Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

RetiredParatrooper

(266 posts)
17. There was no way they would have survived
Fri Mar 13, 2026, 03:19 PM
Mar 2026

Air-refueling is very dangerous, as can bee seen in the pictures in the attached article. On one airborne operation (training) I was on, we flew out over the Atlantic to mee some tankers for the C-141's aircrew to practice refueling. You could hear the refueling probe being slid into the top of the Starlifter. When it was done, we flew back over NC and jumped on to Sicily DZ on Fort Bragg.

Recommendations

1 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

We'll never know the truth, this Administration is incapable of being truthful. dem4decades Mar 2026 #1
killed to protect a pedophile Blues Heron Mar 2026 #2
Yep. ck4829 Mar 2026 #25
In the UK, Historian Mark Felton found parts of WWII still classified bucolic_frolic Mar 2026 #3
When I was writing my melm00se Mar 2026 #16
Maybe if genius MF47 had some bases in Afghanistan this wouldn't have happened Ponietz Mar 2026 #4
Mid-air collision AverageOldGuy Mar 2026 #5
I speculated on that in another thread: InstantGratification Mar 2026 #6
It is almost 100% certain that the collision was with another plane involved in the refueling operation Bluetus Mar 2026 #11
Correct, tankers are not normally that close InstantGratification Mar 2026 #18
A question about the tanker-on-tanker scenario Bluetus Mar 2026 #22
I could give you wild speculation, not much else InstantGratification Mar 2026 #23
revisiting this InstantGratification Mar 2026 #26
So it sounds like a "regular" collision Bluetus Mar 2026 #27
yep InstantGratification Mar 2026 #28
I appreciate the insights nonetheless Bluetus Mar 2026 #29
It's amazing that the other plane survived. I saw the supposed image of the other plane and it looked pretty good! LeftInTX Mar 2026 #8
The number is now 13. Baitball Blogger Mar 2026 #7
14 wnylib Mar 2026 #10
7 from the first strike in Kuwait and this 6. Baitball Blogger Mar 2026 #12
Yes, you missed one, but you are not alone on that. wnylib Mar 2026 #13
They did underreport it. Baitball Blogger Mar 2026 #14
Everything Trump touches. Initech Mar 2026 #9
my granddaughter called her mother sobbing... agingdem Mar 2026 #15
There was no way they would have survived RetiredParatrooper Mar 2026 #17
A lot of people don't realize in every air war more planes have been lost to accidents than combat JohnnyRingo Mar 2026 #19
Sounds like exhausted -pilot error Warpy Mar 2026 #20
There are no parachutes on a KC-135 so the plane... S/V Loner Mar 2026 #21
... ck4829 Mar 2026 #24
Latest Discussions»Latest Breaking News»All 6 U.S. crew members k...»Reply #17