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Post by Erik Ingram - HJG on Jun 15, 2020 1:53:20 GMT
Thanks everybody! Yes, as Mark says, the sentiments are always appreciated Erik, When Secretary McNamera ordered the 135s they came with “United States Air Force” titles and wore them for about four years or so Those should definitely be easy changes to implement- it's on the to-do list! Any plan on doing the C-135C Speckled Trout (61-2669) or did I miss it and you already have it done? I'll double-check, but I believe 2669 is already available. I do have some other special-mission aircraft planned, however, so stay tuned for those. Thanks again!
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Post by Klaus Hullermann on Jun 15, 2020 5:55:02 GMT
61-2669 is already painted and she can be found under the 'C-135AJT3D'-part of the C-135A-downloads here at the HJG-webpage.
Klaus
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Post by aerofoto - HJG Admin on Jun 15, 2020 6:59:43 GMT
As Erik earlier today confirmed .... 61-2669 has already been done (by Gary CARLSON), but, he/Erik does have other "special mission" type airframes earmarked for production instead Erik's choice and judgement in regard to these (and all of his other) subjects, to date, has been "excellent" .... so .... patience and anticipation will likely be as rewarding as it is surprising (when these are presented) and enjoyable too (once released) .... I'm sure Mark C AKL/NZ
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Post by Erik Ingram - HJG on Jun 15, 2020 20:15:10 GMT
Alright, here's another for our forthcoming new RC-135 base pack; strictly speaking, this one was designated as a KC-135R (not to be confused with the current tanker model), and was among the first reconnaissance platforms to be based on the C-135. Three aircraft were modified under the project name Rivet Stand, with a fourth added under the updated project Rivet Quick after one of the originals crashed in 1967. This is 59-1514 as it looked around 1971, and it continued as a reconnaissance platform until 1973. In 1982, it served as the first aircraft to be converted to a KC-135E, and continued in that role as a combat support aircraft and crew trainer until it was retired in 1997.
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Post by christrott on Jun 15, 2020 22:56:30 GMT
Thanks everybody! Yes, as Mark says, the sentiments are always appreciated Erik, When Secretary McNamera ordered the 135s they came with “United States Air Force” titles and wore them for about four years or so Those should definitely be easy changes to implement- it's on the to-do list! Any plan on doing the C-135C Speckled Trout (61-2669) or did I miss it and you already have it done? I'll double-check, but I believe 2669 is already available. I do have some other special-mission aircraft planned, however, so stay tuned for those. Thanks again! Thanks for that, I looked right past it, probably because i expected to see it called out as a C-135C (as the OC-135B directly under is).
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Post by Erik Ingram - HJG on Jun 16, 2020 17:11:50 GMT
Thanks to Casey for bringing this one to my attention Here's 62-4129 circa 1970, with its original "United States Air Force" fuselage titles.
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Post by mrfsu00 on Jun 16, 2020 22:46:19 GMT
Absolutely beautiful and stunning work, Erik. Thank you so very much for sharing your talent with us. You, Sir, are an artist and a gentlemen.
Thanks Again,
Casey
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Post by Erik Ingram - HJG on Jun 18, 2020 21:30:16 GMT
Here's another Shamu scheme KC-135, which provides one for each of the engine types on offer. 63-8038 belonged to the 41st Air Refueling Squadron at Griffiss Air Force Base, New York circa 1992. The squadron was originally part of the 416th Bombardment Wing at Griffiss supporting its B-52s, but when SAC became ACC in 1992, it was transferred to the 380th Air Refueling Wing at nearby Plattsburgh AFB (though operations remained at Griffiss). Ultimately both bases were closed in September 1995, and these days 8038 remains active with the Hawaii ANG.
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Post by aerofoto - HJG Admin on Jun 18, 2020 22:31:27 GMT
Thanks to Erik's recent motivations/initiatives with our military flight line/"ladies in uniform" .... I'm, even after all these years, starting to understand these aircraft better. Where I might have previously dismissed a scheme for one in favour of something we already have .... I'm now starting to appreciate the significance of some these other individual schemes. I've always known a lot of shi-yet about a lot of shi-yet (although I've never implied I know all the shi-yet about all shiyet ) .... but .... Erik's now teaching me things Just goes to show .... even old dogs can still learn new tricks You're truly "an asset" around here Erik Mark C AKL/NZ
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Post by darrenvox on Jun 21, 2020 3:37:25 GMT
wow guys there is some amsaing stuf
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Post by Erik Ingram - HJG on Jun 22, 2020 17:36:22 GMT
Thank you! Here's one of the more unusual KC-135s to ever exist; from 1967 to 1972, 61-0316 served as the transport and airborne command post for the commander of the newly-established United States Strike Command, which integrated some operations of the Air Force's Tactical Air Command along with those of the Strategic Army Corps. As such, it wore this snazzy livery (the green referred in part to the Army components of STRICOM) while operating out of MacDill AFB, Florida. In 1972 the aircraft was converted back to basically a standard KC-135A, albeit with some additional communications equipment, and later served as the 8th Air Force commander's aircraft at Barksdale AFB, Louisiana. In 1985, it was destroyed by a fire while refueling on the ground at Cairo International Airport.
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Post by Tony Madge - HJG on Jun 22, 2020 18:12:24 GMT
You have done a great job on all these Erik
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Post by Erik Ingram - HJG on Jun 23, 2020 17:24:30 GMT
Thanks Tony! While not quite as striking as its predecessor, 63-7980 replaced 61-2669 in the Speckled Trout role, serving as both the designated transport for the Air Force Chief of Staff and as one of the primary test aircraft with AFMC. Originally it was simply painted in the standard AMC gray scheme with the appropriate tail markings, but after program depot maintenance in 2013, it emerged in its current paint job. Most recently, it's been performing test work with the KC-46 program.
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Post by aerofoto - HJG Admin on Jun 23, 2020 19:55:18 GMT
Certainly turning out some odd-balls/nice finds Erik Mark C AKL/NZ
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Post by Erik Ingram - HJG on Jun 25, 2020 6:49:18 GMT
There's a small family of related -135s on the way; here's the first! Strategic Air Command had been using EC-135As to perform the "Looking Glass" airborne alert mission since 1961, wherein planes "mirrored" the capabilities of SAC headquarters in the event nuclear war broke out and the ground facility was destroyed and could direct the response. As they were converted KC-135s with equipment shoehorned in, their capability was somewhat limited, but they were a useful stop-gap while a dedicated, improved version was developed. In total, 17 of these newer platforms were built, the first few as KC-135Bs, which were redesignated as EC-135Cs on January 1, 1965. Initially they were spread out across the country, but later generally consolidated at Offutt AFB, Nebraska and Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota (where they also performed the Airborne Launch Control Center mission for ICBM silos across the midwestern US). This is KC-135B 62-3581 as it looked more-or-less brand new from the factory with the 22d Bombardment Wing at March AFB, California circa August 1964.
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