Maybe the last time

[Splitpin]

Chris gave away his sleep in today to catch this old girl on her world goodbye tour.







He did a low pass over NZCH after takeoff and then headed toward the land of Oz.
Cheers Chris...dedication plus mate...well done.

[Splitpin]

Strange to think that this 33-year-old airframe is to be retired...and a few 60-plus-year-old 135's still carry on.

[Charl]

Ain't going if it ain't a Boeing...
Geeze Mr. Splitpin, you want to watch your thread titles mate.
Us 60-plus-year-olds are sensitive to such heraldry!

[cowpatz]

A great machine. I enjoyed working on the civilian counterpart many years ago. A shame I never had the opportunity to fly it as well.
A shame to see these workhorses go……although the way the worlds heading they might reconsider holding on to them.
Well done Chris.

[Splitpin]

Thanks for looking team, on closer inspection, she seems to have been a flying paint test pot ...real patchy.
But a good-looking aircraft nevertheless.
Charl, I'm sorry about that title .....take care old chap.

[Splitpin]

A great machine. I enjoyed working on the civilian counterpart many years ago. A shame I never had the opportunity to fly it as well.
A shame to see these workhorses go……although the way the worlds heading they might reconsider holding on to them.
Well done Chris.

CP re the world, it's a mess alright, and they may well be required.
I can't find any reason (so far) for the KC-10 retirement. That visitor is only 33 years old and there are 135's twice that age still working.
Boeing has delivered 78 KC-46s (as of October 2023)
But regarding the 135s "The USAF operates around 400 of these aircraft, including around 160 active duty aircraft, 60 reserve aircraft. Further, 180 tankers are used by the Air National Guard. Currently used variants are the KC-135R and KC-135T."*
Guess it just comes down to money with KC-10, they will all be gone by September this year, 60 of them.

*Air and Space Forces Magazine.

[simonh]

There were three all doing the same thing. I managed to catch a glimpse of it just after takeoff at work yesterday.
Great shots though.
I believe that a handful are being kept in service for a couple more years as the KC-46 takes over from the KC-135R...but it's still too young to be retired.