KC-135R Question (Pic)

[cancidas]

1. what is the portion of the fuselage aft of the wing but fwd of the refueler bubble. is that a fuselage patch that is just covered in newer paint? what is the marking painted on that "panel?"

2. why is there a red line painted on the right outboard cowling? it looks like a prop/fan line marking i've normally seen on a fuselage and cowlings. if it is, why is it at the aft end of the cowling?

by the way, this is probably my most favourite model and paint scheme ever on the KC-135! the black fuselage with CFM engines is simply beautiful!

[moose135]

1. what is the portion of the fuselage aft of the wing but fwd of the refueler bubble. is that a fuselage patch that is just covered in newer paint? what is the marking painted on that "panel?"

The two silver circles are the APU intake and exhaust. The A-frames had an APU back there, but it was an old, cranky unit, and after a few fires, it was disabled. I think they were still operational when I was flying, but I don't know that I ever had one running, it usually wasn't worth the risk, and we almost always had ground power available. Part of the R-model conversion added new APUs. That's a Grissom bird, and I flew it as an A-model. We had a number of -135s painted in that dark green topside, and I suspect they had to open up the fuselage to get the old APU out and the new one in, resulting in fresh paint over that section.

2. why is there a red line painted on the right outboard cowling? it looks like a prop/fan line marking i've normally seen on a fuselage and cowlings. if it is, why is it at the aft end of the cowling?

Not sure what that's about, but I suspect it's some sort of warning stripe. We used to have markings on the J57 cowlings indicating the turbine "danger" area, it may be something similar.

by the way, this is probably my most favourite model and paint scheme ever on the KC-135! the black fuselage with CFM engines is simply beautiful!

The dark green jets were much warmer inside, I preferred the standard grey, although this scheme does look neat. And as I remember, they didn't repaint the entire jet, they only painted the flat dark green over the standard semi-gloss light grey already on the airframe. If you saw one up close, it was obvious that the paint used was a different type.

[cancidas]

thanks moose. i though of another after seening these two pix:

http://www.jetphotos.net/viewphoto.php?id=6684525
http://www.jetphotos.net/viewphoto.php?id=6684515

above the door there are two "ribbons" painted on the fuselage. what do they represent? are they presidential unit citations or other decorations? i do like the nose art...

[moose135]

Yes, those are unit citations - the one on the left, with the red, white and blue stripes is the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award. I can't really see the other one well enough to tell what it is.

ETA: Those two tankers are out of the 171st Air Refueling Wing of the PA ANG, that might be some state issued unit citation.

[USAF Pilot 07]

I can't really see the other one well enough to tell what it is.

ETA: Those two tankers are out of the 171st Air Refueling Wing of the PA ANG, that might be some state issued unit citation.

It's the Southwest Asia Service Medal. Probably awarded during the Gulf War...

That's some pretty cool noseart!

[moose135]

Thanks for the info, Clark.

[Nick]

Every time you guys link to a.net I continue to browse photos for what seems like an hr. :evil:

[hiss srq]

Matt, the red line your referring to is the line which you better be standing behind if the engine is running. If memery is correct for a running CFM56 at ilde power the distance is 13 feet in front and behind the red line when on the side to avoid the suck zone. At higher power settings your position from the side is irrelevent as long as your not past that line. Ahead and behind, well....... that is a diffrent story.