Originally Posted by
tdracer
Correct. The Boeing KC-135 civilian designation was 717 (something that was apparently lost on the idiots that were running Boeing after the Boeing/MacDac merger when they renamed the MD-95 but I digress). Several significant differences between the KC-135/717 and the 707 - the most significant being the fuselage (707 is somewhat larger in diameter).
All subsequent military variants where based on the 707 including the E-3 and E-8.
I saw that happening did not know what was going on until it returned and saw the damage, like you I thought it was written off.