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Air-to-Air Refueling with a 747


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Found these pics at work and wanted to share. I'd never heard of the Boeing 747 tanker. After a little research, it was a test by SAC to show that bigger tankers allowed them to give more gas and allow the SR-71 to cover more targets.  Supposedly taken in July 1972.  It's what led to the KC-10 Extender program.

 

747_F-4

 

747_FB-11

 

747_SR-71

 

All I can say is the thing is massive--it even makes the Buff look small.

747_B-52

 

-Peter

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Hmmm.  Back in the day, Boeing apparently could cobble together overnight an existing 74 and a boom they had lying around and make the combo pass gas to just about anything that flies but nowadays it takes them years to do the same thing with the KC -46 and it still doesn’t work.  Progress and all that, I reckon.

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40 minutes ago, Jennings Heilig said:

That project was picked up by the Iranians. I believe at one time they had two of them. Israel never did. It was a Boeing company funded project that the USAF had no interest in.

 

Thanks Jennings ... :thumbsup:

For some reason I thought Israel fielded one or two also ...

 

-Gregg

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