Planes-Trains-Ships: "The Moose is Loose"!! KC-135R 58-0093

9/7/91 – 9/8/71, NAS South Weymouth. "Arctic Cat"

Several views of KC-135R 58-0093 (c/n 17838, "Arctic Cat") of the 42nd Air Refueling Squadron of the Strategic Air Command's 42nd Bomb Wing based at Loring AFB, Limestone, ME.

KC-135R 58-0093 was originally delivered to the USAF on 8/26/59 as a KC-135A. During 1989 (9/28/89), she was converted to a KC-135R with her original J-57 engines replaced by CFM International F-108-CF-100 turbofans (along with other mod's). Remarkably, as of July 2015, it appears (see, for example, http://www.airframes.org/reg/580093) that 0093 is still in active service with the USAF's 22nd Air Refueling Wing (augmented by the USAF Reserve's 931st Air Refueling Group) based at McConnell AFB, Kansas.

Serving with SAC until SAC's 6/1/92 disestablishment, the 42nd ARS was deactivated on 4/30/94. The 42nd BW itself was deactivated on 9/30/94 when Loring AFB was closed. The 42nd Wing was reactivated the next day as the 42nd Airbase Wing at Maxwell AFB in Montgomery, AL.

Photo 1 was taken on 9/8/91 and Photos 2- 7 were taken on 9/7/91. In these photo's, 0093 was painted in the early 90's camo scheme known informally as the "Shamu" (AKA "Baby Shamu") scheme consisting of top surfaces in FS 36081 (Dark Gray, AKA Gunship Gray) and lower surfaces in FS 16473 (Gray, AKA Aircraft Gray).

Photo 1. Port side of 0093 with NAS S. Weymouth's Hangar 1 in the right background.

Photo 2. Starboard side of 0093. Note the SAC emblem behind and below the cockpit windows.

Photos 3 & 4. Close-ups of the striking "Arctic Cat" nose art carried by 0093. Also worthy of note are the airplane's S/N data block and the 42nd BW insignia with the Wing's motto, "Aethera Nobis" meaning, "The Skies For Us".