Strange KC-135 tail boom addon

[AWACS]

A friend of mine send me a very strange picture of what is obviously KC-135 tail boom with some kind of strange device added. I have never seen it before and I have no clue what it may be. Any ideas?



(sorry for poor resolution. I'm selling just what I have bought )

[AkerWalker]

I think its for rain test in new aircraft, spraing water over the plane.

[oscarni]

Ok,

This is based off some thing I have seen before... It could be an attachment used to test de-icing on new aircraft, they fill the tanker with water and spray it on the test aircraft to test its de-icing systems... Thats the only thing that comes to mind.

- Phil

edit - Damm beaten to the post lol

[wicked_hind]

That fitting on the boom was used to spray out water. That particular KC-135 was used during FAA icing tests as part of the investigation of American Eagle flight 4184, an ATR-72 that was flying in icing conditions and crashed on October 31, 1994 near Roselawn, Indiana. FAA investigators suspected that supercooled rain drops created an ice ridge behind the deicing boots, which disturbed the air flow enough to where the aileron control was ineffective. The FAA used an American Eagle ATR-72 and flew it behind the KC-135 as it sprayed a yellow dyed water mixture, which would show the areas of ice build up. Hope that helps.

[Ordie]

It's to make mash potatoes.

[chefjavier]

A friend of mine send me a very strange picture of what is obviously KC-135 tail boom with some kind of strange device added. I have never seen it before and I have no clue what it may be. Any ideas?

Attachment 50599

(sorry for poor resolution. I'm selling just what I have bought )

New Car Wash services!!! Only kidding!! It a de-icing device they are still testing phases. I read this information on a Aircraft magazine.

[AWACS]

Little help from friends and nothnig is impossible

[Chapstique1567]

interesting, I have never seen something like that before...

[Martial]

That is the device that the United States government uses to poison the atmosphere.

[flanker7]

Here it is at work:

http://www.af.mil/shared/media/photo...-9999M-002.jpg

[wholagun]

^^^^^^ in that photo what are those white streaks of smoke or vapour comming off the top of the tail fins.

Always wondered

[He219]

^^^^^^ in that photo what are those white streaks of smoke or vapour comming off the top of the tail fins.

Always wondered

vortex contrail; see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wingtip_vortices

[ekranoplan]

I wonder how much its radar signature increases being all wet like that.

[Reaper171]

Here it is at work:

http://www.af.mil/shared/media/photo...-9999M-002.jpg

Something interesting in that photo is the ground below. Seems where ever that test was conducted, most likely Arizona, they already have the roads planned for a major housing project

[ivan_shermagone]

Something interesting in that photo is the ground below. Seems where ever that test was conducted, most likely Arizona, they already have the roads planned for a major housing project

Oil wells.