Why no reversers on the KC-135?

[MarineGrunt]

Any ideas? Is this a standard for USAF aircraft?

 

[jstars135]

From what I remember, the 135 is all about how much full you can carry. The reversers were extra weight. Their absence allows for more fuel.

 

[CAL to T-1A]

Remember back when the KC-135R mod was bought Strategic Air Command was only worried about the doomsday mission. Reversers would add about 1500 lb and that meant 1500 lb less fuel offload to the B-52 on its way to Russia. Therefore, no reversers.

The KC-135E has reversers. Those motors came off a bunch of used airliners (707s).

 

[SpeedBird]

Ahh...good ol SAC!

Think EWO

 

[TankerPuke]

I actually spoke to someone on the "board" when the AF switched form A's to R's and you are all correct - SAC wanted the extra weight even though it was relativly small. PEACE


PUKE

 

[LJDRVR]

Ah yes... the good old days of lit candles next to the picture of Curtis Lemay on your mantle as one nelt with hands clasped, quietly praying: "Peace is our Profession, Peace is our Profession....." (Just kidding) Good ol' SAC indeed.

Hey, any other Loringites on flightinfo?

(86-89)

 

[Tweetdrvr]

The world would be better off today if TAC had not made the hostile corporate takeover of SAC, and if Reagan had not bankrupted the Soviet Union. There was something to be said for the status quo of the world.

Rest in peace to SAC and the Soviet Union.

 

[TonyC]

"Peace is our Profession" Good ol' SAC indeed

Hey, any other Loringites on flightinfo?

(86-89)

War is just a Hobby!

Did you know Bill Zemanek?

I was driving Tweets out of Vance then, in the ACE Division, was privileged to conduct a few "Staff Assistance Visits" to Loring then. I was there a few days before the tanker blew up on final, and had eaten dinner with the AC.

As I recall - - and I wasn't in the middle of it - - the conversion from A models to R models gave such an incredible boost in thrust and weight capability that 1500 pounds wasn't a big deal. The big deal, at least as I heard it, was the maintenance costs on the reversers. The USAF didn't want the extra cost. Therefore, they paid extra to have the reversers designed "off" the CFM-56's.

"E" model tankers came around after the A's, and before the R's, and I believe many are still in service in the ANG. An excellent engine, in my opinion, a Pratt & Whitney turbofan with reversers. The RC-135's and some variants of the EC-135's had the same Pratt's - - some with reversers, and some without.

As I understand it, the AF is re-engining the RC-135's now with CFM-56's, or something like that - - but I don't know if they've got reversers or not. I know that for as long as I was flying RC's, "THEY" wanted to slap CFM-56's on, and "WE" didn't want 'em without reversers.

Whatever the motivation, I am fairly ceratain that the USAF paid EXTRA money to have the reversers removed from the CFM-56's that went on the R-model tankers. Amazing.

 

[TonyC]

Ahh...good ol SAC!

Think EWO

" SkyKing, SkyKing, Do not answer... "

 

[wms]

"Peace is our Profession, Peace is our Profession....." Good ol' SAC indeed. Hey, any other Loringites on flightinfo?

I was SAC-umcised at Offutt AFB by THE Benny Davis, 82-84.
Once you get Offutt, you can't get off it.