KB-50J

KB-50J. Superfortress. , Originally a B-50 Superfortress bomber aircraft, the B-50 started life as an upgraded model to the B-29 Superfortress. The general appearance of the B-29 and B-50 are similar, however, the B-50 features several upgrades from the B-29 design, including more powerful engines, a taller tail, a redesigned cockpit, and many other structural changes., In 1956, the plane before you was the first B-50 to be converted into a KB-50. Instead of carrying bombs, the KB-50 carried two large fuel tanks in the bomb bay. It had two drogue hose pods mounted to the wingtips along with a third in the former tail gunner's position. In 1957, jet engines were added to boost the aircraft to safer speeds while refueling faster jet aircraft. Those that received jet engines were dubbed KB-50Js., The KB-50 was used successfully for about eight years. It served as the basis for the KC-97 design and both aircraft served concurrently until replaced by the jet powered KC-135 Stratotanker. The last KB-50s flew as emergency refuelers for jet fighters over Vietnam before final retirement in 1965.,

Specifications , Manufacturer: Boeing and Hayes Aircraft Corporation , Type: Probe-and-drogue aerial refueler , Powerplant: Four 3,500-hp Pratt and Whitney R-4360-35(A) radial engines and two 5,910-lb-thrust General Electric J-47 turbojets. , Maximum Speed: 444 mph (at 17,000 ft) , Range: 2,500 mi. , Service Ceiling: 32,100 ft , Max Takeoff Wight: 179,511 lb , Crew: Pilot, co-pilot, navigator, flight engineer, and two refueling operators , Payload: 5,500 gallons of fuel , Dimensions: , Wing Span: 141 ft 2 in , Length: 105 ft 1 in , Height: 33 ft 7 in

, [Captions:] , Above: A KB-50J Superfortress refuels a RF-101 Voodoo while a B-66 Destroyer and F-100 Super Saber maneuvers into hook-up position., A taller tail fin was fitted to the B-50 to improve stability in flight. This new fin could fold down to be fitted inside regular USAF hangars., The B-50 wing was reconstructed using stronger aluminum known as 75ST and became 600 pounds lighter., In B-50D models and later the seven-piece nose cone window used on the B-29 was replaced by a single plastic cone and a flat bombardier's window., Installation of the General Electric J-47 turbojet engines increased the aircraft's airspeed and altitude allowing it to refuel the newer and faster jet fighters., After finding corrosion in the crashed KB-50J #48-065 on 14 October 1964 in Thailand, all B-50 variants were forced into early retirement (March 1965) and were replaced by KC-135 Stratotanker.