On April 3rd, the 4/31 Sologne Squadron rediscovered the essence of its origins. After a stopover in Évreux, it was Avord Air Base’s turn to receive its refueling aircraft, the
It’s the first love of many aviators. It participated in the first chapter of nuclear deterrence alongside its twin, the Mirage IV. It’s also described as flexible, versatile, and infallible. It’s sometimes referred to as a “warplane.” The C-135, therefore, carries with it operational experience. More than a workplace, it is, for its crew, an epic journey. It is in this spirit that the 4/31 “Sologne” squadron set out to meet the Avar aviators, with the aim of transcribing the final lines of their story.
Thursday, April 3 – 1:30 p.m.: The weather is glorious. Without a shadow of a cloud, it gives us the opportunity to enjoy an open-air spectacle. The C-135 rests on the runway of the second largest base in France. For the second act of its tour, the crew has taken care of dressing the aircraft for the event. We see the French flag raised at the side door exit and then the refueling pole meticulously displayed at the rear of the aircraft. A presentation that gives us the opportunity to learn about the advantages of the large carrier. Journalists, aviators, Defense classes, and local personalities gathered to enjoy the same story. The visits continue inside the aircraft. In various groups, young and old are greeted by the pilots and in-flight refueling operators. A first step takes place in the cockpit where the captain explains the details of its piloting. An archaic piloting due to its old mechanics and robustness, but no less exciting for these pilots in search of operational efficiency.
60 years of history
The meeting between the Airmen and the “tanker” continues in the aft hold, where, for the occasion, the crew has set up a projector showing more than 60 years of history. The images speak for themselves. We are spectators of a past that bears witness to different operations, such as Operation Hamilton, a war mission against the Islamic regime in 2018, or Operation Poker, a nuclear attack exercise orchestrated by the Strategic Air Force (FAS). This exhibition is a fitting choice for the mechanics who wanted to bring their “boom” or “bathtub” to life, familiar terms to define their place of operation. Indeed, it is in a recumbent position, on a finely designed bunk, with a direct view of the sky, that the specialist operates his levers to refuel the planes in need of fuel. Major François, now a reservist and former air refueling operator, recalls his early years on board: » I first encountered the C-135 when I was just 18 years old. I started as a mechanic and soon wanted to be a navigator. Thus, as an in-flight refueling operator, the senior non-commissioned officer will dedicate fifteen years of service to the aircraft». The C-135 is an exceptional plane. It’s unbreakable. ‘No matter what malfunction it suffers, it will reach its destination “, he explains. He then recalls his time on board the plane: ” I lived through different stages of history.” Deployed for the first time in the midst of the Cold War, then on the African continent, we were constantly on alert. At that time, we were located here in Avord. It was in this very place that a reaction center was created. » In fact, the 4/31 ‘Sologne’ air refueling squadron was established in Avord on April 15, 1966. The squadron thus returns to its ancestral grounds, cradle of the Strategic Air Forces.
The day concludes with a lecture by the commander of the 4/31 Sologne Squadron, Lieutenant Colonel Guillaume, in the airbase cinema. Curious and passionate people gather to follow the steps, or rather, the operation, of the refueler. Everything you will see in this conference is steeped in nostalgia. ‘It is a testimony delivered with passion ” presents the squadron commander. Indeed, with great passion, he recounts the history of his unit from an operational perspective, describing the aircraft in particular as a ‘silent witness to the missions.
The C-135 commemorative tour symbolizes a return to the roots of an era, where every stopover, every flight, every commemorative gesture contributes to rekindling collective memory. Through this initiative, a story is shared: that of the airmen and women who worked at the heart of the C-135.
See you on June 30, when the first French tanker will bid farewell during a final ceremony at its base in Istres.
