The KC-135 with the winglets in flight over the San Gabriel mountains south of Edwards AFB.

The KC-135 with the winglets in flight over the San Gabriel mountains, south of Edwards AFB. While wind tunnel tests suggested that winglets - developed by NASA Langley's Richard Whitcomb - would significantly reduce drag, flight research proved their usefulness. Winglets were installed on an Air Force KC-135 and research flights were made in 1979 and 1980. These showed drag in flight was reduced by as much as 7 percent. Winglets soon appeared on production aircraft, although these were smaller than those mounted on the KC-135.