KC-135 down, another damaged

[MikeD]

Most likely scenario is a cell of tankers, often three. Likely not even from the same unit, operating in the same enroute track or refueling hold track, not emitting anything, lights out, just procedural deconfliction of maybe 500 to 1000 vertical maybe a mile or less lateral.

 

[///AMG]

Terrible to hear. I can't imagine just having that happen and having no way out afterwards. Side note, I wonder if I ever took gas from this particular tail. Not something that would be knowable, they log our tails but we don't take note of theirs. Real tragic

 

[Pilot Fighter]

Reserve and ANG heavies usually deploy with aircraft and personnel from two or three different units per singular rotation, that makes up the deployed “provisional” unit.

I knew whole units didn’t deploy but assumed they were organized in something like two plane dets (Navy-speak).

I hope this all makes sense when we look in the rear view mirror in 6-12 months.

RIP.

 

[MikeD]

I knew whole units didn’t deploy but assumed they were organized in something like two plane dets (Navy-speak).

I hope this all makes sense when we look in the rear view mirror in 6-12 months.

RIP.

That’s about right, in terms of what each unit contributes to the whole provisional squadron during a deployment.

 

[MikeD]

Terrible to hear. I can't imagine just having that happen and having no way out afterwards. Side note, I wonder if I ever took gas from this particular tail. Not something that would be knowable, they log our tails but we don't take note of theirs. Real tragic

Won $30 once, headed to a tanker track leading a 4-ship of a junior Capt and two Lt’s. A few miles out in a turn, and rejoining the formation into observation position as I head to precontact. I announce over inter flight that “appears to be 84-0188”, to which I get comments of “BS”, blah blah. “Bet you all a ten spot each that I’m right, you guys can’t see the tail number, it’s plain as day?” Rejoin, and sure enough, 84-0188. “How can you read that?”

Won $30.

Helped to have called ahead to the unit and gotten the assigned tail of their jet before takeoff.