Photo: USAF/1st Lt. Joshua Thompson
There are a lot of impressive things aircraft, regardless of type, are capable of doing while in the sky. From flying in formation to performing insane aerial maneuvers during air shows, military aircraft often become the subject of amazement for people watching them from wherever. But in the opinion of some, aerial refueling is at the top of the list when it comes to stunning maneuvers that can be performed.
The concept of feeding aircraft their needed fuel while in the air is not new, having been applied for the first time on a large scale during the Korean War. Robbed of their bases on the ground on account of the enemy’s offensive, American F-84 airplanes coming all the way from Japan had to refuel mid-air, using modified B-29s as gas stations.
Since then, specialized winged machines have been created, capable of carrying enough fuel for a number of aircraft to be able to conduct extended missions over enemy territory. And by aircraft, we don’t only mean airplanes, but helicopters too.
The U.S. military has been at it pumping fuel into helicopters from flying tankers ever since the Vietnam war when this type of machine really established itself as a reliable workhorse in an incredibly hostile environment.
They still do it to this day, as it can clearly be seen in the photo we have here, taken by 1st Lt. Joshua Thompson in late July in Queensland, Australia, during the Talisman Sabre 21 exercise.
The pic (click main photo to enlarge) shows an MC-130J Air Commando II tied through a fuel line to an MH-60 Black Hawk. It may look like a towing operation being conducted mid-air, but this is aerial refueling at its finest, a perfect fit for our Photo of the Day section, where lately we’ve been celebrating these impressive flying machines.
Since then, specialized winged machines have been created, capable of carrying enough fuel for a number of aircraft to be able to conduct extended missions over enemy territory. And by aircraft, we don’t only mean airplanes, but helicopters too.
The U.S. military has been at it pumping fuel into helicopters from flying tankers ever since the Vietnam war when this type of machine really established itself as a reliable workhorse in an incredibly hostile environment.
They still do it to this day, as it can clearly be seen in the photo we have here, taken by 1st Lt. Joshua Thompson in late July in Queensland, Australia, during the Talisman Sabre 21 exercise.
The pic (click main photo to enlarge) shows an MC-130J Air Commando II tied through a fuel line to an MH-60 Black Hawk. It may look like a towing operation being conducted mid-air, but this is aerial refueling at its finest, a perfect fit for our Photo of the Day section, where lately we’ve been celebrating these impressive flying machines.
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