LOU can you recall the usual fuel loading used for domestic or mid range hops in the US with the 707 by any chance. I guess given the balance issue in the 707 there would have been a preference for loading fuel in these birds.

My reasoning is that for a short hop here in OZ like NZ to Australia the flight time is only 3.5 hrs give or take and that could be managed on the main wing tanks only with say about an hour reserve in the centre tank.

Too much fuel on board leaves you with a very high Vthresh and a long landing run as a result.