ARIA Fleet Aircraft 55-3123


ARIA Fleet Aircraft 55-3123 was a C-135 which was not modified to be an ARIA, but was used in various support tasks for the fleet.

Key among these was photography of launches and re-entries using the Airborne Lightweight Optical Tracking System (ALOTS) pod.

C-135 Tail number 123

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This photo of ARIA Fleet Aircraft 55-3123 shows the ALOTS (Airborne Lightweight Optical Tracking System) pod mounted on the cargo door.

Photo by John Gourley, via Randy Losey.

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ARIA Fleet Aircraft 55-3123 with the ALOTS pod mounted.

Photo by Clifford Reeves. via Randy Losey.

Apollo Range Instrumented Aircraft

ARIA Fleet Aircraft 55-3123 with the ALOTS pod mounted.

Photo via David Dunn.

Apollo Range Instrumented Aircraft

ARIA Fleet Aircraft 55-3123 with the ALOTS pod mounted.

Photo via David Dunn.

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ARIA Fleet Aircraft 55-3123 with the ALOTS pod mounted.

Photo by John Gourley. via Randy Losey.

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ALOTS Operator console. via Randy Losey at FlyARIA.com. Used with permission.

 

 

This aircraft was used to photograph (among other things), the launch of Apollo 7, the re-entry of Apollo 8, the launch of Apollo 11 (see below), and the re-entry of Apollo 11 (see below).

 

re-entry

The Apollo 11 launch, photographed from 43,000 feet from 123, flown by Lt. Col. Bob Mosley. (more details here)

Click to play the 53MB Quicktime movie.

re-entry

The Apollo 11 re-entry, photographed from 123 at 43,000 feet, flown by Col. Oakley Baron.

Click to play a 14MB MPEG4 file (320 x 240 pixels)

Or here for a 44MB MPEG4 file (640 x 480 pixels).

16mm film courtesy Bob Mosley (Lt. Col., retired.)

Please note that the position of the audio with respect to the picture is a ‘best guess’.
Stereo sound. The right channel audio is from Peter Pockley’s broadcast, courtesy Australian Broadcasting Commission.

Bob Mosley writes,

“The film is coverage of the re-entry of Apollo 11, upon its return from the Moon, and was made at approximately 12:20 EDT 24 July 1969, by USAF Col. Oakley Baron and his crew, in a photo equipped US Air Force C-135 (707) aircraft at 43,000 feet over the Pacific Ocean.

Coming from the West, the non heat-shielded Service Module soon disintegrates into a flaming fire ball, sending burning material in all directions; which turns night into day momentarily. The Command Module, is then seen to continue on, as a diminishing light, in an easterly direction, and a not too distant, highly successful, splash down; Man had been on the Moon and returned safely, as per one of the National Objectives set down by President John Kennedy, approximately 7 years earlier.”