Tag Archives: stratotanker

KC-135: Bats & Bears, oh my!

Video January 2, 2021 Hutchins AAron

Iowa Air National Guard 185th Air Refueling Wing’s 75th Anniversary colors, 22DEC2020. Photo by Senior Master Sergeant Vincent De Groot.

After more than six decades the KC-135 Stratotanker flies on, and by the end of 2020 some even got new clothes for 2021.

Iowa Air National Guard photo by Senior Master Sergeant Vincent De Groot, 22DEC2020.

Iowa’s bat tail was first used on F-16s in the 1990s. Iowa’s bat logo was first used over Viet Nam in the 1960s, to represent the unit’s night operations.

Iowa Air National Guard photo by Senior Master Sergeant Vincent De Groot, 01MAR2022.

The nose of the KC-135 has a diamond surrounded by silhouettes depicting the type of aircraft flown by the Iowa unit since 1946. The 185th switched from single seat aircraft to the KC-135 in 2003.

Video of Sioux City Bat tanker by Master Sergeant Vincent De Groot, 22DEC2020:

Alaska Air National Guard photo by Senior Master Sergeant Julie Avey, 15OCT2020.

In October 2020, Alaska Air National Guard’s 168th Wing revealed a new polar bear logo on their KC-135s.

U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sergeant Kaylee Dubois, 18DEC2020.

The tail flash at the top of each Stratotanker’s vertical tail will bear the name of one of nine interior tribal/native communities. The final two will bear the name Fairbanks and North Pole.

Alaska Air National Guard photo by Senior Master Sergeant Julie Avey, 17DEC2020.

Dramatic music video unveiling (by Technical Sergeant William A Keele) of Alaska’s polar bear tail KC-135, 15OCT2020:

Alaska Air National Guard photo by Senior Master Sergeant Julie Avey, 17DEC2020.

Here’s a New Jersey Air National Guard KC-135R from May 2020 covid-19 flyover ops:

New Jersey Air National Guard Photo by Staff Sergeant Cristina J. Allen, 12MAY2020.

KC-135: Pandemic Overflight

Rivet Joint-Airseeker: RC-135V/W PATRIOT & RED COAT

Bare Metal: KC-135R GETS STRIPPED

2019: KC-135 CITY OF DERBY

Influenza, Technology

Pandemic OverFlight: KC-135

Video May 18, 2020 Hutchins AAron

Salute to Heroes, Operation American Resolve, America Strong, or whatever is the latest Defense Department name for it, apparently massive flights of military aircraft flying over metro areas makes people feel more secure about fighting the “invisible enemy” of a Pandemic.

A KC-135 leads a pack of F-16s and F-35s on a Air Force Salutes flight over Arizona, 01MAY2020. At least 15 aircraft were involved.

Video from the cockpit of a F-35 of a KC-135 over Phoenix, Arizona, 01MAY2020:

USAF photo by Staff Sergeant Chris Thornbury, 06MAY2020.

A KC-135R Stratotanker assigned to the 22nd Air Refueling Wing, McConnell Air Force Base, flies over Ascension Via Christi St. Francis Hospital, 06MAY2020, Wichita, Kansas.

USAF photo by Technical Sergeant Nick Kibbey, 14MAY2020.

452nd Air Mobility Wing KC-135 over Riverside University Health System Medical Center, California, 14MAY2020.

Hawaii Air National Guard photo by Technical Sergeant Alison Bruce-Maldonado, 14MAY2020.

Video, KC-135 flying over multiple hospitals through out the Hawaiian islands, 14MAY2020:

The crew of a Michigan Air National Guard 127th Wing KC-135 just before taking off for a Michigan Strong flyover, 13MAY2020.

Video, 108th Wing KC-135 with 177th Fighter Wing F-16s, Air Force Salutes flight over New Jersey, 12MAY2020:

KC-135R from the 914th Air Refueling Wing, Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station, in formation with F-35s from the 158th Fighter Wing, Vermont Air National Guard Base, 12MAY2020.

Ohio Air National Guard KC-135 flies with an F-16 during Operation American Resolve, 13MAY2020.

Tail boom of 134th Air Refueling Wing, Tennessee Air National Guard, 12MAY2020.

Nebraska Air National Guard photo by Major Scott Ingalsbe, 13MAY2020.

Nebraska Air National Guard Stratotanker, 13MAY2020.

USAF photo by Second Lieutenant Christopher Thibeaux-Moore, 15MAY2020.

Pandemic fighting KC-135R Stratotanker gets airborne over Florida, 15MAY2020.

Bare Metal: KC-135R GETS STRIPPED

KC-135 STRATOTANKER BATH

EC-135E FIRE-BIRD, 10329 COMES BACK TO LIFE, AGAIN! OR, WHAT TO DO WITH YOUR EXTRA KC-135 KIT.

Kit Bashing

D-Day KC-135, ‘Hundred Proof’ & other nose arts

Video July 21, 2019 Hutchins AAron

To commemorate the 75th Anniversary of D-Day the U.S. Air Force’s 100th Air Refueling Wing (descendant of 100th Bombardment Group [Heavy]) gave some of their Stratotankers full color markings.

Skipper III in honor of retired Master Sergeant Dewey Christopher, a World War II veteran. U.S. Air Force photo by Karen Abeyasekere, 21JUN2019.

USAF photo by Senior Airman Alexandria Lee, 19JUN2019.

USAF photo by Airman First Class Joseph Barron, 31MAY2019.

Video, 48 hours of refueling hell, including invasion stripes:

They even gave a couple of KC-135s ‘heritage’ WW2 markings. The D on the tail was used by the 100th BG(H). USAF photo by First Lieutenant Nathanael Callon, 26MAY2019.

The EP is the flight symbol of the 351st Bomb Squadron, 100th Bomb Group(H), which dates back to 1942 and the letter A on the tail is the aircraft number. USAF photo by Senior Airman Benjamin Cooper, 09MAY2019.