Can anyone tell me more about this plane other than what I’ve found here? Anyone fly one? Anyone crew one or maintain? Just curious-it stood out fin the usual aviation traffic here.

Noticed it took off from Nebraska, flew several circles around North Dakota. Then to Northern Minnesota where it flew a couple of circles around my city then back home to Omaha.

A quick internet search shows it’s a RC135. Here’s a blurb:

Brief blurb

Mission

The RC-135S Cobra Ball is a rapidly deployable aircraft, which flies Joint Chiefs of Staff-directed missions of national priority to collect optical and electronic data on ballistic targets. This data is critical to arms treaty compliance verification, and development of U.S. strategic defense and theater missile defense concepts.

Features

The RC-135S, equipped with a sophisticated array of optical and electronic sensors, recording media, and communications equipment, is a national asset uniquely suited to provide America's leaders and defense community with vital information that cannot be obtained by any other source.

Crew composition includes a minimum of two pilots, one navigator, three electronic warfare officers, two airborne systems engineers, and two or more airborne mission specialists.

Background

The current RC-135S aircraft trace their lineage to C-135 aircraft originally modified in 1961 and operated in 24-hour alert status out of Shemya AFB, Alaska. In 1994, all RC-135S aircraft and operations were transferred to the 55th Wing at Offutt AFB in Omaha, Nebraska. This action, along with many others, helped peacefully close another chapter in the history of the Cold War. Initially employed by Strategic Air Command to satisfy nationally tasked intelligence collection requirements, the RC-135S has also participated in Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.

All Cobra Ball airframe and mission systems modifications are overseen by L-3 Communications, under the oversight of Air Force Materiel Command.

There are three RC-135S aircraft in the Air Force inventory all assigned to Air Combat Command and permanently based at Offutt Air Force Base, Neb. The Cobra Ball is operated by the 55th Wing, and manned with aircrews from the 45th Reconnaissance Squadron, and the 97th Intelligence Squadron, using various forward deployment locations worldwide.

I can't add anything you can't find on the www, but I'm pretty sure it was one of these (maybe not an S model) that the Russians thought was the target when they actually shot down KAL 007 (a passenger 747) in September 1983.

https://www.airandspaceforces.com/article/0113korean/

Hmmm. The KC-135 is a tanker based on the Boeing 707 airframe.

The pitot tube on the front of the vertical stabilizer in the posted picture says 707. I don’t recall seeing pitot tubes (or something that looks a lot like pitot tubes) on both wingtips on a 707. I don’t know that I’ve ever seen a 707 from that angle, but I thought they were more svelte than that. From that view, the wings look shorter in length and deeper in chord than I expected. Oh well, I was never an expert on old airliners. The nose also looks strange, but that may be the housing for the cameras.

I’d say that aircraft started life as a Boeing 707. Not that that is any kind of news flash.

The 707 and the xxx-135 variants are similar in looks but fundamentally different airframes. They are not the same.
.

quote:

Originally posted by OKCGene:
The 707 and the xxx-135 variants are similar in looks but fundamentally different airframes. They are not the same.
.

Correct. The -135 is a Boeing 717, derived from the 707 porotype.

Similar to the YF-17 evolving to becoming the F-18, a different airframe that appears similar, but ended up different.

Boeing's "717" internal designation number was later assigned to the MD-95 after Boeing merged with McDonnell Douglas in 1997.

Link

IMO, the KC-135 seems more like the Boeing 720 than the 707.

Certainly no aircraft expert here but the pod on the nose very much reminds me of a picture I recently saw on the internet, maybe here, of the mini sub hunting plane used for drug interdiction.

Maybe giving the hairy eyeball to Somalians, Houthies, Yemanies, or similar types that have associates overseas.

quote:

Originally posted by sigmonkey:

quote:

Originally posted by OKCGene:
The 707 and the xxx-135 variants are similar in looks but fundamentally different airframes. They are not the same.
.

Correct. The -135 is a Boeing 717, derived from the 707 porotype.

Similar to the YF-17 evolving to becoming the F-18, a different airframe that appears similar, but ended up different.

Thanks guys! I learn something new every day, often right here on SIGforum.

quote:

Originally posted by 229DAK:
Boeing's "717" internal designation number was later assigned to the MD-95 after Boeing merged with McDonnell Douglas in 1997....

The military version began development as the 717 in the early 50s. This was consecutive to the 707 number, and that the aircraft was produced as the C-135, does not change it being a different aircraft.

Similar to the F-102 and the F-106, where the F-106 initially was to be the F-102B, and the F-102A was intended to only be used while the F-102B was produced as the desired airframe over the F-102A, but with continual modifications during the development of the F102B, and the schedule falling behind as funds were re-directed to the F-102A, the F-102B re-designated as F-106A.

The F-102A that was also developed into a two seat version during this time, normally would have become F-102B, but that number was "in use" for the F-102B (the later F-106A airframe), so the designations was TF-102A to denote "trainer".

All three aircraft were in work all in the same timeframe.

The assigning of 717 to the MD-95, does not change that the aircraft was a derivative of the the 707 prototype, and was intended to be the 717, but military numbering affected the change to the C-135.

The Prototype for both the 707 and the C-135 was the 367-80.

Don’t forget the RC-135 Rivet Joint.

Thanks. I’m also curious about why it would flying around here. The Dakotas I understand-missiles and all-but here at the tip of Lake Superior?

quote:

Originally posted by bcereuss:
Thanks. I’m also curious about why it would flying around here. The Dakotas I understand-missiles and all-but here at the tip of Lake Superior?

Might be something as simple as a training flight. Pilots need stick (yoke) time, and sensor operators need real-world experience using the equipment actually installed on the aircraft. Simulation and simulators are great, but nothing beats actually flying and operating the real asset.

Yep, most likely just a training flight. Pilots shooting approaches, navigators doing their thing - they might not even have any sensor operators on board.

And the “pitot tubes” on the wingtips and vertical stab are HF antennas.

quote:

Originally posted by Poacher:
Don’t forget the RC-135 Rivet Joint.

Basically a flying nerve that can suck up and record any electronic signals it encounters. Flying out of Offutt AFB in Bellevue, NE. 55th Strategic Recon Wing.

quote:

Originally posted by OKCGene:
https://www.facebook.com/share...ruM/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Squirrel cheeks on a airplane?

Cobra 62 heavy (61-2662) is doing touch and goes at the Moline (IL) airport (MLI) just across the river right now.

I have a scanner that picks up local ATC, and when I heard Cobra 62 talking to approach and tower (on VHF) I checked Open ADSB and there it was.

We're a mere 300 miles E of Offutt, planes from 55WG often practice at MLI.

https://www.airnav.com/airport/KMLI