HELLER BOEING C 135 FR 1/72
France has eleven C135 FR. Originally, they were named C135F (original engine: Pratt & Whitney JT-3) and the first flight took place on 5th February 1964. After upgrading the engine in 1985, they become known as C135 FR. The French model is equipped with a reinforced floor, two air conditioners instead of one as the original American model and two pods at the end of the wings enabling the simultaneous in-flight refuelling of two planes.The main task of the BOEING C135 FR is the in-flight refuelling of the Mirage 2000N �the intermediate range ground-to-air nuclear missile carrier� needed for prolonging their strategic missions. Entirely part of nuclear operations, the supply planes are also essential radio relays. The eleven aircrafts take part daily in the training of French fighter pilots for in-flight refuelling, which is compulsory to carry out missions, should a conflict arise. These eleven aircrafts have moreover been seen on all the theatres of operations where France intervened militarily, like the Gulf war or more recently, during the conflicts, which took place in Kosovo and Afghanistan. During such military operations, the C 135 FR supplies fuel to the French planes, as well as to the American, English, German or even Italian planes. The C 135 FR can also take part in humanitarian missions, transporting equipment or staff, like it did during the earthquake in Turkey (August 1999), the hurricane in Guadeloupe (on 19th November 1999) or by bringing medical help to Timor thanks to the French-Australian airlift (from September to December 1999). _ Specifications sheet _ Wingspan: 40 m _ Length:41.50 m _ Engine: 4 CFM56-2-B1, double body, double thrust. _ Max. speed: Mach 0,9 _ Max. height: 15 000 m |
