Post by Deleted on May 2, 2010 0:36:56 GMT -5
One of the most daring acts of the prop era would have been the USAF and it's refueling program during the late 1950's. Even today the marriage of a tanker plane and a jet fighter is one of the hardest acts a pilot can do, but during the era of the prop tankers like the KC-97 it was beyond great skill.....it was an art.
A USAF KC-97E heading north over the Nevada desert making 200 knots IAS at FL245.
In the procedure the KC-97 would take up a position usually over a navigation point and start flying a race track pattern. It would remain in this pattern until an aircraft would enter the area that needed refueled. Once the receiving traffic was identified the tanker would take a straight pattern at its flight level and then open her throttles to full. In this case the tanker accelerates to 210 knots and holds a level line at FL245. The boom operator then starts to fly his boom as the receiving plane moves into position.
A USAF F-102A Delta Dagger heading south at FL200 making 330 knots IAS. She is heading to a gas station.
The pilot of the F-102 has the dangerous part of this mission. In the days before computers, he had to do this all by hand and sight and direction from the KC-97 that was moving flat out. The problem faced by the F-102 pilot was the KC-97 was gong just above what could be a critical speed for the fighter, meaning he could stall. The fighter pilot would have to draw off his speed to match the 210 knots and also at the same time climb to the boom and then make connection and take on the fuel. As he gets heavier he still has to maintain speed with the tanker............then separate once fueled.
sounds fun doesn't it. LOL! The KC-135A most have been a god send to those brave crews.
The Multi player group I am with we fly Air Force missions from the era one night and then the next we air race and then the next we fly scheduled air line service.........Multi player can be great.
A USAF KC-97E heading north over the Nevada desert making 200 knots IAS at FL245.
In the procedure the KC-97 would take up a position usually over a navigation point and start flying a race track pattern. It would remain in this pattern until an aircraft would enter the area that needed refueled. Once the receiving traffic was identified the tanker would take a straight pattern at its flight level and then open her throttles to full. In this case the tanker accelerates to 210 knots and holds a level line at FL245. The boom operator then starts to fly his boom as the receiving plane moves into position.
A USAF F-102A Delta Dagger heading south at FL200 making 330 knots IAS. She is heading to a gas station.
The pilot of the F-102 has the dangerous part of this mission. In the days before computers, he had to do this all by hand and sight and direction from the KC-97 that was moving flat out. The problem faced by the F-102 pilot was the KC-97 was gong just above what could be a critical speed for the fighter, meaning he could stall. The fighter pilot would have to draw off his speed to match the 210 knots and also at the same time climb to the boom and then make connection and take on the fuel. As he gets heavier he still has to maintain speed with the tanker............then separate once fueled.
sounds fun doesn't it. LOL! The KC-135A most have been a god send to those brave crews.
The Multi player group I am with we fly Air Force missions from the era one night and then the next we air race and then the next we fly scheduled air line service.........Multi player can be great.
