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RC-135 replacement?


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Interesting concept, although I figure whatever sensors are in the cheeks might get relocated to other areas on the fuselage given that I seem to recall reading that there are some issues with poking holes in the fuselage of some of these more modern airliners compared to how the old 135 airframes were manufactured (i.e. built to a little higher engineering tolerance in certain areas). The thing also potentially needs A LOT more small antennas on the bottom as the baseline 10 bird I looked at from the Offutt airshow this past summer was starting to look a bit like a porcupine down low.

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Agree with Jay on the added antennas. Was standing outside the other day when one taxied by and it looked like it was dragging a black picket fence underneath it. They are kind of a mess...but still a sweet bird (for beginning life as an airliner)

Oh, and you should really change the artwork so that it is shown as the wing king with the cool tail band and unit awards, etc.

Cheers,

Dave

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...I seem to recall reading that there are some issues with poking holes in the fuselage of some of these more modern airliners compared to how the old 135 airframes were manufactured...

I think that's more an issue with something like the 787 with CFRP fuselage. The 767 is a more conventional aluminum structure.

Edited by Moose135
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No plane flies forever, RC-135 included.

Oh yeah? I bet the '135 will still be flying after you're (and I'm) dead. The youngest airplanes in the fleet will soon be 50, and there's no real end in sight for them.

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Oh yeah? I bet the '135 will still be flying after you're (and I'm) dead. The youngest airplanes in the fleet will soon be 50, and there's no real end in sight for them.

Do I need to mention the B-52?

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I think that's more an issue with something like the 787 with CFRP fuselage. The 767 is a more conventional aluminum structure.

It can be a concern with aluminum as well depending on how the structure is designed. Putting holes in a panel can change its structural properties somewhat. Plus, the 135 fleet was built to a bit more conservative engineering standard than subsequent aircraft coming from Boeing, which is what made it a good airframe for grafting a whole bunch of antennas all over.

Another issue an RC replacement might have is gross weight. Rivet Joints tend to land pretty hot because unlike a normal tanker that can haul up gas to pump it and returning home clean, an RC's weight lies in a lot of equipment. So when it comes in for landing, it is still a rather heavy airplane. Four engines also gives a bit of an extra margin of safety compared to two. Granted the newer generation high bypass turbofan engines are pretty powerful compared to 1960s or 70s vintage turbofans (although most of the active RC fleet now has CFM engines). But I hope it isn't a case where an engine out means the aircraft had enough power with one engine to get it to the crash site. But, there aren't all that many new build four engined airframes around anymore for such a conversion.

Hmmm, I wonder what an RC based 747 airframe might look like? Call it an RC-25. Base it on a 747-400/800 airframe and it could certainly contain A LOT of ELINT gear inside of it (although one 747 based airframe can't be in multiple places at once).

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Oh yeah? I bet the '135 will still be flying after you're (and I'm) dead. The youngest airplanes in the fleet will soon be 50, and there's no real end in sight for them.

You're probably right, but that's still not forever. :lol:

When the last whatever -135 gets parked at the boneyard, you can bet that the crew who flew it in will be flown home on a C-130.

If any aircraft is a sure bet to still be flying when its design hits the century mark, the Herc is that aircraft.

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...newer generation high bypass turbofan engines are pretty powerful compared to 1960s or 70s vintage turbofans

I hate to break this to you, but the JT9D (aka PW4000) and CF6 on the 767 *are* 1960s technology engines. The TF33 turbofans that RC's flew with for decades were 1950s technology :)

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And all things considered, a 767 is a 1980s design.

Newer electronics are lighter, the RC-46 would probably have considerable updates the RC-135s can't justify. Also, no engineer who values his career is going to make the thing too heavy to fly safely on 1 engine.

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