KC-135 Stratotanker Celebrates 51 Years of Service

Feature – Stratotanker celebrates 51 years of military service

The KC-135 Stratotanker celebrated its birthday Aug. 31. It was 1956 — 51 years ago — when the Boeing aircraft made its maiden flight.

A KC-135 Stratotanker assigned to Fairchild Air Force Base, Wash., taxies back in from a refueling mission down range Aug. 29 at Manas Air Base, Kyrgyzstan. KC-135s have been in service for the Air Force for 51 years. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Les Waters)

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Think about this in any other context and just how amazing this is. The KC-135 has been flying for 51 years now. Imagine if a city were operating buses designed in 1956. How many other aircraft do you know of that are still in use after that many years? How about cars? Locomotives? Heck, my dad was still a kid back then!

Hats off to Boeing for designing and building such a legendary aircraft and also to all those in the Air Force who have cared for these aircraft over the years and made this remarkable milestone possible!