kc135

F-106A, s/n 56-0454. 11th F-106 produced by Convair November 1957. To Air Research & Development Command (ARDC), bailed to Convair to support engineering & testing 11 Jan 58. Modified to JF-106A 10 Dec 58. To 4750th Test Squadron, Holloman AFB NM for weapons testing (ARDC) 31 Mar 61. Upgraded to F-106A standards 31 May 67. To San Antonio Air Material Area, Kelly AFB TX for modifications and testing (AFLC) 07 Aug 67. To 6511th Test Group, El Centro CA (AFLC) 23 Sep 68. To 94th FIS Wurtsmith AFB MI (ADC) 28 Aug 70. To 2nd FIS Wurtsmith AFB MI (ADC) 01 Jul 71. To 171st FIS, 191st FIG Selfridge AFB MI (ANG) 12 Nov 73. To 318th FIS McChord AFB WA (ADCOM) 07 Jul 78. To 87th FIS KI Sawyer AFB MI (TAC) 29 Sep 83. Inactive Status, KI Sawyer AFB MI (4,286.4 airframe hours) 15 Apr 85. To AMARC for storage 17 Apr 85. To TRACOR Flight Systems, Mojave CA for YF-106A drone proofing 03 Sep 86. To Holloman AFB NM as QF-106 drone 02 Sep 89. Inactive Status (Cannibalization Bird) Jun 91. Terminated, cannibalized beyond repair 04 Jun 96. To 49th FW Holloman AFB NM for display 12 Aug 98. One of the first QF-106 drone prototypes. She was left to sit on the ramp at the end of testing at Holloman AFB with no flights (zero NULLOs), no engine runs, no maintenance. Several years later the USAF wanted it to fly again, but rehabbing it proved cost prohibitive. So, she finally became a static display at Holloman. flic.kr/p/2kbjnrH

Boeing KC-135F French air force

The French version was only known as the C-135F (later C-135FR). Stig

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