KC-135 Stratotanker

Boeing · United States · first flew 1956 · transport aircraft

The KC-135 Stratotanker is a four-engine aerial refuelling and transport aircraft that has been the backbone of US Air Force tanking for over six decades.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	Low-mounted, swept
E — Engines	4 × turbofan, wing-mounted
F — Fuselage	Slim 707-style fuselage with 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 low swept wing
Four wing-mounted turbofans on the re-engined R model
Flying refuelling boom under the upswept tail

Look for the narrow 707-family fuselage on a low swept wing, four podded engines and a conventional swept tail. The telltale feature is the rigid refuelling boom slung beneath the upswept rear fuselage.

Specifications

The KC-135 Stratotanker has a length of 41.5 m (136 ft).
It has a wingspan of 39.9 m (131 ft).
Its maximum speed is 933 km/h (580 mph).
Typical crew: 3 (two pilots, boom operator).

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

Developed from the Boeing 367-80 prototype alongside the 707 airliner, the KC-135A first flew on 31 August 1956 and entered service in 1957. Most surviving aircraft were re-engined with CFM56 turbofans as the KC-135R.

Variants

Beyond the baseline KC-135A and re-engined KC-135R/T, numerous special-mission conversions exist, including RC-135 reconnaissance and other electronic platforms derived from the same airframe.

Where you'll see it

The KC-135 is a US Air Force type and is not flown by the RAF, but examples operate regularly from RAF Mildenhall with US forces and refuel allied aircraft over Europe. They are a familiar sight over the UK and at British airshows.

Related aircraft

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