Fallen Warrior & My Uncle

[jsstevens]

Major Thomas James "Jerry" Trawick United States Air Force Retired.

He flew KC-97's and KC-135's. This year we sat and talked about flying, both mine and his.

One story he relayed was the first time he refueled the SR-71 Black Bird. He had just refueled a flight of fighters and got a call to refuel another plane. He was told not to look back. The SR-71 refueled and then passed the fighters before they were out of sight.

I am thankful to have known him and more grateful that I've seen him recently.

John

 

[ScottM]

Major Thomas James "Jerry" Trawick United States Air Force Retired.

He flew KC-97's and KC-135's. This year we sat and talked about flying, both mine and his.

One story he relayed was the first time he refueled the SR-71 Black Bird. He had just refueled a flight of fighters and got a call to refuel another plane. He was told not to look back. The SR-71 refueled and then passed the fighters before they were out of sight.

I am thankful to have known him and more grateful that I've seen him recently.

John

Ask your uncle how they were handling the two different types of fuel. I am curious. It was always my understanding that the SR71 used JP7 and this was only carried on the KC135Q's. JP7 could not be used in the fighters and I had been told, although it could have been wrong, that the JP4 for the aircraft was carried in other tankers. I know when I was flying on the RC135 that we would never hook up to the Q to get our fuel and I never heard the SR's hook up to our water bird and we used to fly a lot of joint missions together.

Love the picture BTW. Did he get to fly that plane?

 

[jsstevens]

Ask your uncle how they were handling the two different types of fuel. I am curious. It was always my understanding that the SR71 used JP7 and this was only carried on the KC135Q's. JP7 could not be used in the fighters and I had been told, although it could have been wrong, that the JP4 for the aircraft was carried in other tankers. I know when I was flying on the RC135 that we would never hook up to the Q to get our fuel and I never heard the SR's hook up to our water bird and we used to fly a lot of joint missions together.

Love the picture BTW. Did he get to fly that plane?

Yes, that's the KC-97 (same airframe as the B-29 as far as I know). He flew a variety of multiengine planes, but mostly the KC-97 & KC-135.

I don't know how they handled the fuel for the Blackbird and he's no longer here to answer the question.

John

 

[ScottM]

he's no longer here to answer the question.

John

Ah, sorry for your loss. He sounds like a neat guy.

 

[AdamZ]

That is a good story and good you sat down with him. My condolences.

 

[ScottM]

Yes, that's the KC-97 (same airframe as the B-29 as far as I know).

It is based on the same airframe, but modified a bit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KC-97_Stratotanker The one he is standing by looks less like the one in the picture on the wiki page. I wonder if early models had not been moded yet?

You know what else I like about that picture? He is standing there with what appears to be a cigarette in his hand. nowadays people would be going ballistic and worrying about the airplane blowing up!

 

[PilotAlan]

The KB-50 was the tanker variant of the B-29 (the B-50 was a post-war mod to the B29 with bigger engines). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KB-50
The C-97 was basically a very modified B29 design with a hider and taller fuselage to accommodate cargo.

 

[ScottM]

The KB-50 was the tanker variant of the B-29 (the B-50 was a post-war mod to the B29 with bigger engines). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KB-50
The C-97 was basically a very modified B29 design with a hider and taller fuselage to accommodate cargo.

Good find, I was searching to see if early KC97 did not have the underbelly. I'll bet he is standing next to a KB-50 or a KB-29.

 

[jsstevens]

You know what else I like about that picture? He is standing there with what appears to be a cigarette in his hand. nowadays people would be going ballistic and worrying about the airplane blowing up!

Yes! And there are other pictures in the set of several of my cousins (two families) close enough to touch the airplanes and apparently he just took them all on post and took them for a tour no questions asked. A different time.

John

 

[tonycondon]

if it was a B-29 a lighted cigarette would be the least of the fire concerns.

 

[jsstevens]

I did a little more digging through the photos and it was a B-29. Apparently they went to some kind of static display on post. According to my cousin (who was in some of the pictures) my Uncle had the key, opened the gate and they all went in to look. Here's a few more pics.

I guess that means the cigarette is not so dangerous...

John

 

[ScottM]

I did a little more digging through the photos and it was a B-29. Apparently they went to some kind of static display on post. According to my cousin (who was in some of the pictures) my Uncle had the key, opened the gate and they all went in to look. Here's a few more pics.

I guess that means the cigarette is not so dangerous...

John

Nice shot fo the B36. There used to be one at Rantoul, IL. (Chanute AFB). I saw it a bunch of years ago when I was there TDY for some training. It has been removed when the USAF vacated the place. A wonderful airplane, I wish I could get to see one fly.

 

[TangoWhiskey]

My condolences on your loss, and thanks for sharing his great stories and pictures.