KC-135 Q

TANKER SQUADRONS 

 

The KC-135 is NOT a military version of the Boeing 707 as  it is sometimes referred to, as the KC-135 is derived from the original Boeing jet transport "proof of concept" demonstrator, the Boeing 367-80 (commonly called the "Dash-80").

As such, it has a narrower  double lobe fuselage and is shorter than the Boeing 707 jetliner which was a single lobed fuselage. Boeing gave the tanker the designation of Model 717, and it was actually produced before the B -707

 The major differences between the KC-135Q and other KC-135s were primarily related to the fuel system and rendezvous and communications systems. The KC-135Q utilized two single-point refueling receptacles, one in each main landing gear wheel well, whereas other KC-135s have only located in the right main gear well. On the 'Q', the left system serviced the airplane's wing tanks which carried the KC-135Q fuel of  JP-4  and the right system serviced the body fuel tanks in which JP-7 was normally carried. To account for changes in the airplane's centre of gravity during SR-71 refueling operations, 850 lb of ballast was added to the lower nose compartment. The KC-135Q was able to carry simultaneously a maximum of 74,490 lb of JP-7 and 110,000 lb of JP-4. Rendezvous and communications equipment differences included the addition of a third UHF radio and an AN/ARC-50 TACAN, both located at the navigator's station. In the late 80s, a satellite communication (SATCOM) antenna was installed on the upper forward fuselage.

The Partial Q's did not carry the Rendezvous and Communications system

 

903rd ARS--- 456th BW/17th BW
903rd 

AIR REFUELING SQUADRON

903 rd 

AIR REFUELING SQUADRON

 BLACK SHIELD

903rd ARS  carried out air refuelling of the A-12, M-21 and the B-52 of the TAGBOARD Program  at Groom Lake
I HAVE IT R GIROUARD

WANTED

 
 

100th AIR REFUELING WING

On Sept. 30, 1975,  100th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., became the 100th Air Refueling Wing and moved to Beale with the 349th and the 350th?  both which now became Air Refueling Squadrons  The 100th ARW stayed at Beale until March 15, 1983, when the Air Force inactivated the wing and consolidated its refueling mission and assets into the 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing.

 

100th

AIR REFUELLING WING

WANTED

 

349th ARS----100th ARW
au03cl349th.jpg (77186 bytes) The squadron was redesignated the 349th Air Refueling Squadron, Heavy, on 30 September 1976 and moved to Beale AFB, CA. That same year, the 349th transitioned to the KC-135 aircraft and given the mission of providing air refueling in support of SR-71 aircraft until 1990.

 

349th AREFS

I HAVE IT

 

apr04349r134.jpg (93254 bytes) tank349.jpg (9881 bytes)  
349th AREFS 

R-134

Not sure why this has Boeing 707 Q as the KC-135 was Boeing Model 717 based on the DASH-80

349th AREFS 

R-134

Same as patch to the left but no letter Q below the right wing.

349th 

AIR REFUELLING

SQUADRON

 
C LANGSTON R GIROUARD

 

 I HAVE IT  
       
350th  ARS---100th ARW
feb04350srs.jpg (97326 bytes)

Redesignated as the 350th Air Refueling Squadron, Heavy, on 19 January 1982, the unit was reactivated on 28 January 1982 at Beale AFB, CA. The squadron was attached to the 100th Air Refueling Wing and was assigned the KC-135 aircraft.

The aircraft was reassigned to the 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing on 15 March 1983 where it provided refueling support for SR-71 aircraft

350th 

AIR REFUELLING

SQUADRON

 I HAVE IT
   
350th AREFS 

S-170

 

   
R GIROUARD    
 

4126th STRATEGIC WING

In May 1959, 4126th Strategic Wing was activated with the first two KC-135s arriving in  July, 1959. On Jan. 18, 1960, the 31st Bombardment Squadron with its B-52s arrived at Beale to become part of the wing. 

On Feb. 1, 1963, SAC re-designated the 4126th as the 456th Strategic Aerospace Wing.

 

 
4126th

STRATEGIC WING

 

456th

STRATEGIC AEROSPACE WING

   
 I HAVE IT I HAVE IT    
     
  609th OMS

KC-135 / B-52 MAINTENANCE

   
  WANTED    
 

376th STRATEGIC WING

tank376.jpg (10851 bytes) The 376th Strategic Wing was activated on April 1, 1970 at Kadena Air Base, Okinawa (later Japan), from Kadena, the wing conducted B-52 combat operations in Southeast Asia from April to Sept 1970, supporting rotational Strategic Air Command squadrons until Arc Light Missions from the base were terminated.

It also conducted air refueling and electronic reconnaissance from April 1970 to 1973.  Until 1991, the wing controlled the 909th Air Refueling Squadron (KC-135A/Q/R) and supported rotational reconnaissance aircraft (U-2.,  SR-71).

The Wing was deactivated at Kadena on 30 October 1991 with the drawdown of strategic forces.

KC-135Q's Assigned 5 PCS to the 376th / 909th AREFS at Kadena, 6 TDY from the 456th BW at Beale
AFB, California, 12 Partial Q's from the 306th BW / 306th AREFS at McCoy AFB, Florida (some McCoy
Partial Q's -Excess of Giant Bear requirements) flew as Arc Light / Linebacker Operations, as well as being a Giant Bear Backup when required.

 

 I HAVE IT

 

 
376gbttf.jpg (47075 bytes)
376th SW

GIANT BEAR

 
     
R GIROUARD      
       
909th ARS
apr04gbpex.jpg (79335 bytes)
909th ARS

909th ARS

Giant Bear/ Pony Express GIANT BEAR TTF

KADENA AB

 I HAVE IT   C LANGSTON

I HAVE IT

 

  909th AREFS

 

  KC-135Q TANKER TASK FORCE

DIEGO GARCIA

909th ?

 

The 909th relocated to March AFB, CA on 25 June 1966 upon its assignment to the 22nd Bombardment Wing. The squadron rotated aircrews to Southeast Asia, from 1967-1973.

It then relocated to Kadena AB, Okinawa (later, Japan) on 1 July 1971 and was assigned to the 376th Strategic Wing. From August 1990-March 1991, the 909th provided air refueling in Southwest Asia.

 

   
apr04909ptpoaat.jpg (71698 bytes)  
909th ARS

 

 
C LANGSTON

 

 
70th ARS --  305th BW
The 70th ARS / 305th BW from Little Rock AFB, Arkansas
handled the refueling of the SR-71 during the
early part of the program

In 1970, the 70th joined the 305th Air Refueling Wing, Grissom AFB, IN, where it acquired an additional mission flying EC-135s. The new tasking entailed providing an airborne radio link between SAC’s “Looking Glass” airborne command post and the National Emergency Airborne Command Post (NEACP), as part of the Post Attack Command and Control System (PACCS). The 70th Air Refueling Squadron operated out of Grissom AFB until 1993 when it was inactivated.

 

305th BW      
I HAVE IT

 

     
70arefs.jpg (84722 bytes)

 

 

 

70th 

AIR REFUELLING

SQUADRON

        70th ARS

Subdued.

 

   
 I HAVE IT

 

     
380th AREFS -- 380th BW
 

 

 

 

 

 

On July 26, 1973, the first of twenty KC-135Q models to arrive at Plattsburgh from McCoy AFB landed at the base with the last arriving  from the 306th Bomb Wing at McCoy AFB on the 1st September.
The 380th AREFS was part of the
380th BW at Plattsburgh AFB, NY.
 
380th BW      
WANTED

 

 

     
aug03cl380notab.jpg (73029 bytes) aug03clchamani.jpg (64426 bytes)  
380th 

AREFS

380th AREFS 380th AREFS 

CHAMBER ANIMALS

 
 I HAVE IT

 

I HAVE IT

C LANGSTON

 

 
9th ARS --- 456th BW/17th BW/100th ARW

Following a deactivation period from 1965 to 1970, the 9th flew the KC-135Q all jet tanker at Beale AFB, California. With its KC-135s, the 9th participated in several special operations involving flights to Southeast Asia.

KC-135Q

Beale AFB, California

456th Bombardment Wing (Heavy)

01 Jan 1970-30 Sep 1975

 

KC-135Q

Beale AFB, California

17th Bombardment Wing (Heavy)

30 Sep 1975-30 Sep 1976

 

KC-135Q

Beale AFB, California

100th Air Refueling Wing (Heavy)

30 Sep 1976-27 Jan 1982

9th  ARS
I HAVE IT    

 

 
     
       
306th ARS ---306thBW
tank306.jpg (16720 bytes) KC-135A/Q

306th BW McCoy AFB FLORIDA

1/07/1962- 30/09/1973

ALTUS AFB OKLAHOMA

01/10/1984-1992The 306th ARS provided refueling support for SR-71 operations flying from Beale AFB, California and the forward operating base of Kadena AB, Okinawa.  In addition to operating out of McCoy, crews operated out of Eilson AFB, Alaska, Incirlik AB, Turkey, Kadena AB, Okinawa and Thule AB Greenland.

 

306th ARS      
       
 
306th  AREFS

 

306th  AREFS

 

306th ARS 306th  

ARS

No outer Q

   I HAVE IT R GIROUARD  I HAVE IT
       
 

306th STRATEGIC WING

aug03cl306sw.jpg (62069 bytes)

 

In August 1976, the 306th was activated once again as the 306th Strategic Wing (SAC), Ramstein AB, Germany, with operational control for SAC air refueling and reconnaissance resources in the European Theatre. On 01 July 1978 the 306th SW’s headquarters moved to RAF Mildenhall, England. For most of this period the 306th SW operated KC-135s and RC-135s from RAF Mildenhall, Zaragoza AB, Spain and Hellinikon AB, Greece. The wing operated until February 1992, when the 100th Air Refueling Wing (USAFE- not SR-71 / U-2) assumed the wing's responsibilities.
306th STRATEGIC WING      
 I HAVE IT

 

     
   
306th SW

 

306 SW

RAF MILDENHALL

   
R GIROUARD      
       
KC-135Q

 

july03kc135sr71.jpg (77658 bytes)    
KC135Q / SR-71

 

KC-135Q TANKER

 

   
R GIROUARD

 

R GIROUARD    
 
TEAM RECCE

KC-135Q / SR-71

TEAM RECCE

U-2 /KC-135Q / SR-71

TEAM RECCE

KC-135Q / SR-71

 

I HAVE IT

 

I HAVE IT

I HAVE IT

 

 
 
BILL ZURICH R GIROUARD

 

R GIROUARD  
WANTED

 

WANTED

 

WANTED

 

 
Kc133007.jpg (12112 bytes)
KC135Q

0.77+

KC-135 Q

 

KC135 Q KC-135Q

BEALE BANDITS

1967-1968

R GIROUARD

 

R GIROUARD

 

R GIROUARD C HANNA

CREW CHIEF 

KC-135Q, 59-1490

  9arsRowdyCrew.jpg (142793 bytes)
  BEALE BANDITS 

CREW 162

BEALE BANDITS

Q

 

KC-135Q

 NO ALERT

 

 

J WEBB

 

   
july04kc135qbb.jpg (24138 bytes) deadmen.jpg (307628 bytes)    
BEALE BANDITS KC-135Q

 

DEAD MEN

"A" FLIGHT

   
  J WEBB

 

   
 

 

KC 135Q

SUPERTANKER

 

KC 135Q

SUPERTANKER

KC 135Q

SUPERTANKER

 

       I HAVE IT
 
KC-135

HABU HUMPER

KC-135

HABU HUMPER

KC-135

HABU HUMPER

 
 

R GIROUARD

 

R GIROUARD

 

   
KC-135T    Re-engined Q MODEL.
   
KC-135T

 

KC-135T    
R GIROUARD R GIROUARD    

 

     
KC-10 TANKER
jun03kc10sr71.jpg (53262 bytes) jue03kc10sr71boomer.jpg (42960 bytes)  
KC-10 /SR-71 KC-10 / SR-71 

BOOM OPERATOR

 

KC-10 / SR-71

 INSTRUCTOR

 
I HAVE IT   R GIROUARD  
     
    KC-10 TEST TEAM  
   

 I HAVE IT

 

 
BEALE BANDITS
july04kc135qbflt.jpg (20779 bytes) apr04sam.jpg (126522 bytes)  
BEALE BANDITS B FLIGHT BEALE BANDITS  
 I HAVE IT

Thanks Bill

 

  C LANGSTON

 

 
 
BEALE  BANDITS

BANDITS IN HEAT

DESERT SHIELD 1990

 
 SADDAM STALKERS

 DESERT SHIELD 90

BEALE BANDITS

USAF ARABIAN KNIGHTS

DESERT SHIELD 90

BEALE BANDITS

 
  J WEBB MARK LIS  

KC-135Q

The KC-135Q was the variant modified to carry the JP-7 fuel necessary for the A-12 / SR-71 Blackbird, segregating the JP-7 from the KC-135's own fuel supply (the body tanks carrying JP-7, and the wing tanks carrying JP-4). When the KC-135Q model received the CFM-56 engines, it was redesignated the KC-135T model, which was capable of separating the main body tanks from the wing tanks where the KC-135 draws its engine fuel.

THE SECTION BELOW IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION

PLEASE EMAIL ME WITH ANY INFORMATION OR CORRECTIONS

 
          TIME LINE
          OPERATING YEAR
          6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 9 9 9 9  
          0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3  
McCoy AFB 306th .BW aug03cl306sw.jpg (62069 bytes) 306th.ARS tank306.jpg (16720 bytes)                           73                                          
Plattsburg

AFB

380th BW 380thAREFS                                                                      
Little Rock AFB 305th.ARW 70th ARS 70arefs.jpg (84722 bytes)                     70                                                
Kadena

AB

376th SW tank376.jpg (10851 bytes) 909th ARS                                                                      
Beale AFB 4126th.SW 903rd.ARS     62 63                                                              
456th.BW 903rd.ARS       63                         76                                    
17th .BW 9th.AREFS                     70           76                                    
 

100th.

AREFW

 

9th .ARS                                 76           82                        
349th .ARS au03cl349th.jpg (77186 bytes)                                 76             83                      
350th .ARS feb04350srs.jpg (97326 bytes)                                             82 83                      
       
9th .SRW 349th .ARS au03cl349th.jpg (77186 bytes)                                               83               91      
350th .ARS feb04350srs.jpg (97326 bytes)                                               83               91      
                                                                             
 

9th .OG

 

349th .ARS au03cl349th.jpg (77186 bytes)                                                               91 92    
350th .ARS feb04350srs.jpg (97326 bytes)                                                               91 92    

 

                       
  4126th

 SW

456th

 BW

17th

BW

306th

BW

305th

ARW

376th

SW

    380th

   BW

100th SRW 100th SRW 9th

SRW

9th

OG

        PARTIAL Q PARTIAL Q   PARTIAL Q        
58-0039

lost 3/06/71

                     
58-0042             YES        
58-0045             YES        
58-0046             YES        
58-0047                      
58-0049             YES        
58-0050                      
58-0054                   YES  
58-0055             YES        
58-0060             YES        
58-0061                      
58-0062                 YES YES  
58-0065                      
58-0069                      
58-0071                 YES YES  
58-0072             YES        
58-0074                 YES    
58-0077                 YES YES  
58-0084                 YES YES  
58-0086                 YES    
58-0088               YES YES    
58-0089                 YES YES  
58-0094                 YES YES  
58-0095                 YES    
58-0099                 YES YES  
58-0103                 YES YES  
58-0112                 YES YES  
58-0117                 YES YES  
58-0125                 YES    
58-0129                   YES  
59-1460                      
59-1462             YES        
59-1464                   YES  
59-1467             YES        
59-1468                 YES YES  
59-1470                 YES    
59-1471             YES        
59-1474                 YES YES  
59-1480                 YES YES  
59-1490   YES YES           YES YES  
59-1504   YES YES           YES YES  
59-1510         YES   YES        
59-1512   YES YES           YES YES  
59-1513   YES YES           YES YES  
59-1520   YES YES       YES   YES YES  
59-1523   YES YES           YES YES  
60-0335                      
60-0336             YES        
60-0337                      
60-0338

lost 2/08/80

        YES        
60-0339           YES YES        
60-0342                   YES  
60-0343                 YES    
60-0344                      
60-0345                       
60-0346                       
                       
                       
AIRCRAFT SERIAL IN GREEN WAS A PARTIAL "Q"

All surviving KC-13Q's were converted to KC-135T's

 

   
9th ARS KC-135Q 58-0084 MILDENHALL 03/08/76  
9th ARS KC-135Q 58-0095 WOODBRIDGE 08/09/76 9th ARS KC-135Q 58-1474 MILDENHALL 25/10/76
   
9th ARS KC-135Q 58-0084 at MILDENHALL 3/09/76 9th ARS KC-135Q 58-0088 100th ARW MILDENHALL 10/06/77
   
   
   

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