Black-Winged RC-135W

**cancidas** · 03-01-2008, 08:13 PM

not really a photo, but a pretty cool video of a RC-135W getting painted in a paint shop. anyone know why the right wing is flat-black?

http://www.airshowbuzz.com/videos/view.php?v=d06be7f4

**moose135** · 03-01-2008, 09:35 PM

That's an RC-135S Cobra Ball aircraft. It is equipped with optical and infrared instruments to observe ballistic missile tests. The wing and cowlings on the right side are painted flat black to eliminate glare - the sensors are pointed out windows on the right side of the aircraft.

There are 4 Cobra Ball aircraft. They were originally stationed at Shemya AFB, near the tip of the Aleutian Island chain, and used to observe Soviet ballistic missile tests. They are now based at Offutt AFB, and do other stuff

**Derf** · 03-02-2008, 12:53 AM

While Moose's reply sounds good....they really just ran out of blue ;)

**PhilDernerJr** · 03-02-2008, 01:02 AM

I saw an RC-135, I assume a different version from the "S", at a base in the Middle East last year. One of the coolest planes I've ever seen.

**cancidas** · 03-02-2008, 07:24 AM

thanks moose, that makes sense. just didn't recognize the airplane as any more than an RC.

**Nick** · 03-04-2008, 06:15 PM

I saw my first AWACS recently, quite a sight! It's amazing how many versions of the 135 still fly. Even the ugly ones. :-D

**moose135** · 03-04-2008, 10:06 PM

Originally Posted by Nick

I saw my first AWACS recently, quite a sight! It's amazing how many versions of the 135 still fly. Even the ugly ones. :-D

Nick, Nick, Nick...don't they teach you guys anything in the Air Force these days? The AWACS is a different airframe from the -135. It's based on the 707 airframe, which is similar, but decidedly different from, the -135.

And there is no such thing as an "ugly" -135!

**Nick** · 03-04-2008, 10:23 PM

I'm a fighter guy stuck in a helo crew chiefs body! I really thought they were the same, my bad. This is ugly..

**cancidas** · 03-05-2008, 11:39 AM

Originally Posted by moose135

And there is no such thing as an "ugly" -135!

Originally Posted by Nick

I'm a fighter guy stuck in a helo crew chiefs body! I really thought they were the same, my bad. This is ugly..

moose, AMEN!

nick, NO!

now, do all air force guys think that an airplane has to be sleek and fast to be pretty? :lol: maybe i'm just wierd, but i'm the kind of guy that would WANT to fly the oddball, regardless of how she looked as long as she flew well. i also think that the F-22, F-35 and anything else that's going to be built from now on WILL be super-ugly!

**PhilDernerJr** · 03-05-2008, 11:45 AM

Ugly or not, if you see that thing goin past you, I'd put all my money down that your memory card will fill up asap.

It was on of the most painful things to stand 200 feet from one of those and not being able to take a photo.

**moose135** · 03-06-2008, 11:59 PM

Originally Posted by Phil D.

It was on of the most painful things to stand 200 feet from one of those and not being able to take a photo.

A hundred years ago, we're TDY to RAF Mildenhall in the KC-135. The A/C is doing the walkaround, and brought his video camera along, doing a running commentary as he's going around the aircraft. Afterwards, as we're looking at the tape, we realize there was an RC-135 parked not too far away from us. Fortunately, no one saw him out on the ramp with the camera...