Pictures of Cold War aircraft. (8 Viewers)

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The photo is of a KC-97L, which has 2 underwing pods, each containing a J47 jet engine (used for take-off and for short periods while refueling) - which enabled higher max take-off weight and eliminated (barely) the need for the diving refueling profile.

I have seen cruising speeds for the KC-97 of between 230 mph and 300 mph (the regular C-97 lists 300 mph as well), and the listed max speed is 375-400 mph for KC-97s and C-97s.

I'm sure that the extra underwing fuel tanks and the boom reduced the "best-range cruise speed", but in addition I suspect that deploying the boom required a drop in speed for best control of the boom.

Refueling speeds I have seen vary from 200 mph to "over 240 mph" without mentioning which models of KC-97 are being referenced.

The refueling speed range was probably driven by the receivers and not necessarily the tanker. The receivers like to take gas at a speed that gives plenty of throttle response especially as weight goes up. The KC97s bridged a long time frame in terms of aviation progress.
 
McDonnell CF-101B Voodoo 416 Sqn 1974 AIRH
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1983: The first all-female USAF transatlantic flight occurred on May 9, 1983, when an 18th Military Airlift Squadron crew flew a C-141B Starlifter from McGuire Air Force Base, New Jersey, to Rhein-Main Air Base, Germany. The aircrew included: Capt Guiliana Sangiorgio, Aircraft Commander; Capt Barbara Akin, first pilot; 1 Lt Terri Ollinger, copilot; TSgt Donna Wertz; Instructor Flight Engineer; SSgt Denise Meunier, Flight Engineer; Sgt Mary Eiche, Loadmaster; and A1C Bernadette Botti, Loadmaster.

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