 and a 'Bone.
RIP Airmen.
All the KC-135s were acquired in the 1950s/early 1960s - although they have been through a number of upgrade programmes since then.
Like any aircraft that has been in full service for such a long time.
The serial number of 38877 is an abbreviated version of the full USAF serial which for a KC-135 means it must have been aircraft 63-8877. The first two digits indicates the year procurement was authorised so the actual age of the aircraft may be a bit less but only by a year or so.
The serial number of 38877 is an abbreviated version of the full USAF serial which for a KC-135 means it must have been aircraft 63-8877. The first two digits indicates the year procurement was authorised so the actual age of the aircraft may be a bit less but only by a year or so.
Eric Mc said:
Like any aircraft that has been in full service for such a long time.
The serial number of 38877 is an abbreviated version of the full USAF serial which for a KC-135 means it must have been aircraft 63-8877. The first two digits indicates the year procurement was authorised so the actual age of the aircraft may be a bit less but only by a year or so.
hmm, when/why did they start leaving the procurement year out?The serial number of 38877 is an abbreviated version of the full USAF serial which for a KC-135 means it must have been aircraft 63-8877. The first two digits indicates the year procurement was authorised so the actual age of the aircraft may be a bit less but only by a year or so.
I can understand one particular reason though.....
They haven't.
The USAF (and it's predecessors - the USAAC and the USAAF) have often abbreviated the serials for numerous reasons. Often it's down to font size chosen and available space on the fin. During WW2, the serials were often less a number of the digits - usually at the start. Because of the high production levels, some serials were very long.
So, over the decades there has been a variety of serial presentation. Once you know the type and version of aircraft involved and you have some sort of serial listing to hand, you can usually positively identify the aircraft.
In my plane spotting days, the most difficult US Air Force aircraft to identify by serial were the various C-130 Hercules. That is mainly because the C-130 has been in continuous production since the mid 1950s and the USAF has taken delivery of new C-130s in almost every decade since the 1950s.
The USAF (and it's predecessors - the USAAC and the USAAF) have often abbreviated the serials for numerous reasons. Often it's down to font size chosen and available space on the fin. During WW2, the serials were often less a number of the digits - usually at the start. Because of the high production levels, some serials were very long.
So, over the decades there has been a variety of serial presentation. Once you know the type and version of aircraft involved and you have some sort of serial listing to hand, you can usually positively identify the aircraft.
In my plane spotting days, the most difficult US Air Force aircraft to identify by serial were the various C-130 Hercules. That is mainly because the C-130 has been in continuous production since the mid 1950s and the USAF has taken delivery of new C-130s in almost every decade since the 1950s.
mph1977 said:
Eric Mc said:
Mojocvh said:
Paid for in '77 then?
So that's what, about 35 years old?
Bugger.
I had the privilege of a '135 flight out from Eielson, fantastic experience watching the refuelling process from the rh observers station, numerous A10, F15/16 and a 'Bone.
RIP Airmen.
More like 1957 rather than 1977 - so 56 years old.So that's what, about 35 years old?
Bugger.
I had the privilege of a '135 flight out from Eielson, fantastic experience watching the refuelling process from the rh observers station, numerous A10, F15/16 and a 'Bone.
RIP Airmen.
All the KC-135s were acquired in the 1950s/early 1960s - although they have been through a number of upgrade programmes since then.
Talksteer said:
mph1977 said:
Eric Mc said:
Mojocvh said:
Paid for in '77 then?
So that's what, about 35 years old?
Bugger.
I had the privilege of a '135 flight out from Eielson, fantastic experience watching the refuelling process from the rh observers station, numerous A10, F15/16 and a 'Bone.
RIP Airmen.
More like 1957 rather than 1977 - so 56 years old.So that's what, about 35 years old?
Bugger.
I had the privilege of a '135 flight out from Eielson, fantastic experience watching the refuelling process from the rh observers station, numerous A10, F15/16 and a 'Bone.
RIP Airmen.
All the KC-135s were acquired in the 1950s/early 1960s - although they have been through a number of upgrade programmes since then.
Engines wise - parts of the C- 135 / Kc-135 / E- 3 / E-6family have been equipped with TF33 or CFM56s either from build for later aircraft or as a re-engine to replace J57s turbojets on the original builds
All of the C-135/KC-135 were originally built with J57 turbojets. In the 1980s the entire fleet was re-engined (along with other upgrades).
As has been mentioned, the engines used in the re-engining programme were either Pratt and Whitney TF33 (the military designation of the JT3D) or General Electric CFM56s. Both of these engines are turbofans - although the TF33 is a fairly early generation low bypass turbofan. In fact, as far as I know, all the TF33s used were actually rebuilt JT3Ds which were removed from retired fleets of civilian Boeing 707s. Certainly, TWA sold most of the 707s they retired in early 1980s to the US Department of Defense as part of the re-engining programme.
As has been mentioned, the engines used in the re-engining programme were either Pratt and Whitney TF33 (the military designation of the JT3D) or General Electric CFM56s. Both of these engines are turbofans - although the TF33 is a fairly early generation low bypass turbofan. In fact, as far as I know, all the TF33s used were actually rebuilt JT3Ds which were removed from retired fleets of civilian Boeing 707s. Certainly, TWA sold most of the 707s they retired in early 1980s to the US Department of Defense as part of the re-engining programme.
Eric Mc said:
They haven't.
So, over the decades there has been a variety of serial presentation. Once you know the type and version of aircraft involved and you have some sort of serial listing to hand, you can usually positively identify the aircraft.
Which gets back to my point of hiding the details of the aircrafts age I'm sure you'll agree..So, over the decades there has been a variety of serial presentation. Once you know the type and version of aircraft involved and you have some sort of serial listing to hand, you can usually positively identify the aircraft.
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