USAF Extender's last flight

On 26 September 2024, as expected, McDonnell Douglas KC-10A Extender with serial number 79-1948 bowed out during a farewell flight for the masses at Travis AFB (CA).

"Gucci10", accompanied by two Eagles, the last 60th Air Mobility Wing and associated 349th Air Mobility Wing KC-10A flew past the Travis tarmac on its way to the 309th Aerospace Maintenance And Regeneration Group, also known as the Boneyard, near Tucson (AZ).

The USAF has operated sixty aircraft over the past 44 years without crashes. Unfortunately one, serial number 82-0190, operated by the 2nd BW, was lost in a freak incident.

While on the ramp at Barksdale AFB (LA), the centre fuel tank exploded. The cause of the incident was attributed to an explosion of fuel vapor in this fuel tank. The aircraft was destroyed by the flames. Investigators found that fuel had leaked and that the vapors had probably been ignited by sparks from a battery near the pump area for the tank. Shortly after the incident, the USAF ordered a check of all KC-10s and found a dozen similar leaks.

Credit photo: Galen Burows (via jetphotos.com)