Boeing CC-137
| CC-137 | |
|---|---|
%2C_Canada_-_Air_Force_AN1849852.jpg) | |
| A Canadian Armed Forces Boeing 707 (CC-137) | |
| Role | Military transport aircraft |
| Manufacturer | Boeing |
| First flight | 1970 |
| Introduction | 1972 |
| Retired | 1997 |
| Primary user | Canadian Forces |
| Number built | 5 |
| Developed from | Boeing 707 |
The Boeing CC-137 is the designation for five Boeing 707-347C transport aircraft which served with the Canadian Forces from 1970 to 1997. The aircraft provided long range passenger transport for the military, VIP transport for government and air-to-air refueling for fighters such as the CF-116 Freedom Fighter and CF-18 Hornet. It was replaced by the Airbus CC-150 Polaris in the transport role and much later in the tanker role.
Design and development
During the 1960s, the Royal Canadian Air Force set out a requirement to replace the aging fleet of Canadair CC-106 Yukons and Canadair CC-109 Cosmopolitan transports. Initially, the Boeing KC-135 was being considered because the versatile design could also fulfill a yet-unspecified aerial refuelling role.[1] Although a "purpose-built" aircraft would have suited the RCAF requirements better, an opportunity to acquire Boeing 707s as an alternative, soon presented itself.[2]
Operational history
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Canada purchased five Boeing 707s in 1970-71 to replace the RCAF's CC-106 Yukons in the long range transport role and the CC-109 Cosmopolitan as an executive or short-range transport.[3] The first four aircraft had been built for Western Airlines, but that order was subsequently cancelled; the fifth was bought separately a year later. To fulfil Canada's requirements for aerial refueling, two aircraft were fitted with Beechcraft made probe and drogue refueling pods in 1972.[4] The two sets of refuelling equipment was moved from aircraft to aircraft to keep fleet utilization even between the airframes.
The CC-137 fleet had a combined total of 191,154 hours, remaining in service in the transport role until 1995, with two aircraft continuing in use as tankers until 1997.[4][5]
Most of the fleet ended up with the Northrop Grumman E-8 Joint STARS programme either for spare parts or conversion to E-8C standard for the United States Air Force.[6]
Operators
Specifications (CC-137)
Data from Boeing CC137 (707-347C)[7]
General characteristics
- Crew: 3
- Capacity: 170 passengers
- Payload: 90,000 lb (41,000 kg)
- Length: 152 ft 11 in (46.61 m)
- Wingspan: 145 ft 9 in (44.42 m)
- Height: 42 ft 5 in (12.93 m)
- Wing area: 3,010 ft² (280 m²)
- Empty weight: 140,000 lb (63,569 kg)
- Max. takeoff weight: 327,000 lb (148,000 kg)
- Powerplant: 4 × Pratt & Whitney JT3D-7 turbofans, 19,700 lb (87.6 kN) each
Performance
- Cruise speed: 618 mph (537 knots, 994 km/h)
- Range: 7,638 mi (6,636 nm, 12,290 km)
- Service ceiling: 39,000 ft (12,000 m)
See also
- Related development
- Related lists
References
Notes
- ↑ Stachiw 2004, p. 18.
- ↑ Stachiw 2004, p. 18–19.
- ↑ Bowers 1989, p. 454.
- 1 2 Canada's Air Force, Aircraft, Historical Aircraft, Boeing 707 (CC-137) Canadian Department of National Defence. Retrieved: 1 March 2008.
- ↑ Stachiw 2004, p. 23.
- ↑ http://www.rcaf.com/Aircraft/aircraftDetail.php?CC-137-97
- ↑ Stachiw 2004, p. 26.
Bibliography
- Bowers, Peter M. Boeing Aircraft since 1916. London: Putnam, 1989. ISBN 0-85177-804-6.
- Stachiw, Anthony L. Boeing CC137 (707-347C). St. Catharine's, Ontario, Canada: Vanwell Publishing Ltd., 2004. ISBN 1-55125-079-9.
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Boeing CC-137. |