boeingkc135

KC-135A-BN, s/n 58-0085. 300th KC-135 built. Delivered to 917th ARS, 95th BW Biggs AFB, TX 1959. Nicknamed "Paso del Norte" (shown in photo). Upgraded to KC-135E 1986. Assigned 336th ARS, 452nd ARW (AFRES). Nicknamed “California Dreamin”. Flew in Desert Storm. Upgraded to KC-135R 1997. Still active with 912th ARS, 452nd AMW (AFRC) March ARB, CA.

Boeing KC-135A (USAF Ser. no. 55-3127) modified to JKC-135A configuration by the US Air Force's BIG SAFARI office, and named SPEED LIGHT BRAVO for observation of Soviet testing of the 100 megaton "Tsar Bomba" nuclear bomb. Additional modifications and sensors were added to the aircraft at Convair / General Dynamics' Ft. Worth facility between October 22-27, 1961. The aircraft would be made in time ready to observe the dropping and detonation of the Tsar Bomba (also nicknamed "Big Ivan") on October 30, 1961. While yield of the Soviet bomb was "dialed down" to 50 megatons, SPEED LIGHT BRAVO would fly close enough to the detonation that it would suffer scorching along side of the fuselage "facing" the explosion, as well as made radioactive, resulting in the aircraft's disposal. No ill-effects relating to radiation were experienced by the crew manning the aircraft at the time of the detonation, nor were any experienced in the subsequent years. Ref: The History of Big Safari, 2014, by Col. Bill Grimes (USAF Ret.), see pages 46-51. www.amazon.com/History-Big-Safari-Bill-Grimes/dp/1480804568

The first production Boeing KC-135A Stratotanker, USAF 55-3118 (c/n 17234), at (as the caption says) Hickam Air Force Base, Oahu, Hawaii. By the time this photo was taken, she has been converted into an EC-135K Airborne Command Post (Project Head Dancer). She is still extant, converted back into her KC-135A configuration, at McConnell AFB, Wichita, Kansas.