Early markings on KC-135: DR. STRANGELOVE
Michael Trout
time the other night. It's not often you get to see this film
on a big screen, as I did. A little TV screen doesn't do
justice to Kubrick's wealth of detail. Admittedly, there are a
lot of technical errors and inaccuracies in DR. STRANGELOVE
(one of my favorites is the shadow of a B-17 on the ground
under a B-52). But I can't quibble about that for a film of
this magnitude.
The title sequence includes the best film I've ever seen of a
KC-135 fuelling a B-52. It's probably USAF stock footage, but
I can't be sure. I couldn't make out any significant markings
on the B-52, but the tail number on the KC-135 was clear:
53144
It occurred to me that this aircraft is quite probably still in
service. It would be a hoot to notify the current crew about
this. Not only are they probably younger than the aircraft,
they're probably younger than the movie it starred in! DR.
STRANGELOVE was filmed in 1963, but the refuelling sequence
could have been filmed much earlier.
I'm sure somebody in r.a.m.-land has KC-135 tail number info.
I also noticed another marking on the KC-135's tail fin: a
curious geometric shape outline something like a stylized letter
"L" on the starboard and the same but mirror-imaged on the port
side. I remember this same marking on a model of a KC-135 I
made as a kid. It was outlined in red and seemed to be a light
gray color inside. It was large, covering almost the entire
tail fin. Any ideas on what this was?
Please e-mail me; I can't keep up with this group's volume.
--
################## cl...@freenet.carleton.ca ################
Michael D. Trout
New York State Talking Book and Braille Library
Albany, New York 12230
Pete Hughes
<cl...@FreeNet.Carleton.CA> writes
>Saw DR.STRANGELOVE, one of my all-time faves, for the umpteenth
>time the other night. It's not often you get to see this film
>on a big screen, as I did. A little TV screen doesn't do
>justice to Kubrick's wealth of detail. Admittedly, there are a
>lot of technical errors and inaccuracies in DR. STRANGELOVE
>(one of my favorites is the shadow of a B-17 on the ground
>under a B-52). But I can't quibble about that for a film of
>this magnitude.
>
>The title sequence includes the best film I've ever seen of a
>KC-135 fuelling a B-52. It's probably USAF stock footage, but
>I can't be sure. I couldn't make out any significant markings
>on the B-52, but the tail number on the KC-135 was clear:
>
>53144
>
>It occurred to me that this aircraft is quite probably still in
>service. It would be a hoot to notify the current crew about
>this. Not only are they probably younger than the aircraft,
>they're probably younger than the movie it starred in! DR.
>STRANGELOVE was filmed in 1963, but the refuelling sequence
>could have been filmed much earlier.
>
>I'm sure somebody in r.a.m.-land has KC-135 tail number info.
>
Sorry - it was written off in August 1962
>I also noticed another marking on the KC-135's tail fin: a
>curious geometric shape outline something like a stylized letter
>"L" on the starboard and the same but mirror-imaged on the port
>side. I remember this same marking on a model of a KC-135 I
>made as a kid. It was outlined in red and seemed to be a light
>gray color inside. It was large, covering almost the entire
>tail fin. Any ideas on what this was?
>
>Please e-mail me; I can't keep up with this group's volume.
>
>--
>################## cl...@freenet.carleton.ca ################
>Michael D. Trout
>New York State Talking Book and Braille Library
>Albany, New York 12230
--
Pete
rickge
>
> Saw DR.STRANGELOVE, one of my all-time faves, for the umpteenth
> time the other night. It's not often you get to see this film
> on a big screen, as I did. A little TV screen doesn't do
> justice to Kubrick's wealth of detail. Admittedly, there are a
> lot of technical errors and inaccuracies in DR. STRANGELOVE
> (one of my favorites is the shadow of a B-17 on the ground
> under a B-52). But I can't quibble about that for a film of
> this magnitude.
>
> Michael D. Trout
> New York State Talking Book and Braille Library
> Albany, New York 12230
Michael --
Sorry according to my documentation this aircraft 55-3144 was written
off 8 Aug, 1962 while attached to the 93BW.
Mind that aircraft written off during the 50s and early 60s seem to have
a strange way of showing back up on the books and my infomoration was
collected at least 12 years ago.
Does anyone have newer information?
Take Care, Rick
Dcmvs
the tail is folded over during maintenance. According to Scale&Detail for
the KC-135 "The vertical stabilizer is hinged to fold to the right for
hanger storage and maintenance, hence the walkway markings are on the left
side."
Hope that helps
Steve Wood
Don't have any information on that particular tail number, sorry.
However...that "L" symbol, in red, outlined, on the left side of the
tail? Care to know what it is?
It's the "Walkway line" on the tail. Why a walkway you say?
Because the tail of the KC-135 folds down!
It will fold down if needed to be placed into a hanger...it's very
strange to see this though. I've only seen it a couple of times...and
I've flown the jet for 10 years!!!
STeve Wood, Maj, USAFR
KC-135R IP
cl...@FreeNet.Carleton.CA (Michael Trout) wrote:
>Saw DR.STRANGELOVE, one of my all-time faves, for the umpteenth
>time the other night. It's not often you get to see this film
>on a big screen, as I did. A little TV screen doesn't do
>justice to Kubrick's wealth of detail. Admittedly, there are a
>lot of technical errors and inaccuracies in DR. STRANGELOVE
>(one of my favorites is the shadow of a B-17 on the ground
>under a B-52). But I can't quibble about that for a film of
>this magnitude.
>The title sequence includes the best film I've ever seen of a
>KC-135 fuelling a B-52. It's probably USAF stock footage, but
>I can't be sure. I couldn't make out any significant markings
>on the B-52, but the tail number on the KC-135 was clear:
>53144
>It occurred to me that this aircraft is quite probably still in
>service. It would be a hoot to notify the current crew about
>this. Not only are they probably younger than the aircraft,
>they're probably younger than the movie it starred in! DR.
>STRANGELOVE was filmed in 1963, but the refuelling sequence
>could have been filmed much earlier.
>I'm sure somebody in r.a.m.-land has KC-135 tail number info.
>I also noticed another marking on the KC-135's tail fin: a
>curious geometric shape outline something like a stylized letter
>"L" on the starboard and the same but mirror-imaged on the port
>side. I remember this same marking on a model of a KC-135 I
>made as a kid. It was outlined in red and seemed to be a light
>gray color inside. It was large, covering almost the entire
>tail fin. Any ideas on what this was?
>Please e-mail me; I can't keep up with this group's volume.
>--
Walt Shiel
>
> It's the "Walkway line" on the tail. Why a walkway you say?
>
> Because the tail of the KC-135 folds down!
>
> It will fold down if needed to be placed into a hanger...it's very
> strange to see this though. I've only seen it a couple of times...and
> I've flown the jet for 10 years!!!
>
So, Steve, are you trying to tell us that the KC-135 is actually a taildragger?
Walt
--
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Walt Shiel
Author: "Cessna Warbirds, A Detailed and Personal History
of Cessna's Involvement in the Armed Forces"
For More Info, Email: wsh...@airmail.net
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
christoph...@gmail.com
They were identified as:
(Pilot) Captain Clarence E. Kerr, 38, of Beach Grove, Indiana. He’s buried in Union Chapel Cemetery in St. Paul, Minn.
(C0-Pilot) Captain William D. Leng, 30, of Mt. Vernon, New York. He died two days after his birthday. He’s buried in Arlington National Cemetery.
Airman 1st Class Norman E. Ford, age unknown, of Dayton, Ohio.
The aircraft was coming from Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio.
Sources:
Nashua Telegraph, “Hanscom Aircraft Crash Kills 3; Probe Started”, August 9, 1962
www.findagrave.com, Memorial #54366385, and 49246665.
Aviation Safety Network
Interesting the movie was filmed AFTER the aircraft crashed and was destroyed
