The story
The E-8 JSTARS hung a 40-foot canoe radome under a converted Boeing 707 and watched the battlefield below, picking out moving vehicles more than 150 miles away. The Air Force retired the last one in 2023.
Fun fact
Every E-8C was converted from a Boeing 707-300 airliner. Seventeen were built.
Quick answers
How do you identify a E-8 JSTARS?
A gray 707 with a long canoe-shaped radome under the forward fuselage. Retired in 2023, so a flying one would be a museum or test ferry.
What does a E-8 JSTARS sound like?
Four old TF33 turbofans on a 707 frame: a loud, smoky, classic quad-jet roar.
How big is the E-8 JSTARS?
It is 152 ft 11 in long and 145 ft 9 in across the wings.
When did the E-8 JSTARS first fly?
Its first flight was in 1988.
How many E-8 JSTARSs have been built?
17 built.
How rare is a E-8 JSTARS in Bogey?
RARE. A good day. Most spotters go weeks between sightings of something this rare. Your first E-8 JSTARS catch is worth 250 points.
