97th Air Refueling Squadron
Encyclopedia
The 97th Air Refueling Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force
unit. It was last assigned to the 92d Air Refueling Wing, stationed at Fairchild Air Force Base
, Washington. It was inactivated on 30 September 2004
s; initially based in the Pacific Northwest, after the Pearl Harbor Attack was equipped with DB-7 Bostons and early-model B-24 Liberator
s (more likely LB-30s) taken by the AAF from export orders to perform antisubmarine patrols along the Washington and Oregon coast. In February 1942, with a Japanese submarine attack unlikely, the squadron was reassigned to III Bomber Command
and re-equipped with A-20C Havoc light bombers and trained for overseas deployment.
In November 1942, deployed to French Morocco
as part of the Operation Torch
invasion force of French North Africa, being assigned to Twelfth Air Force. Arrived at a former Vichy French airfield; engaging in combat operations during the North African Campaign
supporting Fifth Army forces driving east across Algeria
and Tunisia
. Remained as part of the Mediterranean Theater of Operations
(MTO) engaging enemy forces in the invasion of Sicily
and Southern Italy during 1943. Participated in the Italian Campaign
throughout the balance of the war, upgrading to Douglas A-26C Invaders in early 1945. The A-26Cs were used specifically for night raids against enemy strong points and troop concentrations.
Returned to the United States in July 1945, being assigned to Seymour Johnson Field, North Carolina
. Planned for re-deployment to the Pacific Theater of Operations
(PTO) as part of the Operation Downfall
invasion of the Japanese Home Islands. Deployment plans cancelled after the Japanese Capitulation in August, however remained active as part of the postwar Army Air Forces. Was inactivated in March 1946 due to personnel and budget shortages.
as well as operating in Newfoundland and Labrador
as part of Northeast Air Command
. Inactivated in 1964 as part of phaseout of KC-97 aircraft.
Reactivated in 1992 with KC-135 Stratotanker
s; inactivated in 2004.
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
unit. It was last assigned to the 92d Air Refueling Wing, stationed at Fairchild Air Force Base
Fairchild Air Force Base
Fairchild Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located approximately southwest of Spokane, Washington.The host unit at Fairchild is the 92d Air Refueling Wing assigned to the Air Mobility Command's 15th Expeditionary Mobility Task Force...
, Washington. It was inactivated on 30 September 2004
World War II
Established as a pre-World War II light bombardment squadron, equipped with B-18 BoloB-18 Bolo
The Douglas B-18 Bolo was a United States Army Air Corps and Royal Canadian Air Force bomber of the late 1930s and early 1940s. The Bolo was built by Douglas Aircraft Company and based on its DC-2 and was developed to replace the Martin B-10....
s; initially based in the Pacific Northwest, after the Pearl Harbor Attack was equipped with DB-7 Bostons and early-model B-24 Liberator
B-24 Liberator
The Consolidated B-24 Liberator was an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and a small number of early models were sold under the name LB-30, for Land Bomber...
s (more likely LB-30s) taken by the AAF from export orders to perform antisubmarine patrols along the Washington and Oregon coast. In February 1942, with a Japanese submarine attack unlikely, the squadron was reassigned to III Bomber Command
III Bomber Command
The III Bomber Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Third Air Force stationed at MacDill Field, Florida. It was inactivated on 8 April 1946.-Lineage:...
and re-equipped with A-20C Havoc light bombers and trained for overseas deployment.
In November 1942, deployed to French Morocco
French Morocco
French Protectorate of Morocco was a French protectorate in Morocco, established by the Treaty of Fez. French Morocco did not include the north of the country, which was a Spanish protectorate...
as part of the Operation Torch
Operation Torch
Operation Torch was the British-American invasion of French North Africa in World War II during the North African Campaign, started on 8 November 1942....
invasion force of French North Africa, being assigned to Twelfth Air Force. Arrived at a former Vichy French airfield; engaging in combat operations during the North African Campaign
North African campaign
During the Second World War, the North African Campaign took place in North Africa from 10 June 1940 to 13 May 1943. It included campaigns fought in the Libyan and Egyptian deserts and in Morocco and Algeria and Tunisia .The campaign was fought between the Allies and Axis powers, many of whom had...
supporting Fifth Army forces driving east across Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
and Tunisia
Tunisia
Tunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
. Remained as part of the Mediterranean Theater of Operations
Mediterranean Theater of Operations
The Mediterranean Theater of Operations, United States Army was originally called North African Theater of Operations and is an American term for the conflict that took place between the Allies and Axis Powers in North Africa and Italy during World War II...
(MTO) engaging enemy forces in the invasion of Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
and Southern Italy during 1943. Participated in the Italian Campaign
Italian Campaign (World War II)
The Italian Campaign of World War II was the name of Allied operations in and around Italy, from 1943 to the end of the war in Europe. Joint Allied Forces Headquarters AFHQ was operationally responsible for all Allied land forces in the Mediterranean theatre, and it planned and commanded the...
throughout the balance of the war, upgrading to Douglas A-26C Invaders in early 1945. The A-26Cs were used specifically for night raids against enemy strong points and troop concentrations.
Returned to the United States in July 1945, being assigned to Seymour Johnson Field, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
. Planned for re-deployment to the Pacific Theater of Operations
Pacific Theater of Operations
The Pacific Theater of Operations was the World War II area of military activity in the Pacific Ocean and the countries bordering it, a geographic scope that reflected the operational and administrative command structures of the American forces during that period...
(PTO) as part of the Operation Downfall
Operation Downfall
Operation Downfall was the Allied plan for the invasion of Japan near the end of World War II. The operation was cancelled when Japan surrendered after the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the Soviet Union's declaration of war against Japan. The operation had two parts: Operation...
invasion of the Japanese Home Islands. Deployment plans cancelled after the Japanese Capitulation in August, however remained active as part of the postwar Army Air Forces. Was inactivated in March 1946 due to personnel and budget shortages.
Air Refueling
Reactivated in 1949 as the 97th Air Refueling Squadron and initially equipped with KB-29 Superfortress tankers in 1950. Upgraded to KC-97s in 1954 Assigned to Lake Charles AFB, Louisiana and provided air refueling to USAF aircraft, being deployed to EnglandEngland
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
as well as operating in Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada. Situated in the country's Atlantic region, it incorporates the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador with a combined area of . As of April 2011, the province's estimated population is 508,400...
as part of Northeast Air Command
Northeast Air Command
The Northeast Air Command was a short-lived organization in the United States Air Force tasked with the operation and defense of air bases in Greenland, Labrador and Newfoundland. It was formed in 1950 from the facilities of the United States established during World War II in Northeast Canada,...
. Inactivated in 1964 as part of phaseout of KC-97 aircraft.
Reactivated in 1992 with KC-135 Stratotanker
KC-135 Stratotanker
The Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker is an aerial refueling military aircraft. It and the Boeing 707 airliner were developed from the Boeing 367-80 prototype. The KC-135 was the US Air Force's first jet-powered refueling tanker and replaced the KC-97 Stratotanker...
s; inactivated in 2004.
Lineage
- Constituted 20th Reconnaissance Squadron (Light) on 20 Nov 1940
- Activated on 15 Jan 1941
- Redesignated: 97th Bombardment Squadron (Light) on 14 Aug 1941
- Redesignated: 97th Bombardment Squadron, Light, on 20 Aug 1943
- Inactivated on 31 Mar 1946
- Consolidated (19 Sep 1985) with the 97th Air Refueling Squadron, Medium
- Constituted on 2 Feb 1949
- Activated on 1 Mar 1949
- Discontinued, and inactivated, on 15 Mar 1964
- Redesignated 97th Air Refueling Squadron, Heavy, and activated, on 8 Oct 1964
- Organized on 23 Oct 1964
- Redesignated 97th Air Refueling Squadron on 1 Sep 1991
- Inactivated on 1 Apr 1992
- Activated on 1 Oct 1992
- Inactivated on 30 Sep 2004
Assignments
- General Headquarters Air Force (later, Air Force Combat Command), 15 Jan 1941
- Attached to: 17th Bombardment Group, 15 Jan-7 May 1941
- Attached to: 47th Bombardment Group, 8 May-13 Aug 1941
- 47th Bombardment Group, 14 Aug 1941-31 Mar 1946
- 97th Bombardment Group, 1 Mar 1949
- Attached to the 97th Bombardment Wing, 12 Jul 1950-15 Jun 1952
- 97th Bombardment Wing, 16 Jun 1952
- Attached to Fifteenth Air ForceFifteenth Air ForceThe Fifteenth Expeditionary Mobility Task Force is one of two EMTFs assigned to the United States Air Force Air Mobility Command . It is headquartered at Travis Air Force Base, California....
, c. 31 May-10 Jul 1955- 4061st Air Refueling Wing, 1 Sep 1957
- 9th Bombardment (later, 9th Strategic Aerospace) Wing
- Attached to 341st Combat Support Group, 15 Jul 1961
- 28th Bombardment Wing, 1 Jul 1962-15 Mar 1964
- Strategic Air CommandStrategic Air CommandThe Strategic Air Command was both a Major Command of the United States Air Force and a "specified command" of the United States Department of Defense. SAC was the operational establishment in charge of America's land-based strategic bomber aircraft and land-based intercontinental ballistic...
, 8 Oct 1964 - 97th Bombardment Wing, 23 Oct 196
- 97th Operations Group97th Operations GroupThe 97th Operations Group is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Mobility Command 97th Air Mobility Wing. It is stationed at Altus Air Force Base, Oklahoma...
, 1 Sep 1991-1 Apr 1992 - 43d Operations Group43d Operations GroupThe 43d Operations Group was the operational flying component of the United States Air Force 43d Airlift Wing. It was stationed at Pope Air Force Base, North Carolina, and is assigned to the Air Mobility Command Eighteenth Air Force.The unit was Air Mobility Command's only active-duty C-130...
, 1 Oct 1992 - 453d Operations Group, 1 Apr 1994
- 92d Operations Group92d Operations GroupThe 92d Air Refueling Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Mobility Command Eighteenth Air Force. It is stationed at Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington...
, 1 Jul 1994-30 Sep 2004
Stations
- McChord Field, Washington (1941)
- Hammer Field, CaliforniaCaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
(1941–1942) - Will Rogers Field, OklahomaOklahomaOklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
(1942) - Greensboro Airport, North CarolinaNorth CarolinaNorth Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
(1942) - Langley Field, VirginiaVirginiaThe Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
(1942) - Casablanca Airfield, French MoroccoFrench MoroccoFrench Protectorate of Morocco was a French protectorate in Morocco, established by the Treaty of Fez. French Morocco did not include the north of the country, which was a Spanish protectorate...
(1942) - Mediouna AirfieldMédiouna AirfieldMédiouna Airfield is an abandoned military airfield in Morocco, located in the Casablanca area.-History:Established as a French military airfield in French Morocco during the 1920s, after the Fall of France in June, 1940, the reconstituted Vichy Air Force established a military airfield at the...
, French MoroccoFrench MoroccoFrench Protectorate of Morocco was a French protectorate in Morocco, established by the Treaty of Fez. French Morocco did not include the north of the country, which was a Spanish protectorate...
(1942) - Thelepte AirfieldThelepte AirfieldThelepte Airfield is an airfield in Tunisia, located about 20 km southwest of Kasserine. It currently is active and in use.It was used by the United States Army Air Force Twelfth Air Force in 1943 during the North African Campaign against the German Afrika Korps...
, TunisiaTunisiaTunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
(1942–1943) - Youks-les-Bains AirfieldYouks-les-Bains AirfieldYouks-les-Bains Airfield is an abandoned military airfield in Algeria, located about 20 km northwest of Tebessa. The airfield today consists of several agricultural fields, with the faint remains of its main runway, parts of a taxiway and a few aircraft dispersal hardstands visible in aerial...
, AlgeriaAlgeriaAlgeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
(1943) - Canrobert AirfieldCanrobert AirfieldCanrobert Airfield was a World War II military airfield in Algeria, located approximately 4 km south of Oum el Bouaghi, approximately 70 km southeast of Constantine. It was used by the United States Army Air Force Twelfth Air Force during the North African Campaign against the German...
, AlgeriaAlgeriaAlgeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
(1943) - Souk-el-Arba AirfieldSouk-el-Arba AirfieldSouk-el-Arba Airfield is an abandoned World War II military airfield in Tunisia, located approximately 2.3 km southeast of Jendouba; 130 km west-southwest of Tunis...
, TunisiaTunisiaTunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
(1943) - Grombalia, Tunisia (1943)
- Takali Airdrome, MaltaMaltaMalta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
(1943) - Torrente Comunelli, SicilySicilySicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
(1943) - CataniaCataniaCatania is an Italian city on the east coast of Sicily facing the Ionian Sea, between Messina and Syracuse. It is the capital of the homonymous province, and with 298,957 inhabitants it is the second-largest city in Sicily and the tenth in Italy.Catania is known to have a seismic history and...
, Sicily (1943) - TarantoTarantoTaranto is a coastal city in Apulia, Southern Italy. It is the capital of the Province of Taranto and is an important commercial port as well as the main Italian naval base....
, ItalyItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
(1943) - FoggiaFoggiaFoggia is a city and comune of Apulia, Italy, capital of the province of Foggia. Foggia is the main city of a plain called Tavoliere, also known as the "granary of Italy".-History:...
, Italy (1943–1944) - San GiuseppeSan Giuseppe (Naples)San Giuseppe is a neighbourhood of Naples, southern Italy, that includes many of the items of interest on the western side of the historic center of Naples, including the square and church of Gesù Nuovo, the buildings along via Benedetto Croce and the square, Piazza San Domeico Maggiore....
, Italy (1944) - Capodichino, Italy (1944)
- Ponte GaleriaPonte GaleriaPonte Galeria is a zona in the comune of Rome, Italy. On 31 May 2005, it had a population of 7,501....
, Italy (1944)
- Poretto, Italy (1944)
- Salon, FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
(1944) - FollonicaFollonicaFollonica is a town and comune of province of Grosseto in the Italian region of Tuscany, on the Gulf of Follonica , about 40 km NW of the city of Grosseto.-History:...
, Italy (1944) - Rosignano AirfieldRosignano AirfieldRosignano Airfield is an abandoned World War II military airfield in Italy, located near the comune of Rosignano Marittimo in the Province of Livorno in Tuscany....
, Italy (1944) - Grossetto, Italy (1944–1945)
- PisaPisaPisa is a city in Tuscany, Central Italy, on the right bank of the mouth of the River Arno on the Tyrrhenian Sea. It is the capital city of the Province of Pisa...
, Italy (1945) - Camp KilmerCamp KilmerCamp Kilmer, New Jersey is a former United States Army camp that was activated in June 1942 as a staging area and part of an installation of the New York Port of Embarkation. The camp was organized as part of the Army Service Forces Transportation Corps. Troops were quartered at Camp Kilmer in...
, New JerseyNew JerseyNew Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
(1945) - Seymour Johnson Field, North Carolina (1945)
- Lake Charles Army Air Field, LouisianaLouisianaLouisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
(1944–1946) - Biggs Air Force Base, TexasTexasTexas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
(1949–1957)- Deployed: RAF Upper HeyfordRAF Upper HeyfordRAF Upper Heyford was a Royal Air Force station located north-west of Bicester near the village of Upper Heyford, Oxfordshire, England. The base was brought into use for flying in July 1918 by the Royal Flying Corps. During World War II it was used by many units of the RAF, mainly as a training...
, EnglandEnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
(15 March - 1 June 1952) - Deployed: Ernest Harmon Air Force BaseErnest Harmon Air Force BaseErnest Harmon Air Force Base is a former United States Air Force base located in Stephenville, Newfoundland and Labrador. The base was built by the United States Army Air Forces in 1941 under the Destroyers for Bases Agreement with the United Kingdom....
, NewfoundlandNewfoundland and LabradorNewfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada. Situated in the country's Atlantic region, it incorporates the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador with a combined area of . As of April 2011, the province's estimated population is 508,400...
(21 November - 20 December 1954) - Deployed: Ernest Harmon Air Force Base, Newfoundland (c. 31 May - 10 July 1955)
- Deployed: RAF Greenham CommonRAF Greenham CommonRAF Station Greenham Common is a former military airfield in Berkshire, England. The airfield is located approximately south-southwest of Thatcham; about west of London....
, England (1 May - 9 July 1956) - Deployed: Goose Air Force Base, LabradorLabradorLabrador is the distinct, northerly region of the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. It comprises the mainland portion of the province, separated from the island of Newfoundland by the Strait of Belle Isle...
(April - 1 September 1957)
- Deployed: RAF Upper Heyford
- Malmstrom Air Force BaseMalmstrom Air Force BaseMalmstrom Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base and census-designated place in Cascade County, Montana, United States. It was named in honor of World War II POW Colonel Einar Axel Malmstrom...
, MontanaMontanaMontana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
(1957–1964) - Eaker Air Force BaseEaker Air Force BaseEaker Air Force Base was a front-line United States Air Force base for over 40 years. It was located 3 miles northwest of central Blytheville, Arkansas...
, ArkansasArkansasArkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
(1964–1992) - Malmstrom Air Force Base, Montana (1992–1994)
- Fairchild Air Force BaseFairchild Air Force BaseFairchild Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located approximately southwest of Spokane, Washington.The host unit at Fairchild is the 92d Air Refueling Wing assigned to the Air Mobility Command's 15th Expeditionary Mobility Task Force...
, Washington (1994–2004)
Aircraft
- B-18 BoloB-18 BoloThe Douglas B-18 Bolo was a United States Army Air Corps and Royal Canadian Air Force bomber of the late 1930s and early 1940s. The Bolo was built by Douglas Aircraft Company and based on its DC-2 and was developed to replace the Martin B-10....
(1941–1942) - B-24 LiberatorB-24 LiberatorThe Consolidated B-24 Liberator was an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and a small number of early models were sold under the name LB-30, for Land Bomber...
(1941–1942) - DB-7 Boston (1942)
- A-20 Havoc (1942–1945)
- B-26 MarauderB-26 MarauderThe Martin B-26 Marauder was a World War II twin-engine medium bomber built by the Glenn L. Martin Company. First used in the Pacific Theater in early 1942, it was also used in the Mediterranean Theater and in Western Europe....
(1945–1946) - B-29 SuperfortressB-29 SuperfortressThe B-29 Superfortress is a four-engine propeller-driven heavy bomber designed by Boeing that was flown primarily by the United States Air Forces in late-World War II and through the Korean War. The B-29 was one of the largest aircraft to see service during World War II...
(1950) - KB-29 Superfortress (1950–1954)
- KC-97 StratotankerKC-97 StratotankerThe Boeing KC-97 Stratotanker was a United States strategic tanker aircraft based on the Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter. It was succeeded by the Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker.-Design and development:...
(1954–1964) - KC-135 StratotankerKC-135 StratotankerThe Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker is an aerial refueling military aircraft. It and the Boeing 707 airliner were developed from the Boeing 367-80 prototype. The KC-135 was the US Air Force's first jet-powered refueling tanker and replaced the KC-97 Stratotanker...
(1964–2004)