Military

Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker

Manufacturer: Boeing

The Boeing KC‑135 Stratotanker is a U.S. military jet‑powered aerial refueling aircraft derived from the 367‑80 prototype and the Boeing 707. It replaced the piston‑engine KC‑97 and entered service in 1957. The KC‑135 has refueled bombers and fighters in conflicts such as Vietnam, Desert Storm, and the Iran war. It remains in service over 60 years and is gradually being replaced by the KC‑46 Pegasus.

Aircraft Facts

Type Key
boeing-kc-135-stratotanker
Class
Military
Registry Count
4
Example Registration
N569MA

Specifications

Wingspan
39.88 m / 130 ft
Length
41.53 m / 136 ft
Height
12.7 m / 41 ft
Cruise Speed
850 km/h / 530 mph
Range
2400 km / 1300 nmi
Ceiling
15000 m / 50000 ft
First Flight
1956-08-31
Production Start
1955
Production End
1965
Total Built
803

Variants

  • KC-135R- 4 registrations - Example N569MA

Machine-Readable Resources

Sources