2007 Atlantic City Airshow - Morning Military Flyovers

Morning Military Flyovers:
F-16 Fighting Falcons
KC-135E Stratotanker
C-17 Globemaster III
Refueling Pass

2007 Thunder Over the Boardwalk Airshow
Atlantic City, NJ (Boardwalk)
Wednesday August 15, 2007

IN THIS VIDEO, watch as four F-16 Fighing Falcons form up for a flyby down the Atlantic City shoreline, followed by a single KC-135E Stratotanker, a single C-17 Globemaster III, and two F-16s joining up with the KC-135 for a composite flyby. Both the KC-135 and the F-16 represent the two units of the New Jersey Air National Guard - the KC-135E being based at McGuire AFB (108th Air Refueling Wing) and the F-16s based at Atlantic City (177th Fighter Wing). The C-17 is also from McGuire AFB, but with the 305th Air Mobility Wing.

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Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• F-16
• F16
• F-16C
• F16C
• Fighting
• Falcon
• KC-135
• KC-135E
• KC135
• KC135E
• KC135R
• KC-135R
• Stratotanker
• Refuel
• Refueling
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• C17
• Globemaster
• III
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• Over
• Boardwalk
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• City
• 2007

[zildjiandrummr12]

I thought the KC-135 was reengined? That one didn't sound reengined.

Nice video!

[airshowfansh]

Well, the one in the video is also re-engined! The KC-135A was originally powered by Pratt & Whitney J57 turbojets, each delivering, oh, around 11,000 pounds of thrust each. You can tell an A-model by its dark black exhaust, which is the result of water being mixed in with the engine exhaust, making for a VERY LOUD takeoff. In the 1980s, two re-engining projects were underway for the Stratotanker fleet...

(part 1 of 3)

[airshowfansh]

The large majority of the 135s were re-engined with CFM56 high-bypass turbofan engines and renamed KC-135R, and those aircraft were mainly for active duty units, and as time grew by, more and more Reserve and Air National guard units traded in their KC-135A or KC-135E aircraft for the KC-135R.

A smaller number of aircraft were re-engined with surplus Pratt & Whitney JT3D turbofans, which is the same engine found on the B-52H, C-141, E-3, and E-8...

(part 2 of 3)

[airshowfansh]

The smaller fleet that was re-engined with JT3D/TF-33 engines were predesignated KC-135E, which is the version of the Stratotanker you see in this video. The 108th Air Refueling Wing, NJ ANG, began the transition from KC-135E to KC-135R in 2008, and if you look at the McGuire AFB and Atlantic City Airshow videos from 2008, the KC-135s you see in those videos are of the new R-models. I'm a fan of the sound of the Es and I will definitely miss them.

[airshowfansh]

Also, keep in mind that the re-engined KC-135s don't have a massive upgrade in the amount of thrust as you may think... even I was surprised at the CFM56's numbers...

KC-135E: four TF-33s, each delivering ~ 18,000 pounds of thrust

KC-135R: four CFM56s, each delivering ~ 23,000 pounds of thrust

Meanwhile, the 737 Classics and Next Generations use variants of the CFM56, delivering anywhere between 18,000-27,000 pounds of thrust.

Hope you guys enjoyed that lesson! LOL

[airshowfansh]

Oh, and before anyone asks... it is not cost-effective to re-engine the KC-135E fleet with CFM56s and turn them into KC-135Rs. The costs of doing so are too high and the E airframes (and most KC-135s) are basically towards the end of their life cycle. I think the "youngest" of the 135s will retire no later than 2020.

[zildjiandrummr12]

Ok! Thanks for the lesson. I was definitely thinking of the R model! Oregon ANG used to operate them, and I remember how quiet they were. I was going to say... :)