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Video by Senior Master Sgt. Vincent De Groot

Air Force marks 100 years of Air Refueling with nationwide flyovers, Sioux City plans flyovers in Iowa, South Dakota and North Dakota

185th Air Refueling Wing, Iowa Air National Guard

June 23, 2023 | 2:16

B-roll video shows KC-135 activities on the flight line in Sioux City, Iowa. Video includes an interview with Iowa Air National Guard KC-135 pilot Capt. Braden Christensen on “Operation Centennial Contact planed for Tuesday June 27, 2023.

During the Nation wide event air refueling units of the U.S. Air Force Air Mobility Command plan to perform flyover events involving over 150 aircraft to commemorate 100 years of air refueling.

The event being planned will have Air Refueling units performing flyovers at major landmarks, population centers and state capitols in all 50 states.

Airmen from the Iowa Air National Guard’s 185th Air Refueling Wing are planning flyovers in Iowa, South Dakota and North Dakota. Media and the public are invited and encouraged to photograph the flyovers at the times and places listed in their states.

According to the National Museum of the Air Force the first successful air refueling took place on June 27, 1923. In one day, KC-46, KC-10 and KC-135 aircraft from the U.S. Air Force, Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard are planning to commemorate the event by performing flyovers at venues in every state.

A KC-135 Stratotanker from the Iowa Air National Guard’s 185th Air Refueling Wing along with three F-16s from South Dakota’s 114th Fighter Wing are planning to participate in the event by performing a number of flyovers in the Missouri River valley region.

In Iowa, look for flyovers in Sioux City at 9:50 AM, West Lake Okoboji 12:35 PM and Jack Trice Stadium in Ames 12:55 PM.

In South Dakota a flyover is planned at the state capitol in Pierre at 10:25AM, the Badlands 9:40AM, Mount Rushmore 9:50 AM and Sioux Falls 12:20 PM.

In North Dakota the Air National Guard aircraft plan to fly over Theodore Roosevelt National Park at 10:20 AM and the state capitol in Bismarck 11:40 AM.

Sioux City’s “Operation Centennial Contact” flight can be tracked on www.flightaware.com. Look for callsign "TANKR85."

Lower thirds: Captain Braden Christensen 185th Air Refueling Wing KC-135 aircraft commander Iowa Air National Guard