Boeing C-135 Stratolifter

The Boeing C-135 Stratolifter is a transport aircraft derived from the prototype Boeing 367-80 jet airliner (also the basis for the 707) in the early 1950s. It has a narrower fuselage and is shorter than the 707. Boeing gave the aircraft the internal designation of Model 717. Since the first one was built in August 1956, the C-135 has been a visible fixture of the United States Air Force.

Development

A large majority of the 820 units were developed as KC-135A Stratotankers for mid-air refueling. However, they have also performed numerous transport and special-duty functions. Forty-five base-model aircraft were built as C-135A or C-135B transports with the tanking equipment excluded.

C-135A/E/R

Fifteen C-135As, powered by J57 turbojets, were built. In later years, almost all were upgraded with TF33 turbofan engines and wide-span tail planes, and were re-designated C-135E. Later on most of the C-135Es were re-engined again, using the more powerful turbofan engine, the CFM-56-2A (F-108).

C-135B

File:Boeing C-135B 62-4126 VIP.JPEG

C-135B Stratolifter for VIP-transport parked on the flight line at Andrews AFB

Thirty C-135Bs were built with the TF33 turbofans and wide-span tail planes from the start, and a small number remain in service in their original form. A number of these were modified for a weather reconnaissance (flying through radioactive clouds from nuclear tests or other agents) role and designated WC-135B Constant Phoenix.

C-135C

The C-135C designation applies to three WC-135B weather reconnaissance aircraft, which reverted to transport status. Most of the other C-135Bs were converted to various special mission variants following their service with the Military Airlift Command.

Although most of the remaining C-135 aircraft are used for transporting senior military leaders and other high-ranking dignitaries, the C-135C communications aircraft serves as an aerial test-bed for emerging technologies. Developmental tests using this aircraft have demonstrated the capability to fly precision approaches using a local area differential GPS system. This modified C-135 has been fitted with a millimeter wave camera and a radome to test the camera’s generation of video images of the forward scene in low-visibility conditions. The aircraft, which in the VIP/Distinguished Visitor (DV) transport role seats 14 passengers, also gives a Joint Forces Air Component Commander (JFACC) a limited ability to plan and control the simulated battle while in the air enroute to the crisis area.

Speckled Trout

File:Edw-2006-trout99-061028-01-8.jpg

The C-135C Speckled Trout at Edwards Air Force Base

Speckled Trout is the official name of a combined SAF/CSAF support mission and concurrent test mission. It was also the official nickname given to a modified C-135C, AF Ser. No. 61-2669, that was used by the Secretary and the Chief of Staff of the Air Force for executive transport requirements. Fully equipped with an array of communications equipment, data links and cryptographic sets, the aircraft served a secondary role as a testbed for proposed command and control systems and was also used to evaluate future transport aircraft design. The 412th Flight Test Squadron (412 FLTS) of the Air Force Material Command (AFMC) at Edwards AFB, California operated the C-135 Speckled Trout airframe and managed its test mission.

The name Speckled Trout applies to both the organization and the aircraft. The name was chosen in honor of an early program monitor, Faye Trout, who assisted in numerous phases of the project. The word "speckled" was added because Trout apparently had "a lot of freckles."

Speckled Trout acquired the C-135C, AF Ser. No. 61-2669, in 1974 and retired the aircraft on 13 Jan 2006. An interim aircraft was in use for the Speckled Trout mission until the 2008 delivery of the current aircraft, a modified KC-135R Stratotanker with a more modern communications architecture testbed. The current KC-135R Speckled Trout also supports additional tests and air refueling requirements that the C-135C could not.

C-135F

The C-135F were new-build aircraft used by France as dual-role tanker/cargo and troop carrier aircraft.

Variants

C-135A

Cargo/passenger variant of the KC-135A with seat for 126 passengers and powered by four J-57-P-59W engines, 18 built.

C-135B

The same as C-135A but fitted with four TF-33-P-56 turbofan engines, 30 built. The five VC-135B special VIP fitted aircraft were re-designated C-135B during the Carter administration.

C-135C

Three C-135B aircraft that had been modified to WC-135B standard were later de-modified but retained an air-to-air refuelling capacity so were designated C-135C.

C-135E

Three C-135A aircraft modified with four TF-33-PW-102 engines and then used as EC-135Ns were later re-designated C-135E for use in the combat support role.

C-135F

Tanker variant for France similar to the KC-135B but did not use the K prefix, 12 built.

C-135K

One former EC-135K modified for VIP use for CINCPAC.

C-135FR

Eleven French C-135F tanker aircraft modified with four CFM56 engines.

C-135R

Specifications (C-135)

General characteristics

• Crew: 3: pilot, copilot, boom operator (4 for non-PACER CRAG aircraft)
• Length: 136 ft 3 in (41.53 m)
• Wingspan: 130 ft 10 in (39.88 m)
• Height: 41 ft 8 in (12.70 m)
• Wing area: 2,433 ft² (226 m²)
• Empty weight: 98,466 lb (44,663 kg)
• Loaded weight: 297,000 lb (135,000 kg)
• Max takeoff weight: 322,500 lb (146,000 kg)
• Powerplant: 4× (R/T) CFM International CFM-56 high-bypass turbofan engines, 21,634 lbf (96 kN) each (re-engined variants)
• Powerplant: 4× (E) Pratt & Whitney TF-33-PW-102 low-bypass turbofan engines , 18,000 lbf (80 kN) each

Performance

• Maximum speed: 580 mph (933 km/h)
• Range: 3,450 mi (5,550 km)
• Service ceiling: 50,000 ft (15,200 m)
• Rate of climb: 4,900 ft/min (1,490 m/min)

See also

Portal:United States Air Force

United States Air Force Portal

Related development

• Boeing 367-80
• KC-135 Stratotanker
• Boeing EC-135
• Boeing NC-135
• Boeing RC-135
• OC-135B Open Skies
• WC-135 Constant Phoenix
• C-137 Stratoliner
• Boeing 707

Comparable aircraft

• Douglas DC-8

References

• Pither, Tony (1998). The Boeing 707 720 and C-135. England: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. ISBN 0 85130 236 X. 

External links

• C-135 page at globalsecurity.org

Boeing C-135 and 707 Military Transport Aircraft

C-135 Family: C-135 · EC-135 · KC-135 · OC-135 · RC-135 · WC-135

707/C-137 Family: E-3 · E-6 · E-8 · EC-18 · C-137 · CC-137 · KC-137 · VC-137

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Boeing C-135 Stratolifter".