On ebay at present, there is a photo of Lincoln RA 657, mid air re fueling an F84 Thunderjet.
The seller knows no more in his description, as to when and where. I never knew Lincs were used as re fueling aircraft.Any ideas as to whether this may have been in the U.K. or somewhere overseas and the era?.
Jim.
Lincoln .7
By: Eddie - 14th August 2011 at 21:04
There are little arrows above the article page – click the right hand pointing one and you should get the next page. It describes the issues John mentioned.
By: Lincoln 7 - 14th August 2011 at 19:31
John. re your thread 6, many thanks for this most enlighning story. I wonder why one failed to connect?. however the pilot managed to eject. In those not so long ago days, this was an absolute feat of organisation, and flying.
Thanks again.
Jim.
Lincoln .7
By: Lincoln 7 - 14th August 2011 at 19:22
Aha!
http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1951/1951%20-%202439.htmlHere’s an article about it, including a photo of the Lincoln refuelling an F-84.
Hi Eddie. Many thanks for the link, it’s hard to believe it actualy happened. The logistics of such an operation, must have taken months to organise.
I have a feeling there is more on this, but I cannot expand the text on the left.
To me, it makes great reading, many thanks.
Jim.
Lincoln .7
By: J Boyle - 14th August 2011 at 17:10
A similar photio is published in F-84 Thunderjet, Detail and Scale Vol. 59, 1999 Squadron Signal Publications.
The photo is credit to the USAF Museum, so if someone buys it on ebay, they’re not getting something unique.
On Sept 22, 1950, two specially modified EF-84Es were equipped with an in-flight refueling probes in their left wing.
Using British tankers, they set off on a trans-Atlantic westbound flight.
One of the planes couldn’t make a contact and ran out of fuel, its pilot bailing out over Newfoundland, while the other (49-2091), flown by Col. David C. Schilling, completed the entire flight becong the first non-stop jet fighter crossing of the Atlantic.
It was a demonstrations for Flight Refueling’s method, which was eventually adopted by the Tactical Air Command. TAC fitted the UK-designed system to most of its aircraft (F-84, 100, 101, 104, 105, B-66) using KB-29s and KB-50s as tankers..
Later F-84s had probes retrofitted into tip tanks, while the F-84G also had a receptacle for the USAF flying boom system.
By: Eddie - 14th August 2011 at 17:01
Aha!
http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1951/1951%20-%202439.html
Here’s an article about it, including a photo of the Lincoln refuelling an F-84.
By: Eddie - 14th August 2011 at 16:55
http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1950/1950%20-%201850.html
A page from “Flight” that mentions the tests were ‘in this country’ (so the UK), with a Lincoln, B29, and showing an F84.
By: Lincoln 7 - 14th August 2011 at 15:56
Hi Eddie. Many thanks for your input, yes, definately a Meteor being refueled, that makes two different Lincolns adapted for mid air refueling,
I wonder where they were doing it, as one was a USA aircraft, the 2nd was a U.K. one. Very confusing to say the least. I wonder if I will ever find the answers.
Thanks again for your time and trouble.
Jim.
Lincoln .7
By: Eddie - 14th August 2011 at 15:07
One with a Meteor. I think RA657 was a test aircraft.
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August 14, 2011 at 2:50 pm