KC135R in Canberra this afternoon

[Tim M]

Sydney people - FYI - Sitting waiting for a late Tiger flight in Canberra this afternoon and KC-135R 63-7980 landed! Edwards tail -parked in front of the RAAF hangar - for once glad a flight was late.

[Gerard M]

Any idea where its going/come from?

Cheers
Gerard

[Tim M]

Good Question - the interesting thing is that this has an Edwards logo on the tail - which means it may come from the 412th test wing and seems to be the Test Tanker II which is a one off modified EC135R. (I believe that this aircraft is a 63 model)

http://www.afmc.af.mil/news/story_media.asp?id=123134995

Anyone know anything more about this tanker???

[Lachlan C]

saw it flying on the radar box

[Tim Bowrey]

saw it flying on the radar box

In any particular direction? Where did it look like it was going?

[Lachlan C]

it only had mode s transmitter so it did not say all i got was the aircraft and it altitude of 40,000

[Tim D]

Good Question - the interesting thing is that this has an Edwards logo on the tail - which means it may come from the 412th test wing and seems to be the Test Tanker II which is a one off modified EC135R. (I believe that this aircraft is a 63 model)

http://www.afmc.af.mil/news/story_media.asp?id=123134995

Anyone know anything more about this tanker???

As far as I can see Tim, it was built as a KC-135A, converted to a -135R but was never a EC-135. (Link (http://home.att.net/~jbaugher/1963.html) - scroll down to 63-7976/8045).

The two digit prefix before the hyphen in the serial is the fiscal year that the order was placed for the aircraft. So it may not have been built in 63. However I haven't been able to find out.

[Gerard M]

A little bit more detail that airframes.org had

damaged 08.03.73 left wingtip entered cockpit of 63-7989 Lockborne AFB, see there, repaired, reskinn/reeng 25.07.88, 97th AMW, 22nd ARW 10.00, 351st ARS arr Mildenhall 26.04.01 CRAG equip

[Tim M]

Yes Tim - last officail type was KC-135R - it has been heavily modified for the new role and according to Richard G is also used to transport USAF chief and senior staff which is probably what it was doing in Canberra - I presume it is still KC135R but the EC designator was used in an article I found whilst searching on the program - and had some interesting outer wing sensors/attachments.

Definitely a one off!

[Benny Zheng]

Happen to pass-by Canberra airport on the way back to Sydney and i saw the KC135. Had to ask my friend to take a photo of it while the car is still moving.

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2/zwgbenny/IMG_1888A800.jpg

[Gerard M]

Great catch there Benny!! Not a bad shot considering the car was still moving!

Gerard