| 63-8039 (cn 18656) Another one from my archives. This was the result of a hydraulic system failure of a USAF Boeing KC-135A Stratotanker during an exercise Elephant Walk on a sunny afternoon at Wurtsmith AFB, MI, in 1982. This was the first KC-135 behind a line of B-52 Stratofortress’s, which took part in the simulated launch. As the aircraft attempted to brake at it approached the B-52, the Pilot realized he had no brakes. His split-second decision to steer the aircraft off of the runway saved many lives. Elephant Walks date back to WWI and were a regular occurrence at SAC bases back in the day. Once all of the fuel, approx. 31,000 gallons, was offloaded, two bulldozers were used to pull the aircraft back on the runway. I believe this aircraft is still in service today. |
