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The Boeing KC-97 Stratofreighter is a four-engined, piston-powered United States strategic tanker aircraft based on the Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter. It replaced the KB-29 and was succeeded by the Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker. Design and development The KC-97 Stratofreighter was an aerial refueling tanker variant of the C-97 Stratofreighter (which was itself based on the Boeing B-29 Superfortress), greatly modified with all the necessary tanks, plumbing, and a flying boom first developed for the KB-29 bomber. The cavernous upper deck was capable of accommodating oversize cargo accessed through a very large right-side door. In addition, transferable jet fuel was contained in tanks on the lower deck (G-L models). Both decks were heated and pressurized for high altitude operations. The boom operator lay prone, viewing operations through a window at the bottom of the tail, a configuration later used on the KC-135 Note: Occasionally the KC-97 has been referred to as "Stratotanker". However, all reputable sources refer to the KC-97 as Stratofreighter, not -tanker. This includes both Boeing and the USAF themselves. Operational history The USAF began operating the KC-97 in 1950. It purchased a total of 811 KC-97s from Boeing, as opposed to only 74 of the C-97 cargo version. The KC-97 carried aviation gasoline for its own piston engines but it carried jet fuel for its refueling mission, this required an independent system for each type of fuel. However in an emergency, it was able to also offload its aviation gas to a receiver in a procedure universally known as a "save". These tankers were vitally important to the world-wide Boeing B-47 Stratojet strategic operations. An example was the support of Arctic reconnaissance flights from Thule Air Base. While it was an effective tanker, the KC-97's slow speed and low operational altitude complicated refueling operations with jet aircraft. B-52s typically lowered their flaps and rear landing gear to slow the aircraft enough to refuel from the KC-97. In addition, a typical B-52 refueling engagement profile would involve a descent that allowed the aircraft pair to maintain a higher airspeed (220–240 knots). In the early 1960s, the Tactical Air Command added General Electric J47 two twin- jet pods from retired KB-50 aerial tankers to produce the KC-97L. These jet pods increased the speed of the KC-97 (for short periods of time) and made it more compatible with jet fighter planes like the F-84, F-100, and F-101. In 1956, the Strategic Air Command began phasing out its KC-97s in favor of the KC-135 Stratotanker. KC-97s continued flying with Tactical Air Command, the Air Force Reserve, and the Air National Guard. The rest of the KC-97s were retired completely in 1978, when the Texas Air National Guard and the Utah Air National Guard exchanged their KC-97Ls for the C-130 Hercules and the KC-135 Stratotanker, respectively. One KC-97 airframe (AF Ser. No. 52-0828) was adapted into the Aero Spacelines Super Guppy, a transport plane designed to carry Apollo Program rocket stages from California to Florida. The aircraft carried the Saturn S-IVB stage, which served as the second stage of the Saturn IB, the third stage of the Saturn V, and the fourth stage for the never-built Nova rocket. This modified KC-97, constructed in 1953, was eventually purchased by NASA in 1997. It is still in service supporting NASA, other Federal agencies, and Federal contractors. It is one of two KC-97s left still in flyable condition, the other being former KC-97G 52-2718, "Angel of Deliverance", currently flown by Berlin Airlift Historical Foundation as YC-97A 45-59595. Variants KC-97A Three C-97As were converted into aerial refueling tankers with rear loading door removed and a flight refueling boom added. After the design was proven, they were converted back into the standard C-97A. KC-97E aerial refueling tankers with rear loading doors permanently closed, 60 built. Some were later converted into transports as the C-97E. KC-97F 3800 hp R-4360-59B engines and minor changes, 159 built. Some were later converted into transport as the C-97F. KC-97G Dual-role aerial refueling tankers/cargo transportation aircraft. KC-97G models carried underwing fuel tanks. 592 built. EC-97G ELINT conversion of three KC-97Gs. 53-106 was operated by the Central Intelligence Agency for covert ELINT operations in the West Berlin Air Corridor. C-97G 135 KC-97Gs converted to transports. GKC-97G Five KC-97Gs were used as ground instruction airframes. JKC-97G One aircraft was modified to test the underwing General Electric J47-GE-23 jet engines, and was later designated KC-97L. HC-97G KC-97Gs converted for search and rescue operations, 22 converted. KC-97H One KC-97F was experimentally converted into a hose-and-drogue refueling aircraft. YC-97J two KC-97G conversion with four 4250 kW Pratt & Whitney YT34-P-5 turboprops, dropped in favour of the Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker. C-97K 27 KC-97Gs converted to troop transports. KC-97L 81 KC-97Gs modified with two J47 turbojet engines on underwing pylons. Operators  Israel Israel Defense Forces  Spain Spanish Air Force  United States United States Air Force The following USAF wing organizations flew the various KC-97 models at some time during their existence: Active duty Air National Guard Accidents and incidents 27 June 1954 KC-97G AF Ser. No. 52-2654 which departed from Altus Air Force Base, Oklahoma, encountered poor weather at its destination, March Air Force Base in California, and attempted to divert to Norton Air Force Base, but crashed into Box Springs Mountain north of Riverside, California, killing all 14 people on board. 4 May 1955 USAF KC-97G 53-0110 was flying in formation when it crashed into the Atlantic 90 mi off Iceland due to loss of control caused by an engine fire, killing all nine on board. 6 July 1956 USAF KC-97E 51-0220 crashed in a wooded area 45 mile northeast of Goose Bay, Canada after reporting an engine fire, killing all six on board. 22 January 1957 a KC-97G AF Ser. No. 53-0222 from Griffiss Air Force Base, New York, crashed in the foothills of the Adirondack Mountains, killing its crew of seven. 9 May 1957 KC-97F AF Ser. No. 51-0258 en route from Sidi Slimane Air Base, Morocco, to Lajes AB, Azores, ditched in the Atlantic 550 km (343.8 mls) SE of the Azores Islands following a double engine failure. All seven crew survived. The airplane floated for ten days before being sunk by the battleship USS Wisconsin. 18 July 1957 KC-97G AF Ser. No. 52-2737 from the 380th Air Refueling Squadron with a crew of eight, exploded and crashed into Lake Champlain at 2128 hrs., when two of the four engines failed three minutes after take-off from Plattsburgh AFB, New York. There were three survivors. 29 October 1957 KC-97G AF Ser. No. 52-2711 of the 509th Bomb Wing, out of Walker AFB, New Mexico, crashed 35 miles north of Flagstaff, Arizona, while on a nine-hour low-level survey flight to determine minimum altitude restri.... Discover the Kc Blaze popular books. Find the top 100 most popular Kc Blaze books.