Refuelers await over Afghanistan

Air Force Links ^ | Mar 23, 2006 | Staff Sgt. Lara Gale

[SandRat]

Fill her UP!!! High Test Please.

[RightOnline]

When I flew the -135......refueling the A-10 was SUCH a pain in the ass.

My old tanker, damned near as old as I am, would have to drop 20 degrees of flaps just so that flying gun platform could keep up........(won't discuss refueling altitudes here)

I love the A-10, don't get me wrong.....but it could sure use some speed.

Maybe later I'll post my favorite A-10 jokes. :)

[saganite]

Hey, another tanker pilot here! I flew those ancient planes when they still had water injection. Guess I'm dating myself a little. There's some great tanker stories from Nam (I wasn't there, just heard the stories), even a few saves.

[TankerKC]

Tankers let you stay in longer!

[SandRat]

My favorite is that at one time the Navy thought about making the A-10 carrier based until they figured out that the arresting hook would have to be mounted reversed in the nose of plane and they'd have to sail the carrier under the A-10 to land it.

[Al Gator]

LOL,

In 1973, a Navy A-3 had 3, count em, one, two, three, navigators on board. It was a routine flight from Guam to the PI. (to all skeptics, I have the original Gampa Pettibone critique of this flight, don't f with me)

After 6 and one half hours in the sky, (max fuel limit for an A-3) Papa Romeo 06 flamed out. All 6 crew bailed, ( yours truly was the PR of record) and all six lived.

On station at the time was a KC135, full bag. Fittings were wrong!!

I hope things have changed! LOL

[pabianice]

We got the Boeing 707 only because the Air Force bought the KC-135. If they had not, there would be no line of 7XX airplanes. Strange to think.

[SandRat]

Tankers! The original Viaga for the Air Force

[pctech]

I am at Grissom ARB, a tanker base. I just happen to be in one of the nose docks the other day where they are remodeling the insides of a KC-135-R Stratotanker. This one dates back 1957 they told me!

When I was overseas I hopped on them quite frequently. With the newer engines they are very powerful. I stand by them any day of the week and twice on Sundays.

[pctech]

The Air Force also uses the DC-10 designated the KC-10 Tanker. Massive plane, one huge flying gas tank. Nice plane to ride on too.

[RightOnline]

Oh, I flew the ol' "water wagons", too, my friend. :)

[Don Carlos]

Handn't thought of it that way, but hey, if it keeps em up ...

[TankerKC]

The Steam Jets made a racket. Nothing better that a bunch of cart starts on the alert pad and MITO takeoffs!

[saganite]

Been there, done that. Sure made alot of noise and smoke didn't it! There was no sleeping in the alert facility after the first takeoff of the day be it BUF or tanker.

[Al Gator]

Zoomies, you guys fly 9 - 5.

Navy and Marines, now that's some seat of the pants flying.

Now that I've stirred up the hornets nest, I'm out on the town.

Night all.

[saganite]

Yeah yeah, whatever. I've benn hearing the same guff for many many years. Truth is, we're all on the same team.

[Al Gator]

lol,

You got that right. Once you're up over 500 feet, its all the same drop.

Lookie here, I know some zoomies make a whole lot of jar heads look really bad.

Night all!

[phantomworker]

Here's an A-10 Warthog joke:

http://home.comcast.net/~unixgeezer/bducomp.WMV

[GW and Twins Pawpaw]

Do the re-engined aircraft have thrust reversers?