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From: marco@ncsc.navy.mil (Barbarisi)
Newsgroups: sci.military
Subject: Re: NATO Air Refueling Methods (KC-10)
Message-ID: <11242@cbnews.ATT.COM>
Date: 8 Nov 89 04:41:20 GMT
Sender: military@cbnews.ATT.COM
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Approved: military@att.att.com



From: marco@ncsc.navy.mil (Barbarisi)

With regards to the recent discussion about the incompatability of USAF
air tanker probes with those of the USN and NATO.....

At nearby Tyndall AFB, I got a chance to eyeball a KC-10 up close.  The 
KC-10 is the airframe of a McDonnell DC-10 commercial airliner, converted
to aereal refueling duty.  I presume it will eventually replace the KC-135
(a Boeing 707 look-alike).  The KC-10 is fitted with the old reliable flying 
boom refueling probe, which is needed to refuel large aircraft (for reasons
discussed earlier in this digest).  

However, if you look to the starboard side of the boom operator's cage, 
you'll see a small recess ("small" compared to everything else on a KC-10)
that holds one of them thar drogue (p-and-d) refueleing probes.  I
presume it is reeled in and out as needed.

So there!

Marco Barbarisi
marco@ncsc.navy.mil