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KC-135R Stratotanker in Flight
KC-135R Stratotanker in Flight 
KC-135R Stratotanker in Flight
KC-135R Stratotanker in Flight 
KC-135R Stratotanker Landing
KC-135R Stratotanker Landing 
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KC-135R Stratotanker Takeoff 
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KC-135 Stratotanker in Flight 
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KC-135R Stratotanker Crew Entryway 
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KC-135 Stratotanker in Flight 
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KC-135R Stratotanker Refuels F-16s 
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KC-135 Stratotanker 
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KC-135 Stratotanker in Flight 
KC-135 Stratotanker in Flight
KC-135 Stratotanker in Flight 
KC-135 Stratotanker in Flight
KC-135 Stratotanker in Flight 
KC-135 Stratotanker in Flight
KC-135 Stratotanker in Flight 
KC-135 Stratotanker in Flight
KC-135 Stratotanker in Flight 
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KC-135 Stratotanker in the Clouds 
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KC-135 Stratotanker in Flight 
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KC-135 Stratotanker in Flight 
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KC-135 Stratotankers in Flight 
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KC-135R Stratotanker in Flight

The KC-135 was born out of necessity and innovation. In the early 1950s, Strategic Air Command was beginning to operate the new jet-powered Boeing B-52 Stratofortress that with in-flight refueling was capable of striking targets anywhere in the world. At the time, however, the only tankers in the SAC inventory were piston-engined KC-97s. The difference in performance between the two planes forced the B-52 to fly near its aerodynamic stall speed during aerial refueling. This situation created an opportunity for Boeing to introduce a jet-powered aerial refueling tanker—and further refine the “flying boom” refueling technology it invented in the late 1940s. 
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Unique identifier BI230115 
Boeing ID 597-62 
Type Image 
Size 2925px × 2368px   19MB 
License type RM 
Keywords
1950s
air to air
airplanes
clouds
copy space
cutouts
day
exteriors
flying
full body views
gray
left side views
military
military livery
nobody
photos
scanned from film negative
sunshine
text
white
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