Aircraft 62-4128

The support requirements for Apollo, compiled by NASA's Office of Manned Space Flight (OMSF), originally stated a need for twelve heavily instrumented, long-range, high-speed aircraft to supplement the telemetry and communication support to be provided by the Apollo ships. After program refinement that the aircraft requirement would be eight, six to be on station with two standby spares. Later, four additional aircraft were acquired. 62-4128 was one of the original Telemetry Range Instrumentation Aircraft stationed out of Patrick Air Force Base, Florida.

1. 1962Constructed C-135B-BN. Construction Number 18468.

Unknown Date
TRIA, Telemetry Range Instrumentation Aircraft Patrick Air Force Base. Equipment from C-130 Tracking Aircraft installed in the T/RIA aircraft

1. June 30, 1971First date listed on Wright-Patterson Air Force Base inventory.
2. December 31, 1979Conversion ARIA EC-135B
3. June 30, 1983Last date listed on Wright-Patterson Air Force Base inventory.

Unknown Date
Cobra Eye RC-135X

Unknown Date
E-Systems conversion to Cobra Ball, slated for delivery in 1997

Credit: Randy L. Losey

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