C-135 Variants - Part One

by Jennings Heilig

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Here are two colour profiles of C-135 variants prepared in Illustrator.

The title artwork is C-135C, 61-2668, Det. 1, 89th Military Airlift Wing, Hickam AFB, Hawaii, circa 1986. This was (still is I think) the CINCPACAF support aircraft, and is probably one of the prettiest C-135s ever.

The image below is RC-135S Rivet Ball, 59-1491, Det. 1, 6th Strategic Wing, Shemya AFS, Alaska, circa 1968. This was the original RC-135 TELINT collection platform. She hydroplaned off the runway at Shemya (and into the pumpkin patch at the bottom of the bluff - earning her the ignominious nickname "the iron pumpkin") in January of 1969. A very unique one-off airplane with a very serious Cold War mission. The "Ball" got the first hard evidence of a successful Soviet MIRV warhead test in 1968.
 

Review and Images Copyright © 2002 by Jennings Heilig
Page Created 01 September, 2002
Last updated 08 September, 2002

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