6 February 1991: Boeing KC-135E Stratotanker 58-0013, s/n 17758, call sign “Whale 05,” was on a tactical refueling mission during Operation Desert Storm (the Gulf War against Iraq.) Whale 05 was under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Kevin Sweeney, with co-pilot Captain Jay N. Selanders, navigator Captain Greg Mermis, and boom operator Senior Master Sergeant Steven Dale Stuckey. The crew and airplane were assigned to the 190th Air Refueling Wing based at Forbes Field (Topeka Regional Airport, FOE), Topeka, Kansas. On this mission, the tanker was carrying 175,000 pounds (79,379 kilograms) of fuel.

While flying at 25,000 feet (7,620 meters), Whale 05 was passed by another KC-135 and encountered severe wake turbulence. The Stratotanker rolled 90° to the right, 90° left, and 90° right again. During this event, both engines on the tanker’s left wing separated from the aircraft.

Whale 05 descended to 17,000 feet (5,182 meters) and headed back to Jeddah-Prince Abdullah Air Base (JED/OEJN), 200 miles (322 kilometers) south west.

On arrival, the Stratotanker’s landing gear had to be lowered manually, as the hydraulic system was damaged. Whale 05 landed safely and rolled to a stop on Runway 34L.

Inspection of the Stratotanker found that all of the bolts attaching the engines to the right wing were cracked or broken. Engineers calculated that the airplane exceeded 2.5gs, more than 80% of the allowable stress.

Each of the crewmembers of Whale 05 were awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.

Boeing KC-135A-Stratotanker 58-0013 (nicknamed “Balls 13” for its serial number) made its first flight 19 February 1959 and delivered to the U.S. Air Force on 12 March 1959. It was converted to the KC-135E configuration in 1986. 58-0013 flew its final mission 11 September 2004. Withdrawn from service, it was sent to The Boneyard (AMARC) at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Tucson, Arizona, 7 March 2007.

The Stratotanker was originally operated by a flight crew of four: pilot, co-pilot, navigator, and refueling boom operator. Upgrades over the decades have simplified operation and the crew has been reduced to two pilots and the boom operator. The tanker’s maximum transfer fuel load is 200,000 pounds (90,719 kilograms). The KC-135 can carry 83,000 pounds (37,648 kilograms) of cargo, and up to 37 passengers.It can also be configured to carry cargo or up to 32 passengers.

The KC-135A is 136 feet, 3 inches (41.529 meters) long, with a wingspan of 130 feet, 10 inches (39.878 meters) and overall height of 41 feet, 8 inches (12.700 meters). The Stratotanker’s maximum takeoff weight is 322,500 pounds (146,284 kilograms).

The KC-135A was powered by four Pratt & Whitney J57-P-59W turbojet engines. The J57 was a two-spool, axial-flow engine with a 16-stage compressor section (9 low- and 7-high-pressure stages) and a 3-stage turbine section (1 high- and 2 low-pressure stages). These engines were rated at 13,750 pounds of thrust (61.16 kilonewtons), each. The J57-P-59W was 183.5 inches (4.661 meters) long, 38.9 inches (0.988 meters) long and weighed 4,320 pounds (1,920 kilograms).

Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve KC-135s were re-engined with Pratt & Whitney TF33-PW-102 (JT8D-3) low-bypass turbofan engines from retired Boeing 707 airliners and redesignated KC-135E. This was a two-spool turbofan engine with 2 fan stages, a 14-stage compressor section (7 low-pressure and 7 high-pressure stages), and 4 stage turbine (2 high-pressure and 2 low-pressure stages). The TF33-PW-102 was rated at 18,000 pounds of thrust (80 kilonewtons). The engine was 3 feet, 6.5 inches (1.0795 meters) in diameter, 12 feet, 3.5 inches (3.1369 meters) long, and weighed 3,205 pounds (1,454 kilograms).

All KC-135Es were retired from service by 2009.

The Stratotanker fleet has been re-engined with more efficient CFM International CFM56 turbofan engines which produce 21,634 pounds of thrust (96.23 kilonewtons), each. The upgraded aircraft are designated KC-135R.

The tanker has a cruise speed of 530 miles per hour (853 kilometers per hour) at 30,000 feet (9,144 meters). The service ceiling was 50,000 feet (15,240 meters). Its range is 1,500 miles (2,414 kilometers) when carrying 150,000 pounds (68,039 kilograms) of transfer fuel, and the maximum ferry range is 11,015 miles (17,727 kilometers).

Of the 803 KC-135 aircraft built, 396 remain in service with the U.S. Air Force (as of 14 May 2018). It is estimated that the fleet is 33% through their design lifetime limits.

© 2025, Bryan R. Swopes