I worked in the military branch, but we kept the KC-135 flying (aka, the commercial 707) up to 2009, from its birth in 1956. It was a wonderful airplane, the first big time intercontinental jetliner that made it good. But it was refueling planes in the air before it was flying people to Paris.
In the 1980's Boeing re-engined and re-skinned the entire fleet of KC-135s. The engines were the GE/Snecma CFM-56 which doubled the thrust of the KC's JT-3s and made it more efficient, and much more quiet (my job, as an acoustical engineer).
I flew to my home state in one of the last commercial 707s one week. The pilot got into a severe wind sheer problem while starting his descent into Cleveland. The wings were flapping like a bird, and we plunged thousands of feet in much too short of time for passenger comfort. The damned thing was plummeting like a rock, but I knew the pilot put nose down to regain lift to cancel the stall due to the wind sheer. We were all scared shitless, but I knew the plane. That pilot not only gained control easily, but he brought that beautiful bird in and landed it without as much as a bump.
When I deplaned, I told the stewardess that I worked on KCs at Boeing and I wanted to have a word with the captain. I simply told him, nicely done. It was indeed, a beautiful maneuver. Scared the shit out of everybody, but beautiful nonetheless.
The 707/KC-135 was a helluva aircraft.
The KC-135R:
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