Story and photos by Scott Jankowski
General Mitchell International Airport is home to the citizen airmen of the Wisconsin Air National Guard’s 128th Air Refueling Wing flying the venerable Boeing KC-135R Stratotanker. The 128th has a storied past with the plenty of “firsts”, firsts such as becoming the first Air National Guard Tanker unit to become fully operational in December 1963. In August of 1991 the 128th was the first Air National Guard or Air Force Reserve unit to receive the upgraded KC-135R. They would fly the first ever sanctioned Air National Guard flight of civilians outside the United States and would also be the first unit to fly a KC-135 into West Berlin Germany. And on July 1st, 2025, another first when Boeing KC-135R, tail number 57-1514, serial number 17585 was unveiled to the wing wearing custom tail and fuselage art. This would be the wing’s first aircraft to wear a heritage paint scheme honoring the wing’s past and its close ties to the city of Milwaukee.
The Boeing KC-135, which first flew on August 31st, 1956, was introduced into Air Force service in June of 1957. The final model of KC-135 the “R” model is powered by 4 CFM F108-GF-100 turbofan engines which generate 21,600 pounds of thrust each giving the aircraft a top speed of 580 miles per hour. The KC-135R has a maximum range of 1,500 miles when carrying 150,000#’s of jet fuel for transfer and has a crew of three of four depending on the mission, pilot, copilot, boom operator, and sometimes a navigator. It can carry up to 80 passengers in seats affixed to pallets to roll on and off the aircraft or 83,000#’s of cargo. The KC-135 was developed from the Boeing 367-80, the prototype Boeing 707 and was initially designated the Boeing 717. It was designed to replace the aging Boeing KC-97 Stratofreighter fleet which did not have the speed to keep up with modern day jet powered fighters and bombers.
The most prominent feature of the KC-135 is its flying boom attached to the bottom rear of the fuselage. The flying boom is so named due to the moveable airfoils or flight control surfaces often found in a V configuration; they are hydraulically operated. The flying boom is gimballed allowing it to move with the receiver aircraft and can transfer up to 6,500#’s of fuel a minute. The KC-135 can refuel any aircraft in the United States Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, or NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) aircraft. With special modifications it can refuel aircraft with a refueling probe as opposed to the receptacle that the flying boom plugs into. A total of 809 KC-135’s were built between 1955 and 1965 with some 400 remaining in service today. The KC-135 is slowly being replaced by another Boeing product, the KC-46A Pegasus.
The 128th Air Refueling Wing can trace its lineage back to World War II as the 362d Fighter Group flying the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt. In 1946 the 362d was redesignated the 128th Fighter Group and assigned to the Wisconsin Air National Guard. The unit was based at General Mitchell Airport and flew the North American P-51D Mustang. In 1950 the unit was redesignated again as the 128TH Fighter Interceptor Group and would be federalized during the Korean War in 1951. The unit would return to state control and would go on to fly the North American F-86F Sabre in 1953 and the Northrop F-89C and J Scorpions in 1954 and 1960 respectively in the air defense mission. In August of 1961 the 128th Fighter Interceptor Wing was transferred to SAC (Strategic Air Command) and assumed the tanker role flying the Boeing KC-97G Stratofreighter. The wing would go on to fly the “F and L” models until 1977.
The 128th would usher in the jet age in July of 1976 when the wing received its first KC-135A Stratotanker and flew its first mission in the new jet in October of that year. In 1982 the wing would begin the transition to the reengined KC-135E Stratotanker and would fly this model until 1992. The conversion from the “E” model to the “R” model would begin in July of 1991, with the last “E” model leaving the wing in February of 1992. The wing became part of Air Mobility Command in June of 1992 when the Strategic Air Command would be inactivated. The wing has operated the KC-135R continuously since and currently has 10 aircraft assigned. The men and women of the 128th have participated in several conflicts and missions including Operation Desert Shield, Desert Storm, Restore Hope, Decisive Endeavor, Allied Force, Noble Eagle, Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom, and Joint Forge. The 128th also supports exercises such as Red Flag, Northern Lightning, and Sentry North, in addition the 128th routinely deploys personnel and aircraft as part of the ETTF (European Tanker Task Force) and PTTF (Pacific Tanker Task Force).
Boeing KC-135R Stratotanker tail number 57-1514, line number 194 rolled off the Renton WA production line as an “A” model on November 17th, 1958, took its first flight on December 15th, 1958, and was delivered to the United States Air Force on December 22nd 1958. This particular KC-135 was initially operated by the 72nd Bomb Wing at Ramey Air Force Base Puerto Rico in the late 1950’s and 1960’s. The 92nd Air Refueling Wing, based at Fairchild Air Force Base Washington, also operated this aircraft. This KC-135 would be reengined in 1982 and redesignated a KC-135E which saw the original J57 engines replaced with refurbished TF33-PW-102 engines. These quieter engines improved performance as they are 14% more fuel-efficient and could offload 20% more fuel. The Ohio Air National Guard’s 121st Air refueling wing based at Rickenbacker Air National Base, Columbus Ohio would operate the aircraft prior to the 128th obtaining it. On April 26th, 1989, this KC-135 was reengined once again with the CFM International F108-CF-100 was redesignated to a KC-135R. It is worth noting that this KC-135R is modified with the LAIRCM (Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasures) pod which is carried on the centerline aft of the main gear doors. It contains four sensors that detect MANPADS (man-portable air defense missiles) and a laser on the bottom that fires disabling the warhead.
As wing personnel made their way to the far North side of the ramp adjacent to the hanger that the Heritage Jet was located in, 128th Air Refueling Wing Commander Colonel Charles Merkel welcomed everyone on this beautiful July morning to the first unveiling of this beautiful aircraft. The planning took a year with over 550-man hours to complete and a painting process which took place here at the base. Colonel Merkel introduced Master Seargeant Elizabeth Cywinski of the Structural Maintenance squadron, she played a very pivotal role in the planning, design, and execution of painting this aircraft.
Master Seargeant Cywinski provided the following regarding this process, the significance of the design itself, and the choice of colors used. “The idea of creating a ‘Heritage or Command Jet’ came about when discussions started regarding the tail flash and turning it into something more uniquely Milwaukee.” The current or standard tail flash is the word Wisconsin in red and white, with a stylized W similar to the Wisconsin Badgers team logo. The design evolved from there and once one was chosen it was a pretty simple approval process. Air National Guard Corrosion and Control Program regulations grants units the ability to have what is considered a non-standard paint scheme. Once all approvals were submitted and obtained from multiple groups including Colonel Merkel the painting process could begin. Master Seargeant Cywinski continued, “There several elements of the of the 128th general paint scheme that are unique to the wing. Every KC-135R has the ‘Wisconsin’ tail flash, black eyebrow paint outlined in red around the cockpit windows, the 128th unit identifier (with a small banner similar to the Miller Brewing logo), and the Crew Chief name block which is the outline of the State of Wisconsin. “The refueling boom’s fight control surfaces feature the wing name on the left (128 ARW) and on the right the same stylized “W” with the WI ANG name.
The chosen design for the Heritage jet includes a large flying stein on both sides of the vertical stabilizer, a Milwaukee tail flash, the units nickname “Home of the Brew City Tankers”, and a SAC stripe with the units’ shield. “The major elements of this design help to connect the 128th Air Refueling Wing, the city of Milwaukee, and the hometown pride felt by unit members.” “The flying stein has a historical significance to the 128th dating back to 1963 where it can be found on the base newsletter, The Tankard. The stein is displayed across the wing on everything from aircraft nose art to wall art and mugs. It has become a symbol; it motivates, binds, and connects the members, rallying them and driving them toward mission accomplishment and the delivery of exceptional airpower. The stein also ties in with the wing nickname Brew city Tankers. The city of Milwaukee’s brewing history dates back to the 1800’s and with over two centuries of brewing heritage it appropriately earned the nickname “Brew City.”
The ‘Milwaukee’ tail flash displayed atop the vertical stabilizer helps to differentiate the unit from their sister unit the 115th Fighter Wing based at Madison’s Truax Air National Guard Base. The barley detail again helps to tie the unit to the city’s brewing industry. The SAC stripe which wraps around the fuselage, like the original stipe depicts star constellations and the milky way. The SAC stripe bonds the modern tanker fleet with the unit history, to a time when the unit was under SAC control. The wing shield can be found halfway up the stripe. The yellow and blue paint used through the entirety of the aircraft to include the eyebrows and the Crew Chief name block correlate to not only the prominent colors of the wing shield but also connect closely with the colors of the Milwaukee Brewers baseball team and the Milwaukee Flag.
The aircraft was pushed out of the main hanger, as it came out of the dark into the brilliant sunshine the assembled men and women of the 128th clapped and cheered. Colonel Merkel added the following comments after the unveiling, “This is a nice piece of heritage for the wing, something to be proud of, a little bit unique and different than the rest of the airplanes. People are going to look forward to flying it.” The 128th’s mission statement is: The MISSION of the 128th Air Refueling Wing is to develop elite airmen, delivering exceptional airpower that fuels our state and nation. To achieve that mission, the wing’s VISION is to bring UNSTOPPABLE AIRPOWER!
This jet is one that all members of the 128th can be extremely proud of. The current plan is to bring the aircraft up to Oshkosh for the EAA AirVenture Airshow later this month. If you do not get a chance to see it there, look for it in the skies around Milwaukee, the State of Wisconsin, the United States of America, and the world.
I would like to personally thank Captain Luke Cofax of the Public Affairs Office, Colonel Charles Merkel, and all of the men and women of the 128th Air Refueling Wing for making this visit possible and for their hospitality. Until next time, “Blue Skies To All!”
