Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker Tanker Aircraft "First in Flight Seymour Johnson AFB North Carolina" United States Air Force "Gemini 200" Series 1/200 Die
Brand new 1/200 scale diecast airplane model of Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker Tanker Aircraft "First in Flight Seymour Johnson AFB North Carolina" United States Air Force "Gemini 200" Series die cast model by GeminiJets. Detailed exterior. True-to-scale detail. Comes with a display stand. This model does not have any openings. Manufacturers original unopened packaging. Made of diecast metal with some plastic parts. Dimensions approximately L-8.25 Wingspan-7.75 inches. Diecast metal and plastic construction for durability and a heavy realistic feel. HISTORY ASPECTS: USAF KC-135R Stratotanker tail number 23528 boasts a rich history of service primarily stationed at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in North Carolina. This aircraft has played a pivotal role in numerous conflicts and missions demonstrating its critical importance as an aerial refueling tanker.Originally designated as a replacement for the venerable KC-97 Tanker the first KC-135 was designed from the Boeing type 367-80. The initial Boeing 367-80 - also known as the Dash 80 - would not only lay the groundwork for the KC-135 but also for the Boeing 707 as well. The KC-135 has seen many iterations over the years with the first launch order coming from the USAF in 1954. The first KC-135A took to the skies in August 1956 with first deliveries to the USAF having begun in June 1967. All initial KC-135A aircraft were delivered with Pratt & Whitney J-57 Turbo-Jet engines. Although these engines were technologically advanced for their day they produced lots of smoke they were very loud and they burned excessive amounts of fuel. During the 1980s a modernization program entailed replacing the original engines of the KC-135A with Pratt & Whitney JT3D TurboFan engines - military designation: TF-33 - derived from retired Boeing 707 airliners. The newly modified jet was d