2.6 Years
— The total time the first operational KC-135R Stratotanker spent in the air before retiring following its final flight from Altus Air Force Base in Oklahoma to the Davis-Monthan “boneyard” in Arizona Feb. 21. The flying gas station flew its first Air Force flight on Aug. 14, 1962, and accumulated 22,500 flight hours in the more than half-century since (it got new engines in 1985). Happy contrails to you, Tail No. 61-0312…
