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TreborNehoc — aerial refueling retouched
Published: 2016-11-05 15:51:01 +0000 UTC; Views: 1078; Favourites: 40; Downloads: 29
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*** not my photo ***kb-50 tanker refueling an rf-101 voodoo, a b-66 destroyer and an f-100 super sabre.
can't find any info on this photo, although I'd guess early 1960s. interestingly, I found several different photos of the same 4 aircraft types, but with different squadron markings, so apparently the air force staged this shot at least a few times.
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Comments: 7
Well, here's some aviation detective work:
The Boeing KB-50 is 48-0099, which was built as a B-50D-95-BO at the Boeing plant in Seattle, Washington. It was later converted to a KB-50J-95BO.
The KB-50J conversion program was initiated in 1956, with aircraft converted by the Hayes Aircraft Corporation of Birmingham, Alabama. Training on the KB-50J variant first started in April of 1957, with the type entering operational service on January 16th 1958. Meanwhile, 48-0099 (marked O-80099 with 'O' standing for 'Obsolete aircraft type') was declared excess on June 26th 1964.
The most telling markings are those on the RF-101A, which appears to be 54-517, an RF-101A-30-MC. The RF-101A variant first entered service in May 1957, with all 35 aircraft delivered to their units by October of 1957. It carries the markings of a 363th Reconnaissance Wing, 18th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron aircraft, which was based at Shaw AFB, South Carolina. Most importantly, 54-517 was lost in an accident at Chateauroux, France on December 16th 1957.
So judging from this, it looks like this picture was staged in the latter half of 1957, not as much to show of the more modern types (the F-100C, RF-101A and RB-66B), but to demonstrate the versatility of the then-soon to be introduced tanker.
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pretty good research, I'd say 1957 it is then. thanks!
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Huh, they're using the Navy-style probe-and-drogue. Good images, both of them.
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