KB-29 / KB-50 · Tactical air refueling · 1953–1965
Tac Tankers Association
All former military members who were associated with KB-29's or KB-50's as aircrew, groundcrew, or administrative personnel.
The association
We were the pioneers.
With a great deal of sadness, we announce the end of the Tac Tankers Reunion Association.
The Tac Tankers came about from an idea concerning the condition of KB-50J (aircraft number 49-0372) which had been with the 431st Air Refueling Squadron (Biggs AFB El Paso Texas) and was at the Pima Museum in Tucson Arizona. Then calls were made to hold a meeting in 1998 at Warner Robins AFB Georgia with people from all the squadrons to discuss forming a reunion group.
All the pictures from the Reunion and Squadron albums as well as refueling videos can be viewed on the Facebook page, @TacTankers (opens a third-party website in a new tab — you are leaving tactankers.com).
Flight log
Six squadrons, one wing.
421st AREFSJul 6, 1953Feb 18, 1965Yokota AB, Japan
420th AREFSMar 18, 1954Mar 25, 1964RAF Sculthorpe, England
429th AREFSJul 19, 1954Oct 8, 1963Langley AFB, Virginia
622nd AREFSJul 18, 1955Apr 1, 1964England AFB, Louisiana
427th AREFSSep 7, 1956Apr 1, 1963Robins AFB, Ga. · Langley AFB, Va.
431st AREFSJan 8, 1957Mar 8, 1965Turner AFB, Ga. · Biggs AFB, Tex.
4505th ARWJul 1, 1958Oct 8, 1963Langley AFB, Virginia
The last survivor
KB-50J 49-0389
The Tac Tankers first tried in 2006 to get MacDill AFB to let the plane go to the Air Mobility Museum in Dover Delaware to be restored since it was not being maintained. This went on until December 2017 when the Wing Commander at MacDill agreed to release 49-0389 and let it go to the AMC Museum.
After a 21 year run, we say goodbye, but one day look forward to when all the work is completed and 49-0389 once again shines.
Dayton, Ohio
TAC Tankers Association Memorial
TAC Tankers Association Memorial at Memorial Park at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force Dayton, Ohio.
Still flying
The story continues on Facebook.
Historical aircraft, squadron albums, refueling videos and restoration news are posted on the Tac Tankers page.
Follow @TacTankers (opens a third-party website in a new tab — you are leaving tactankers.com)