What is technically necessary for an airframe to have in-flight refueling?
Boeing 707 was designed as a tanker. Initially, Boeing wanted to build a narrowbody plane, like the prototype 367; but then airlines asked for a wider body which could seat 6 abreast, likle DC-8 which was 373 cm wide, so in the end Boeing built the passenger 707 to be 376 cm wide - and likewise with the tanker, even though surely the wide airliner body could mean extra drag...
But I gather that many air forces operate tankers which are secondhand passenger planes - I suppose that neither VC-10 nor Lockheed Tristar were built as tankers.
Which other planes are tankers? And what is involved in rebuilding a passenger plane into a tanker?
Also, what is necessary for a plane to be tanked?
B747 can certainly be rebuilt to be tanked, so the American VC-25 and E-4. But it is not only US - I think Iran has B747-200 tankers. What is involved in rebuilding a plane that normally cannot be refueled in air, so that it can be tanked?
Tanker and tanked design
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Re: Tanker and tanked design
chornedsnorkack wrote:What is technically necessary for an airframe to have in-flight refueling?
Which other planes are tankers? And what is involved in rebuilding a passenger plane into a tanker?
Also, what is necessary for a plane to be tanked?
Making a plane able to RECEIVE fuel is mostly a question of money. Generally you could fit the equipment into every aircraft which is able to carry it.
Following tankers come to my mind: KC-10 (DC-10), KC-135 (B707), B767, A310, A330, C-130,....
Furthermore, many fighter aircraft can exchange fuel. Examples are the Tornado or the A-6 Intruder.
Regards, Bernhard
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chornedsnorkack
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Re: Tanker and tanked design
Ah, interesting...n5528p wrote:chornedsnorkack wrote:What is technically necessary for an airframe to have in-flight refueling?
Which other planes are tankers? And what is involved in rebuilding a passenger plane into a tanker?
Also, what is necessary for a plane to be tanked?
Making a plane able to RECEIVE fuel is mostly a question of money. Generally you could fit the equipment into every aircraft which is able to carry it.
So, technically e. g. the Concorde could be modified to receive fuel in air?