Speckled Trout

Hello,

September, 2006, USAF Chief of Staff is in town, with this very nice 57-2589 "Speckled Trout", rare at Paris ! I shot it at LBG on Sept 30th, not the best photos but no choice, however I was very happy to see it 8)

http://a340.free.fr/LBG/LBGBoeing/LB..._300906_1b.jpg

http://a340.free.fr/LBG/LBGBoeing/LB..._300906_2b.jpg

http://a340.free.fr/LBG/LBGBoeing/LB..._300906_3b.jpg

http://a340.free.fr/LBG/LBGBoeing/LB..._300906_6b.jpg

For those who watched Transformers movie, this aircraft was Air Force One on ground :lol:

Nice shot Stéphane,
I wish I had your great weather when I shot it at ADW last year. I took me 10 year to get a "BETTER" shot than the ones I got at Maxwell AFB in alabama.
http://www.nycaviation.com/hosting/happytrout.jpg
57-2589
One of the oldest 707 types still flying.
Senga

Bad weather but better angle ;)

Sheesh I'd kill for yours... Lets trade!

:)
Senga

Kill ? Oh no, it's only a plane :mrgreen:

Ok not an usual plane...

Nice shots, Stéphane. She sure looks good for a 50 year old lady.

Very nice shots, Stéphane. I didn't even know this one was still in service.

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Originally Posted by Chris102

Very nice shots, Stéphane. I didn't even know this one was still in service.

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And it may or may not be anymore. 63-7980 became the new Speckled Trout over the summer. It's an -R model, and it wears the standard haze grey, not the USA scheme (which doesn't count as an airline, but is one of my favourite liveries).

Thanks for the news Mateo ! 57-2589 came to LBG at least one time this year, on May 27, 2007. So for one of the last time I guess.

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http://a340.free.fr/LBG/LBGBoeing/LB..._300906_3b.jpg

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anybody notice the ribs along the outside fuselage? what are those for? maybe moose can shed some light on them. also, i don't understand why there is a KC-135 in VC colors. help!

sorry stephane, awseome shots!

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Originally Posted by cancidas

anybody notice the ribs along the outside fuselage? what are those for? maybe moose can shed some light on them. also, i don't understand why there is a KC-135 in VC colors. help!

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Those are strengthening ribs on the fuselage. I forget when they were added (it was long before I started flying KCs). Sound waves from the water-injected engines were causing fatigue cracks in the fuselage, and the ribs were added for additional stiffening and strength.

This bird was used as transport for the AF Chief of Staff, hence the fancy colors. I remember reading that since this bird was retired earlier this year, the AFCOS is now using a normally painted bird, although that may be an interim ride.

John,
When was this aircraft retired? Is that what you are saying?
Do you know when it weas retired?

Senga

Can it still refuel other aircraft?

Sorry for the confusion, Senga. I went back to find the source of that information, and I think what I read was about the earlier Speckled Trout aircraft which was retired in 2006, replaced by this one, I think this one is still flying.

Is the inside the same as the inside of a KC-135, or does it have a VIP interior?

I could never fly from here to Paris in a plane with only a handful of windows :shock: I'd go crazy!

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Originally Posted by moose135

Sorry for the confusion, Senga. I went back to find the source of that information, and I think what I read was about the earlier Speckled Trout aircraft which was retired in 2006, replaced by this one, I think this one is still flying.

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Yes you talk about 61-2669.

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Is the inside the same as the inside of a KC-135, or does it have a VIP interior?

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I read somewhere it has 14 seats in VIP cabin...

I figured I'd use an old thread to show the new version of what some may call the Holy Grail of Plane Spotting:


http://www.netairspace.com/photos/63...618/medium.jpg
Full size photo is 2048px

...at least on the KC-10, there is a pallet in the front cargo hold that has seats... regular airline ones. I am sure they have pallets with first class accommodations for VIP's

That is one sexy looking B707

Beautiful shot of a beauriful plane...


Rich B

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Originally Posted by Three Forty

Yes you talk about 61-2669.



I read somewhere it has 14 seats in VIP cabin...

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I believe many of the "Higher Brass" have something like an Airstream Trailer that is loaded aboard a C-17, plugged in, and ready to go with all the comforts of a CEO's corporate office.

57-2589 back in Nov. 2008 on display at Lackland AFB in San Antonio, it was moved to the Medina Annex next to Lackland were it is on display.

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2866/1...5cee6e14_c.jpg

Wish I would have taken more pics of the interior

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5487/1...f0ed285b_c.jpg

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2809/1...fb78a6e2_c.jpg

Hah, cool! I caught her fellow 421st FLTS sistership a few years back

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5014/5...4fa69cd2_b.jpg

OK my question....WTF is a "Speckled Trout"?:confused::tongue:

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Originally Posted by Gerard

OK my question....WTF is a "Speckled Trout"?:confused::tongue:

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From Wikipedia...

Speckled Trout is the official name of a combined SAF/CSAF support mission and concurrent test mission. It was also the official nickname given to a modified C-135C, serial number 61-2669, that was used by the Secretary and the Chief of Staff of the Air Force for executive transport requirements. Fully equipped with an array of communications equipment, data links and cryptographic sets, the aircraft served a secondary role as a testbed for proposed command and control systems and was also used to evaluate future transport aircraft design. The 412th Flight Test Squadron (412 FLTS) of the Air Force Material Command (AFMC) atEdwards AFB, California operated the C-135 Speckled Trout airframe and managed its test mission.
The name Speckled Trout applies to both the organization and the aircraft. The name was chosen in honor of an early program monitor, Faye Trout, who assisted in numerous phases of the project. The word "speckled" was added because Trout apparently had "a lot of freckles."
Speckled Trout acquired the C-135C, serial number 61-2669, in 1974 and retired the aircraft on 13 Jan 2006. An interim aircraft was in use for the Speckled Trout mission until the 2008 delivery of the current aircraft, a modified KC-135R Stratotanker serial number 63-7980 with a more modern communications architecture testbed. The current KC-135R Speckled Trout also supports additional tests and air refueling requirements that the C-135C could not.

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Originally Posted by lijk604

The name Speckled Trout applies to both the organization and the aircraft. The name was chosen in honor of an early program monitor, Faye Trout, who assisted in numerous phases of the project. The word "speckled" was added because Trout apparently had "a lot of freckles.".

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LOL thanks!! Got to love the military for it nicknames!!!!

That is one sexy looking c/s

Does it ever show up at an airshow in the US?

Not sure... it was likely taking someone important to Barksdale which is the home of the Global Strike Command.

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Originally Posted by gonzalu

That is one sexy looking c/s

Does it ever show up at an airshow in the US?

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Maybe in the past, but with military static support for airshows cut for the remainder of the decade, I doubt it will going forward

Hmmm, ok, get them where they park I guess... and that would be Andrews or Wright Patterson? :tongue:

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Originally Posted by gonzalu

Hmmm, ok, get them where they park I guess... and that would be Andrews or Wright Patterson? :tongue:

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Well, Andrews just canceled their 2014 Air Show due to budgets cuts unfortunately.:frown: