Emotional scenes this morning at Eindhoven Airport. The most beautiful plane the Dutch Air Force ever had, the McDonnell Douglas KDC-10 Tanker, departed her homebase Eindhoven for the last time to go to a new adventure in the US. The Air Force used to have four of these beauties. All were ex passenger DC-10's. T-253 was an ex World Airways and United Airlines bird but never entered service with the Air Force. The same goes for T-255 except that this one did enter service. She was phased out late 2013. Both of these KDC-10's were scrapped. The two most known KDC-10's were T-264 and T-235. Both started life flying passengers and cargo with Martinair. As far as I'm aware, all four of these planes were unique because these are the only DC-10's which were converted to military spec tankers. That's why they are called KDC-10 and not KC-10 like the USAF purpose built tankers. Just four of them in the world! So cool! But as said earlier, T-264 and T-235 were the two main aircraft. They started flying with Martinair in the 70's and joined the Air Force in 1995. The KDC-10 served the Dutch Air Force for an impressive 26 years. Incredibly the aircraft are getting a second life (maybe it's better to say third at this point) in America. Yes, 43 year old T-264 and 45 year old T-235 will keep on clocking flying hours with Omega Air Tanker. That's just amazing isn't it?! I really hope I can see them again one day if I make a trip to the US. These three-engined girls are really showing what they are made of. Nevertheless, the plane spotting community in the Netherlands will really miss them. Some have even been lucky enough to do a flight on her! Over the years she was the star of many airshows in the Netherlands too. She served the country and I'm sure there are many untold beautiful stories about her. So this morning in very grey but dry weather T-235 started her amazing sounding General Electric CF6 engines and for one last time she sped down the runway. There was a large crowd on the P4 parkingdeck, most with their camera's in full swing. Boy is she a photogenic aircraft! Up and away she went, soon making a right turn ready to enter the clouds. But to our surprise, she seemed to stop climbing. Soon the tank boom was seen extending which meant only one thing: one last fly by! And yes there she came again, her engines screaming away! After a fantastic wingwave she climbed out again, this time really leaving the Netherlands behind, her home for almost 45 years! Massive credits to the Royal Netherlands Air Force! A farewell round flight over the country a couple weeks ago and now again a beautiful flyby! They have been amazing! Thank you guys and thank you KCD-10. Hopefully we meet again. Tot ziens.

Stay tuned for a long compilation full of KDC-10 action which I will hopefully upload soon!

#koninklijkeluchtmacht #kdc10 #airforce

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