The National Museum of the US Air Force in Dayton, Ohio, is adding a new exhibit to honor the late fighter ace Robin Olds. The exhibit is slated to open in spring 2011 as part of a larger renovation of the museum’s southeast Asia gallery. Olds retired as a brigadier general in 1973; he died in 2007 at age 84. During World War II, he was credited with 12 kills flying P-38s and P-51s. He was also the first F-4 pilot to score four combat victories during the Vietnam War. The exhibit will feature flight gear used by Olds, showcase his leadership talent, and his role in Operation Bolo that led to many North Vietnamese MiG-21 losses. (Dayton release by Rob Bardua) (Museum Web site) (For more on Olds, read The Robin Olds Factor from the Air Force Magazine archives.)
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.