![]() Įarly trials and demonstrations by Flight Refuelling Ltd using a piston engined biplane. Three Harrows were operated by Flight Refuelling Limited, and refuelled Short Empire flying boats on transatlantic services, two from Gander, Newfoundland and one based in Foynes, Ireland. Attack variants of the A-6 also capable of buddy-buddy tanking. ĭedicated tanker variant of the Intruder. The C-1 was a single-engine transport, 6,445-pound biplane, transformed into tankers by installing two 150-gallon tanks for off-loading, and a refuelling hose that passed through a hatch cut in the floor. Primary US Navy tanker from the Vietnam War until retirement prior to Desert Storm. ĭedicated tanker variant of the Skywarrior. Used for flight tests with a B–17E receiver. Taking over tanking duties after the S-3 was retired from service. USAF designation for Boeing's updated winning KC-767 entry.Įquipped for buddy-buddy refuelling as 'Strike tankers'. With cockpit updates, was (eventually) the winning entry in the USAF KC-X competition. Multi Mission Tanker Transport (MMTT) conversion by IAI for the Fuerza Aérea Colombiana (FAC), a 767-200ER fitted with two ARP3 refuelling pods under the wings, and cargo door. Four sold to the Iranian Air Force, one operational remaining. KC-33A is a modified Boeing 747 which lost in the USAF bidding competition to the KC-10 Extender. Omega Aerial Refueling Services operates two in the United States. Two for RCAF as CC-137 Husky, Spain and Italy have retired their 707 tanker aircraft. Israel allegedly converted ex-airliners with booms from withdrawn KC-97's. New built and conversions of airliners with multi-point refuelling system pods. Singapores KC-135's have been by A330MRTT's and were sold to Meta Aerospace in the USA.Ĭanada / Israel / Spain / Italy / United States AdlA C-135FR/KC-135R Stratotankers use the probe and drogue system and are in the process of being replaced by Airbus A330MRTT 'Phenix'. United States / Turkey / France / Chile / Singaporeīoom can be fitted pre-flight with a drogue adapter. Īn improved model of the B-29 Superfortress.īased on the B-50, itself another B-29 Superfortress descendant. One KB-29M, redesignated YKB-29T (nicknamed 'Triple Nipple'), was modified to have another two refuelling hoses on its wingtip. Earlier KB-29M versions used a 'grappling hose' system, later models used a true probe and drogue. The world's first aerial refuelling units were created the 43d Air Refueling Squadron at Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona, and the 509th at Walker AFB, Roswell, New Mexico. Ĭonversions as interim until VC.10 tankers ready. Purchased and converted by Flight Refuelling Limited (FRL), two Lancastrian tankers were based at Shannon, Ireland the other two in North America, at Goose Bay, Labrador, and Gander, Newfoundland. Purchased and converted by Flight Refuelling Limited (FRL). US Army Air Service trials at Rockwell Field, San Diego, California. Versions operated by the Australian (designated KC-30), Emirati, Saudi air forces and the Multinational Multi-Role Tanker Transport Fleet are equipped with both a flying boom and hose and drogue refuelling units. 14 aircraft have been delivered: seven KC2, five KC3 and two fitted out as KC3.Īustralia / Saudi Arabia / Spain / United Arab Emirates / Multinational Multi-Role Tanker Transport Fleet In Royal Air Force (RAF) service, it is exclusively hose-and-drogue, and is known as Voyager KC2 (two under-wing hose and drogue) and Voyager KC3 (two under-wing hose and drogue plus under-fuselage centreline high capacity hose and drogue), with no self-refuelling capability. Two for Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), known in service as CC-150T Polaris List of aircraft military tanker aircraft used to refuel other aircraft in flight These images illustrate various aerial refuelling methods. Buddy refueling An aircraft type is fitted with both supply and receiving hardware, so that one aircraft can refuel another of the same type. Wing-to-wing A hybrid method in which the tanker trails a flexible hose from a wing and the receiving aircraft catches it in a hooked receptacle under one of its own wings. An operator "flies" it to match up with a receptacle on the receiving aircraft, which then moves forwards to make the connection. Flying boom The tanker extends a hinged telescopic boom with aerodynamic control surfaces on its end. Probe-and-drogue The tanker trails a flexible hose with a stabilising drogue on the end and the receiving aircraft manoeuvers to insert a short probe into the receptacle in the drogue. The tanker then connected the first steel line to the refueling hose and paid it out as the receiving aircraft reeled it back in. The receiving aircraft flew just below the tanker and deployed a steel line, which the tanker caught with its own grappling line and drew in. Main article: Aerial refueling Looped hose The first commercial method employed a hose which was held slack in a trailing half-loop behind both aircraft.
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