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Aircraft number 61-2664 was built in 1961 at Boeing's sprawling Seattle works in Washington state. A variant of the commerical 707 airliner, the aircraft was first fitted out to perform the tasks of weather reconnaissance for Military Airlift Command. She performed these tasks for almost a decade. In 1972, WC-135 number 61-2664 was refitted to serve as a strategic reconnaissance platform. Dozens of other C-135s had been converted to comically long-nosed RC-135s over the decades, but 61-2664 was to join a specially small fraternity: Cobra Ball. Two RC-135 S-models were produced, both stationed at Eielson AFB, Alaska. Their highly...

WASHINGTON, March 7 — The North Korean fighter jets that intercepted an unarmed American spy plane over the Sea of Japan last weekend were trying to force the aircraft to land in North Korea and take its crew hostage, a senior defense official said today. One of the four North Korean MIG's came within 50 feet of the American plane, an Air Force RC-135S Cobra Ball aircraft, and the pilot made internationally recognized hand signals to the American flight crew to follow him, presumably back to his home base, the official said. The American crew members ignored the gesture commands,...

Aircraft 61-2664 was built in 1961 at Boeing's sprawling Seattle works in Washington state. A variant of the commerical 707 airliner, the aircraft was first fitted out to perform the tasks of weather reconnaissance for Military Airlift Command. She performed these tasks for almost a decade. In 1972, 61-2664 was refitted to serve as a strategic reconnaissance platform. Dozens of other C-135s had been converted to the comically long-nosed RC-135 over the decades, but 61-2664 was to join an especially elite fraternity - Cobra Ball. RC-135 S-models at the time were stationed at Eielson AFB, Alaska. Their mission: await...