A USAF KC-135 Stratotanker arriving from West Asia/Middle East was spotted in the UK with shrapnel holes
Posted by ILikeGazSweet@reddit | aviation | View on Reddit | 125 comments
Credits: RezistanceTrench1 on Telegram.
RedSky2727@reddit
Hope the boom operator wasn’t operating at the time this bird was hit - showing significant damage in that area 😳
BloodRush12345@reddit
Only two -135's have been reported damaged in flight. They collided and one unfortunately crashed and the other lost half its vertical stabilizer.
This is on of the six that were damaged on the ground at PSAB. Well one of the five that were repairable one was completely destroyed on the ground as well. It was reported to be shadead 136's.
Jazzlike_Climate4189@reddit
Lol “Shadead” somehow also works
BloodRush12345@reddit
Whoops! Dam auto correct. I spell it wrong the first time and now that's what it corrects to. 🤣 gonna leave it though since yall know what I was trying to say.
ABoutDeSouffle@reddit
That shrapnel pattern wouldn't happen in flight, I guess but from a drone impacting the ground near the plane.
If it was a SAM, it would have either gone for the engines (for an IR seeker) or the front of the plane.
mezzfit@reddit
That's the first thing that I thought!
Playful_Assistance89@reddit
How do they fix something like this? Lots of little riveted in patches, re-skin the rear of the plane, or just say fuck it and paint over the tape?
ztaylor16@reddit
I was going to ask the same thing… seems like a lot of sheet metal work and unnecessary weight to rivet it all, but reskinning the whole aircraft would be absurdly expensive and time consuming
YellowT-5R@reddit
A little over a month ago. Shrapnel from the attack on the Saudi base. It's since been back in the US for full repair
EasternShoreFire@reddit
That was a different aircraft. The one you’re referring to is 59-1444 of the Ohio ANG. This one is 63-8028 with the Alaskan ANG. It left today from the UK and arrived this afternoon in the US.
feint_of_heart@reddit
This one appears to have been hit on the ground as well, judging by the flaps.
BloodRush12345@reddit
There were five that were damaged and deemed repairable. A sixth was destroyed
varateshh@reddit
I would take those statements with a pinch of salt. One of the aircraft the war department said was repairable literally had an open hull. Everything had burned from the wings and backwards.
It's maybe repairable if you take the engines and build a new hull around it.
BloodRush12345@reddit
Pictures they release don't always match up with what they are talking about. And it wouldn't be the first time they have taken two half airplanes and made one good one. So who really knows at this point
aidissonance@reddit
Lil bit of speed tape will do wonders
A320neo@reddit
All I'm thinking is wow the KC-135 has some serious barn door flaps
Dilated_Auntie6970@reddit
I've seen septegenarians fisted with more tautness
bloody_boogers@reddit
There are only 14 original statements left to be spoken.
Ras_Prince_Monolulu@reddit
I thought one of the firt rules of The Villages Florida Club is you do not talk about The Villages Florida Club
FunSizedBlondeCpl@reddit
Keep my granny name outta yo mouth 👋
burgonies@reddit
I should call her
MikeLinPA@reddit
🤦😂
FunSizedBlondeCpl@reddit
Lots of holes to fill your time
alienXcow@reddit
It's because it doesn't have the enlarged wing of the 707 while being far heavier at MTOW than the later 707s. Need to get that wing area somewhere. Some days it's CAT E even with all those flaps.
warm_winds_whisper_@reddit
Fuel is heavy and they have to fly slow to refuel some aircraft like the A-10
bobdawonderweasel@reddit
Yes they are and fucking heavy to install by hand. Got to “help” replace a right inside flap with 25 friends back in ‘88.
Velosprints@reddit
Missing boom too
VikRiggs@reddit
It indeed looks like there was no boom, Ricko
Codezombie_5@reddit
No boom today, boom tomorrow. There's is always a Boom tomorrow.
InfernalGriffon@reddit
Martin: I was expecting an Earth-shattering Ka-Boom!
CharcoalGreyWolf@reddit
John Lee Hooker. Boom Boom Boom Boom
selfishaddict@reddit
Just picked this plane up on my antenna a few minutes ago flying over Indiana.
dumbo61@reddit
I flew from Fairchild to Mather AFB in a KC-135 back in 1982. We refueled some Warthogs over Idaho at 42,000 ft. I got a turn next to the boom operator. Absolutely awesome.
mmm19284202@reddit
Amazing to think these were in service 12 years after WWII ended
cheetuzz@reddit
The 2 dots on the side look like 👀
Face88888888@reddit
APUs
AbeFromanEast@reddit
That's just ceasefire rash.
CarminSanDiego@reddit
Over spray from market pump and dump
SanDiedo@reddit
A ceaseback
Blurockcreek@reddit
Love it!
TheManWith2Poobrains@reddit
Good one. Accept my upvote.
Pocketz7@reddit
From the special military operation.
Sorry wait that’s the wrong dictator
CassiCatto@reddit
Or a copycat dictator
Matthew-Lucy469@reddit
Nothing a fresh strip of speed tape, an 800mg Motrin, and a change of socks can't clear right up tbh.
Blurockcreek@reddit
😂
planelander@reddit
This is the one hit on the ground while in tlv. Heading back home for more repairs
Terry__Cox@reddit
Those are speed holes, they make the plane go faster.
Huge-Power9305@reddit
The Rear of the fuselage says, I got hit from below. The flaps say, I got hit from above. Are both true?
Question 2, everywhere there's paint missing, is there a hole through the skin or is that just surface dings?
Enquiring minds and all.
kryptopeg@reddit
I would imagine it was sat like this with the flaps hanging down, and the missile hit the ground behind it somewhere - shrapnel coming in horizontally at it.
mequetatudo@reddit
Would they leave the flaps depolyed like this when parked?
Other-Comfortable-64@reddit
Where does the boom-operator sit?
LAAccountant@reddit
Doesn't look like holes.
antonio16309@reddit
All those white spots are where they slapped temporary patches on so it could get back to the US for more permanent repairs.
LAAccountant@reddit
How do we know for sure?
catsdrooltoo@reddit
Because that's how temp repairs work. Speed tape, bit of sealant, reduce speed, and send it home.
noncongruent@reddit
I'm guessing they flew unpressurized all the way back?
catsdrooltoo@reddit
Maybe. I would guess they had some altitude restrictions too.
noncongruent@reddit
That’s what I meant, they flew at, what, 8000 feet or 10,000 feet?
antonio16309@reddit
This happened a while back, it was widely reported at the time.
Barrack_obamna@reddit
There's a few holes i can see scattered around.
cumfromgaysex@reddit
Those idiots have had four years now to learn from the Ukrainians how to deal with drones. Disgraceful.
HerburtThePervert@reddit
No country on Earth is immune from drones today. It has reshaped the battlefield and everyone is vulnerable.
cumfromgaysex@reddit
They didn’t even try to do anything different, they were acting like it was 2003 all over again. You may get your news from a source that pretends otherwise but US forces had to abandon dozens of bases across the ME. When the chair force lost that E-3, there were a few KC-135s that were also damaged because they were *parked right next to each other* on the tarmac like they’re back in CONUS.
Competitive-Sorbet33@reddit
“Dozens of bases” lol. You people can suck up propaganda like I’ve never seen before. Please, again, enlighten us with your sources of these dozens of airbases that we’ve lost. I’m sure your news sources are reporting that we’ve lost millions of soldiers, too. And our entire naval fleet, right?
Competitive-Sorbet33@reddit
Please enlighten us who you are describing as “those idiots” in the US military. Which position would be far better off if we upgraded to the Reddit braintrusts?
badk11Z@reddit
The amount of drones/ballistic missiles shot down has been pretty incredible. You’re never going to stop everything, but to only lose 7 soldiers after intercepting 7,000 targets is impressive.
cumfromgaysex@reddit
No it isn’t incredible, it isn’t even close to enough.
JT8D-80@reddit
Bored of peace
place909@reddit
That's just damage from locals throwing celebratory candy and nuts at the plane for liberating them from their oppressors.
Nervous_Bill_6051@reddit
But I thought usa doesn't need europe so why landing in uk
deleted_by_reddit@reddit
[removed]
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SadAbroad4@reddit
Well I guess Iran does have some missiles that can do damage.
DavieStBaconStan@reddit
About 90% still remaining in their arsenal.
Bowman_van_Oort@reddit
"but but but pwesdadent twump sed deyre obblideraded"
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warm_winds_whisper_@reddit
b-b-but they said it’d all be over in two weeks
Cloudrak1@reddit
thats just speed tape
constantpisspig@reddit
Does speed tape usually make the boom fall off?
Mendeth@reddit
Only if you rip it off badly
Thanato26@reddit
Used a few rolls of speed tape
CassiCatto@reddit
Bad case of War Zits it's got there.
heliosythic@reddit
Why are the bullet holes square? Looks like the bullet hole decal didn't render right or something lol
ABoutDeSouffle@reddit
Uh, they like taped square bits of speed tape over the holes? That's why the "holes" are bright and not dark.
feint_of_heart@reddit
Patches over the holes. Do they just use speedtape?
imreadytomoveon@reddit
Just to make sure... You don't like... vote and stuff, right?
heliosythic@reddit
I'll cancel your vote out if you dont tell me why they're square.
imreadytomoveon@reddit
Did you actually look at the picture? Like for real? And you're shitposting to fuck with everyone?
heliosythic@reddit
Yes i see the picture answer my goddamn question, please. Did they tape them already? Are there really that many tiny panels to shoot off? Its a simple question that i likely know the answer too i was just interested in an experts confirmation its not that serious.
Key-Detective-51@reddit
Yes, the square and rectangular spots are where speed was tape applied for the ferry home to get further assessment and repairs.
heliosythic@reddit
<3
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star744jets@reddit
Typical SA7 to 16 impact holes….
FewAlternative9052@reddit
We're winning
Click4-2019@reddit
Just shows how much of a hindrance FAA
And CAA can be.
Military aircraft they can be like… 🤷♂️ let’s tape over the holes and get it flown for repair.
Civil aviation would be like, you ain’t flying that aircraft nowhere mate…
onil34@reddit
with good reason. the military probably also has done extensive checks to see if this airplane is good to go fly home. a civilian airline could prob do the same thing but the airplane would not be allowed to carry passengers.
Aksds@reddit
Time to put more armour there!
EchoOneFour@reddit
If those were holes it wouldn't have been flying.. just paint chipped maybe dents from the shrapnel
anonsharksfan@reddit
That's where you shouldn't put armor
deepeast_oakland@reddit
CaptainAmericaIunderstoodthatreference.gif
63686b6e6f6f646c65@reddit
https://media4.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTZjMDliOTUyZ21ybGY3c2s4a21iZnB6d2F6ZzNobmoxcTlpcHk5c3R0ZWFrazNhdiZlcD12MV9naWZzX3NlYXJjaCZjdD1n/kRmg8zeReOYXm/200.gif
deepeast_oakland@reddit
Mines shorter.
Aigaion_Online@reddit
That's what she said
63686b6e6f6f646c65@reddit
r/confusedupvote
Skyremmer102@reddit
That's a lot of speed tape 😂
grain_farmer@reddit
I wonder how survivable the shrapnel damage to these KC-135s would be if it happened in the air? I was just thinking about that Azerbaijan E190 but I guess that’s a much smaller AC
daygloviking@reddit
To the skin? No great issue.
The Embraer suffered damage to its hydraulic lines.
grain_farmer@reddit
Yeah, I imagine though the shrapnel didn’t stop at the skin and there was some damage. I’m guessing it’s like the 737/747 with a combination of cables and hydraulics.
I did some googling, it sounds like there was not a great deal of changes to the KC-135 to make it more survivable, it’s just naturally rugged.
FMC_Speed@reddit
And wonder how many planes Iran shot down/destroyed on ground and us lied about, it’s probably a lot more than they stated
fukdacops@reddit
Pretty much everything is on camera these days, especially Irans loitering AAM hits, so no I really doubt there are many unreported or theyd be in propaganda videos
jerosiris@reddit
Speed tape can solve anything!
R00k85@reddit
Just a hint of insider trading....
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ChrisAnimate24@reddit
Makes me wonder if a KC-135 has the same endurance as a B-17.
Cheetawolf@reddit
Curious how they flew it back, surely the hydraulic system and wiring must be shredded.
Guessing they brought in parts to fix it just enough to fly it back for a full repair?
ebfortin@reddit
That's a lot of speed tape.
reddituserperson1122@reddit
Wow yikes!
Disastrous-Wall-6943@reddit
This was a while ago.
Python_07@reddit
Yes. Old image.
armorlol@reddit
that speed tape one earlier was a different plane. That one had a lot of damage in the front
jggearhead10@reddit
Correct. The previous plane was from Ohio, this one is marked as being based out of Tetlin (https://www.twz.com/air/battle-damaged-kc-135-seen-covered-in-shrapnel-patches)
mz_groups@reddit
Just after it happened? I've seen this photo appear on various social media platforms in the last few days.
WhiskeyMikeMike@reddit
It’s wild to see US warplanes damaged in this day and age.
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