Boeing C-135 Stratolifter
Boeing · United States · first flew 1961 · transport aircraft
The Boeing C-135 Stratolifter was a military transport aircraft developed from the KC-135 Stratotanker. It became the basis for many other roles.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, swept |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 4 × turbofan, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Slim 707-style fuselage with a low swept wing |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Slim 707-style fuselage with a low swept wing
- Four Pratt & Whitney TF33 turbofans under the wing
- No refuelling boom: a plain tail cone
It resembles a KC-135 or Boeing 707 with four turbofan engines under a swept wing. It lacks the tanker boom of the KC-135.
Specifications
- The Boeing C-135 Stratolifter has a length of 41.53 m (136 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 39.88 m (131 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 933 km/h (580 mph).
- Typical crew: 3.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
The C-135 first flew on 23 June 1961 and entered service that August. It was produced from 1960 to 1963, and 45 were built.
Variants
Related variants include the EC-135, NC-135, RC-135 and WC-135. The figures here are for the C-135B with four TF33 turbofans.
Where you'll see it
It was used by the United States Air Force and remains in limited service. A typical crew was three: pilot, copilot and loadmaster.
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- Breguet 941
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