[masraum]

Originally Posted by flatbutt

Is it true that the -71 was all loose and leaky on the ground but tightened up in flight?

The entire plane gets 3-4 inches longer due to thermal expansion. And yes, they leak on the ground and in the air until they heat up. They took off with partially full tanks, and then had to refuel in the air. Apparently, they took on ~11,000 gallons of fuel in the air, so increased the weight of the plane by 65,000 - 70,000 lbs, and the refueling took ~15 mins. Apparently most missions required 2-4 refuelings.