1 - The Black Vault

PRAETORIAN STARSHIP
refueling. The third flight evaluated the Combat
Talon during engine-out operations and tested
the pilot’s ability to remain in the contact position
without the KC-135 flying on autopilot.
During the fourth flight, heavy KC-135 and
Combat Talon operations were evaluated along
with toboggan procedures. (Toboggan was a maneuver
whereby the KC-135 established a shallow
descent while the Combat Talon refueled.
The maneuver provided the Combat Talon the
ability to remain in the contact position onloading
fuel up to its maximum gross weight.) The
fifth flight concentrated on night refueling procedures
and the sixth on 60,000-pound top-off
capability. For the fourth, fifth, and sixth
flights, PACAF and Air Force Logistics Command
(AFLC) crew members assigned to On -
tario, California, received training on in-flight
refueling procedures. 78
The UARRSI system performed exception -
ally well throughout the evaluation. Primary
crew members submitted comment worksheets
to the test director after each flight. The pilot
noted excellent visibility during all portions of
the rendezvous and aerial refueling operation.
Aerial refueling director lights were in full
view day or night. For the approach to precon -
tact, precontact to contact, and the contact position,
flying qualities of the C-130E(I) were
good. Power response was noted as adequate,
but aircraft separation was immediate when
power was reduced. The breakaway maneuver
was excellent in that the aircraft stayed behind
and below the tanker, and the copilot or
flight engineer could remain in visible contact
with the tanker through the upper windows.
No abnormal noise levels were noted in the
cockpit. The position of the pilot’s aerial refueling
status lights was noted as satisfactory, but
the original lighting scheme (black lenses with
transparent letters) was deemed unsatisfactory
because the pilot was required to move
his head to see the lights. This practice could
cause disorientation during night or marginal
weather refueling operations. Lenses were replaced
with transparent ones that were more
easily seen by the pilot. Some pilots believed
that the autopilot/aerial-refueling disconnect
switch located on the yoke was too short, and
they occasionally fumbled to find the switch. A
section of the guard closest to the pilot was recommended
to be removed to expose more of the
switch. The overall pilot evaluation concluded
that the Combat Talon had satisfactory flying
qualities as a receiver during aerial refuelin g operations
with the KC-135. The pilot workload
was judged to be less than that of a B-52, C-5,
or receiver C-135 aircraft. 79
During the tests the flight engineer con -
cluded that the aerial-refueling control panel
functioned well throughout all phases of operation.
Labeling and switchology were excellent.
The controls allowed for operation of the aerialrefueling
system for refueling, fuel transfer (using
the dump-pump switches located on the
overhead panel), and manifold drain operation.
The controls provided the capability for using
main-tank dump pumps to supply fuel for en -
gine operation in the event of a main-tank
pump failure. 80
Navigator comments centered mainly around
rendezvous procedures developed to enable the
tanker and receiver aircraft to join up for the
refueling operation. The maneuver was identified
as a point parallel rendezvous with the
tanker at an altitude from 12,000 to 14,000 feet
and the Combat Talon 1,000 feet below the
tanker. The two aircraft approached each other
head on, with the tanker maintaining an airspeed
of 255 KIAS, and the receiver maintain -
ing 250 KIAS with 1,000-feet altitude separation.
The tanker would fly an offset of 4.5 NMs
and would begin the turn 12 NMs from the receiver.
Using the point-parallel procedure, the
tanker would roll out approximately three miles
in front of the receiver, 1,000 feet above the receiver’s
altitude, and at an airspeed of 210 KIAS
(fig. 24). The Combat Talon would then depart
its assigned altitude and overtake the tanker,
stabilizing at the precontact position. 81 With the
system validated, all that remained was to fly
an operational mission utilizing the in-flight refueling
capability.
What came to be known as the Special Operations
Aerial Refueling and Sea, Air, Land
(SEAL) support mission launched from Edwards
AFB for Clark AB, Philippines, with three refu -
elings scheduled and an airdrop of 17 SEAL personnel
on Luzon prior to mission termination.
The mission took 27.8 hours, which at the time
was by far the longest C-130 flight yet recorded.
The first two refuelings provided full main
tanks in the Combat Talon before the KC-135
pumps shut off; however, the external tanks
would only fill to within 1,500 pounds of capacity.
The totalizer for all tanks together indicated
slightly above 56,000 pounds. Only after slowing
to 160 KIAS could the flight engineer transfer
54