Members of the New York Air National Guard’s 174th Fighter Wing at Hancock Field in Syracuse have dedicated an F-86B Sabre fighter into the base’s newly established air park. It is the first of many aircraft that the wing intends to display in the park. The names of retired Brig. Gen. Curtis Irwin, former 174th FW commander, and retired SMSgt. Charles Poehlman, a former crew chief at Hancock Field, are painted, respectively, on the left and right sides of the refurbished fighter. Poehlman attended the dedication ceremony last month as did Irwin’s daughters Sheila Austin and SMSgt Lisa Damon. Maj Gen James Kwiatkowski, New York Air Guard commander, also attended. The F-86 is painted like aircraft that flew at Hancock Field from 1957 to 1970, according to wing officials.(Hancock report by 1st Lt. Greta Lewis)
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.