Final KC-135E Tanker Retired

摘要

The Air Force sent the last of its Eisenhower-era KC-135E tanker aircraft into retirement on Sept. 23 when a Maine Air National Guard team flew aircraft No. 56-3630 from the 101st Air Refueling Wing at Bangor to the "Boneyard" at Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz. There, the 50-plus-year-old aircraft will serve as a parts supplier for the hundreds of slightly younger KC-135R/T models still serving in the fleet. While No. 3630 will not fly again, it could serve "another 15 to 20 years as we harvest parts off it," explained Col. Tom Schneider, 309th AMARG commander.