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This remarkable machine, officially designated the 367-80 to mislead competitors into thinking it was merely an upgrade to an older piston-engine tanker, became affectionately known as the Dash 80. The aircraft was designed with a dual purpose: to show the military that a jet-powered airborne tanker was the best vehicle to refuel a new generation of fast jet bombers, and to prove to airlines that the future of passenger travel lay in swept-wing jets.
Through an intensive flight test program led by chief test pilot Tex Johnston, the Dash 80 proved its incredible capabilities. It successfully tested a specialized rear pod equipped with a refueling boom and ruddervators, allowing operators to precisely fly the boom into receiving bombers like the B-52 at high altitudes and speeds. Despite early setbacks, including a landing gear collapse due to flawed metal and a dramatic runway overrun caused by a faulty brake valve, the aircraft's performance was undeniable. Its legacy was cemented when Tex Johnston shocked crowds by executing a flawless one-G barrel roll over Lake Washington in 1955, instantly proving the structural integrity and agility of large jet aircraft to the world
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