USAF KC-135 Stratotanker in Graz
Today, a very special first landing took place at Graz Airport. A Boeing KC-135R of the United States Air Force took off from its US base in Columbus during the night and flew to the Styrian capital with a stopover at Burlington International Airport. In the 110-year history of Graz Airport, numerous different military aircraft of the US armed forces have been in Graz, including Boeing AH-64 Apache, Boeing CH-47F Chinook and Sikorsky UH-60M Blackhawk helicopters. A tanker aircraft, however, is a first at Graz Airport and another milestone. The popular photo motif is expected to remain on the north apron of Graz Airport until Thursday.
The KC-135, which is associated with this year’s Airpower24, which is taking place this Friday and Saturday at Hinterstoisser Air Base in Zeltweg, was not the only military flight from Burlington to Styria. A Boeing C-17A Globemaster III with the registration 01-0192, also from the United States Air Force, also took the night-time journey across the North Atlantic and landed directly in Zeltweg early in the morning. Tomorrow at 5:30 p.m., four Lockheed Martin F-35 stealth fighter jets will follow, which are part of the impressive Airpower24 program and will also fly directly to LOXZ Air Base.
The Boeing KC-135R Stratotanker 60-0347 with the serial number 18122 was delivered to the United States Air Force in May 1961. The 63-year-old tanker aircraft is stationed at the Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base, Columbus. It belongs to the 121st Air Refueling Wing, which is part of the Ohio Air National Guard, which can be recognized from the outside by the lettering “OHIO AIR GUARD”.
The Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker was developed for the United States Air Force in the 1950s and has since been modified several times and brought up to date with the latest technology. The additional “R” stands for the main modernization that took place in this series by the manufacturer Boeing from 1982 onwards. With an average age of over 50 years, the numerous Stratotankers are among the oldest active aircraft in the United States Air Force.
