Check Six: December 30, 1964 – 50 years ago
From the This Day in Aviation website
December 1964: The United States Air Force accepted the last of 732 KC-135 Stratotankers built by Boeing, KC-135A serial number 64-14840. 50 years later, 414 of them are still in service. It is estimated that the fleet is 33% through their design lifetime limits.
Built as an aerial refueling tanker to support the U.S. Air Force fleet of B-52 Stratofortress strategic bombers, an initial order for 24 tankers was soon increased to 250. Eventually 732 KC-135As were built by Boeing, and an additional 81 of other versions.
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