The American Air Museum in Duxford, England, and Boeing sponsored a flyover of the Air Force Memorial April 10 in Arlington, Va., with three World War II aircraft to honor the 30,000 American airmen who gave their lives flying from British bases during the conflict. A B-17 Flying Fortress, P-40 Kittyhawk, and P-51 Mustang flew over the spires of the monument during the event, which attracted several hundred people, the Washington Post reported April 11. The newspaper said a British contingent, headed by former Prime Minister John Major, the guest of honor, came to Arlington for the event. Also present was retired Air Chief Marshal Peter Squire, who was Royal Air Force Chief of Staff until 2003. He is now chairman of the Imperial War Museum at Duxford and also president of American Air Museum, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year.
The Air Force and Boeing agreed to a nearly $2.4 billion contract for a new lot of KC-46 aerial tankers on Nov. 21. The deal, announced by the Pentagon, is for 15 new aircraft in Lot 11 at a cost of $2.389 billion—some $159 million per tail.