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Post by Erik Ingram - HJG on Aug 15, 2020 21:52:15 GMT
Here's another chapter in the life of 63-8061; in 1979, the four RC-135As were converted to tankers to supplement the existing fleet. Aside from having an electrically-powered backup flap mechanism (manually-operated on all other tankers) and an additional air conditioning pack, they were identical to the KC-135A. The differences resulted in them being designated KC-135Ds, which they kept after being re-engined with TF33 engines in 1990. 63-8061 is seen here as operated by the 42nd Bombardment Wing at Loring AFB, Maine, circa 1983.
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Post by aerofoto - HJG Admin on Aug 16, 2020 4:34:11 GMT
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Post by Erik Ingram - HJG on Aug 20, 2020 22:20:00 GMT
Here's another new WC-135; 61-2665 was upgraded in the early 1990s to become the first WC-135W in the fleet. Curiously it didn't have the air samplers on the side of the fuselage for part of this time, and it had what appeared to be hand-painted serial numbers on the tail. It didn't last long in this configuration, as it was retired in September 1996, and supplanted by 61-2667 and a former EC-135C.
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Post by hornit - HJG on Aug 21, 2020 2:16:51 GMT
Man..You are ON FIRE with these repaints!!!! Superb Job with these! Looking forward to flying these super polished 135's.
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Post by darrenvox on Aug 21, 2020 18:32:31 GMT
looks nice with that beliga nose
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Post by aerofoto - HJG Admin on Aug 24, 2020 1:11:49 GMT
Still "TRYING" to catch up with Erik with these official portraits of his RC-135 of the 1970's USAF 55th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing RC-135U 64-1487 (1976).... along with the following 3 WC-135's of the 1960's and 90's .... USAF 9th Weather Reconnaissance Wing WC-135B 61-2674 (1966)USAF 9th Weather Reconnaissance Squadron WC-135B 61-26673 (1992)USAF 55th Wing WC-135W 61-2665 (1995)Still a few more to come Mark C AKL/NZ
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Post by aerofoto - HJG Admin on Aug 24, 2020 3:45:30 GMT
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Post by Erik Ingram - HJG on Aug 28, 2020 18:24:01 GMT
Thanks Jim! It's been a lot of fun painting them, and there are still a few more I'm planning on For a not-so-shiny example, this is KC-135D 63-8059 as it looked in 1993 with the Alaska ANG's 168th Air Refueling Wing, having been re-engined with TF33s three years earlier. Around 1995, the four KC-135Ds were consolidated with the Kansas ANG, and remained in service with them until 2007.
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Post by Erik Ingram - HJG on Aug 28, 2020 22:26:46 GMT
Here too is another one that one of our members has been looking forward to for a while N805EA was leased by Kiwi Travel International Airlines (though still operated by AvAtlantic) as they sought to break into the low-fare market between Australia and New Zealand. It returned to the US in early 1996 and went on to fly with Delta until it was retired in April 2003.
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Post by aerofoto - HJG Admin on Aug 28, 2020 23:45:01 GMT
OOH .... I know a certain person resident on the "West Island" of "Continental New Zealand" whom is going to enjoy that one Mark C AKL/NZ
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Post by Nathan Ford - HJG on Aug 29, 2020 8:44:41 GMT
Wow Erik, that’s absolutely beautiful. Thank you so much for giving us such an a rare bird.
Looking forward to taking her for a trans Tasman spin when she’s uploaded.
Thanks again, doing the happy dance, Nathan 🥳🎉🥂🥳
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Post by aerofoto - HJG Admin on Aug 29, 2020 8:54:44 GMT
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Post by Erik Ingram - HJG on Aug 31, 2020 2:10:55 GMT
Hey, you're very welcome! Next up here is a set of Pan Am 727-200s, covering a few variations we didn't previously have on offer: N4731, 1981. This was one of the aircraft inherited from National when they merged in 1980. N4738, 1985. This was an experimental version combining the then-new billboard titles with the cheatline. A similar variant also appeared on a 747, but neither one was adopted for the fleet. N554PE, 1987. Pan Am began operating an east coast shuttle in September 1986 with assets acquired from Texas Air, who had been forced to divest New York Air's shuttle operation after acquiring Eastern that year. Among the assets were some former PEOPLExpress 727s, which received this all-white billboard version of the PA livery. In 1991, most of Pan Am's assets were taken over by Delta, and this aircraft then flew for Delta Shuttle until 1995.
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Post by aerofoto - HJG Admin on Aug 31, 2020 2:54:17 GMT
A very nice Clipper Ship collection Erik .... from the NATIONAL inherited N4731 in what was the then definitive PA livery of that period but with the enlarged globe/tail logo .... to N4738 in one of PA's experimental liveries when they introduced the bill board titles (I recall seeing 3 variations of bill board titles on the their B741's at AKL during this period .... another experimental livery with a full length and unbroken lower fuselage stripe and what became the final/definitive version also) .... to the white hulled N445PE. Again .... some nice PA Clipper Ship history there .... and one of the great American classic airlines too if ever there was one "IF" anyone's seen the movie "RUNNING SCARED" then they'll possibly recall having seen N4738 in this experimental PA scheme represented by Erik .... since this particular aircraft "coincidentally" appeared in the background of one of the airport scenes in this movie. Mark C AKL/NA
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Post by Erik Ingram - HJG on Sept 1, 2020 20:08:04 GMT
I came across a few variants of Pan Am's -100 series 727s to add to our collection as well! In 1975, N318PA received blue titles in the updated style used throughout the '80s. It didn't last long as it was sold to Alaska in September of that year, but here it is as it looked in service with Pan Am's intra-European operation as "Jet Clipper Flotte Motte." Then we have N4611, a former National aircraft that got the almost all-white variation when it entered service in 1980.
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