C-135 Stratolifter | |
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C-135C Speckled Trout | |
Role | Military transport aircraft |
National origin | United States |
Manufacturer | Boeing |
First flight | 23 June 1961[1] |
Introduction | August 1961 |
Status | Active service |
Primary user | United States Air Force |
Produced | 1960–1963 |
Number built | 60[2] |
Developed from | Boeing 367-80 Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker |
Variants | Boeing EC-135 Boeing NC-135 Boeing RC-135 OC-135B Open Skies WC-135 Constant Phoenix |
The Boeing C-135 Stratolifter is a transport aircraft derived from the prototype Boeing 367-80 jet airliner[3] (also the basis for the 707) in the early 1950s. It has a narrower fuselage and is shorter than the 707. Boeing gave the aircraft the internal designation of Model 717,[4] a name later assigned to a completely different aircraft.
Since the first one was built in August 1956, the C-135 and its variants have been a fixture of the United States Air Force.
It was developed from the Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker.[3]