KC-135 Competitors

[Mark Nankivil]

Greetings All -

I recently acquired a copy of Aerofax "Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker" by Robert Hopkins III. In the book, he notes that Lockheed "won" the competition for the KC-135 though Air Research Development Command, with Lemay's concurrence, had already ordered 29 (followed by 88 more) of the Boeing 367-138B design as an interim tanker while the tanker competition was underway. Other entries were a tanker version of the DC-8 and earlier on, though in the end canceled, a tanker version of the Douglas XC-132 was pitched. Boeing also proposed a lightweight (261,000 lb.) version of the Dash 80. Lockheed "won" the competition on its technical potential and was to build one prototype which appears to never seen metal cut for it.

So... has anyone seen drawings of the Lockheed design, the tanker version of the DC-8 and of the Boeing lightweight version of the Dash 80? The tanker version of the XC-132 is shown elsewhere on the site.

Enjoy the Day! Mark

 

[Overkiller]

Lockheed's winning entry can be found in this thread.

https://www.secretprojects.co.uk/threads/lockheed-jet-tanker.1348/#post-11200

Cheers

Duncan

 

[Mark Nankivil]

Awesome - thanks Duncan! Mark

 

[circle-5]

No drawings, but this is the original proposal model for the Douglas DC-8 tanker. Note early, stubby nose profile, cockpit with extra pair of lower windows and still-absent twin cabin air conditioner intakes on this early DC-8 configuration.

Large fore and aft cargo loading doors on port side are also noteworthy.

 

[Spark]

Hi,
Interesting, what are the dates/timeline?

Greetings All -

I recently acquired a copy of Aerofax "Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker" by Robert Hopkins III. In the book, he notes that Lockheed "won" the competition for the KC-135 though Air Research Development Command, with Lemay's concurrence, had already ordered 29 (followed by 88 more) of the Boeing 367-138B design as an interim tanker while the tanker competition was underway. Other entries were a tanker version of the DC-8 and earlier on, though in the end canceled, a tanker version of the Douglas XC-132 was pitched. Boeing also proposed a lightweight (261,000 lb.) version of the Dash 80. Lockheed "won" the competition on its technical potential and was to build one prototype which appears to never seen metal cut for it.

So... has anyone seen drawings of the Lockheed design, the tanker version of the DC-8 and of the Boeing lightweight version of the Dash 80? The tanker version of the XC-132 is shown elsewhere on the site.

Enjoy the Day! Mark

 

[Bill S]

Greetings All -

I recently acquired a copy of Aerofax "Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker" by Robert Hopkins III. In the book, he notes that Lockheed "won" the competition for the KC-135 though Air Research Development Command, with Lemay's concurrence, had already ordered 29 (followed by 88 more) of the Boeing 367-138B design as an interim tanker while the tanker competition was underway. Other entries were a tanker version of the DC-8 and earlier on, though in the end canceled, a tanker version of the Douglas XC-132 was pitched. Boeing also proposed a lightweight (261,000 lb.) version of the Dash 80. Lockheed "won" the competition on its technical potential and was to build one prototype which appears to never seen metal cut for it.

So... has anyone seen drawings of the Lockheed design, the tanker version of the DC-8 and of the Boeing lightweight version of the Dash 80? The tanker version of the XC-132 is shown elsewhere on the site.

Enjoy the Day! Mark

Hey Mark here is a NARA II image of the Douglas KC-X