A Maine Air National Guard team on Sept. 23, 2009, flew the last of the Air Force’s E model KC-135 tankers from the 101st Air Refueling Wing at Bangor to Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz., where the 50-plus-year-old aircraft will serve as a parts supplier for the slightly younger Eisenhower-era tankers—upgraded R/T models—remaining in the fleet. Aircraft No. 56-3630 has spent the past 20 years with the Maine Air Guard, and, in its heyday, it set a speed record, flying from New York to London and back in 12 hours. As the Air Force moves out with a new KC-X procurement effort to begin replacing KC-135Rs, 74 of the E model tankers will be in storage at the “boneyard” of the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Aircraft Regeneration Group, whose technicians could restore the aircraft to service, if necessary. Continue
Planning an Air Show Is Hard. At Andrews, It’s Even Harder
Sept. 17, 2025
Joint Base Andrews opened its flightline this month to thousands of civilians, exposing a normally restricted airbase that regularly hosts the president and foreign dignitaries to a curious public eager to see current and historic military aircraft up close and in action.
