Let’s be honest avgeeks, no one grows up and says “One day, I want to be a tanker pilot”. With frequent deployments in the desert, super-old equipment, and crappy air conditioning, it’s not usually student pilot’s first choice at pilot training. Even the KC-10, which used to be called a “Gucci” plane is getting long in the tooth.
But one guy used the magic of flight to make the KC-135 actually look kinda cool. YouTuber Xanderduke has posted a few videos over the years of his deployments. He combined his artistic ability and a GoPro to capture some beautiful scenes.
Joking aside, the KC-135 and KC-10 tanker fleet play a critical role in our nation’s defense. Fighters wouldn’t be able to loiter on station. Aeromedical evacuation flights would have to stop short of their destination, and bombers would lack the unlimited range that they enjoy. More importantly, we thank the men and women make great sacrifices to fuel the fight.
