Originally Posted by
DFCP
On to the next.
An ex USN WW2 pilot dabbled in aviation reporting. He was invited to participate in a record breaking flight by two KC135, s.
The aircraft were to leave Westover base in Mass.Both were to overhead NYC and proceed to
London. The second aircraft would then return to NYC without landing in London.
It was a hot summer day and the flights were to leave in the early evening.
Paul was assigned to the round trip 135 and during an afternoon briefing it transpired that the gross weight on that aircraft was a record.
That aircraft never got airborne and all on board were killed.
The next issue of Time had a photo of the steps up to the ill fated aircraft. Paul was coming down with his luggage!
Details the flight number of the one that crashed.
Crash of a Boeing KC-135A-BN Stratotanker at Westover AFB: 15 killed | B3A Aircraft Accidents Archives