Two more F-16 fighters—one from Hill AFB, Utah, and one from Luke AFB, Ariz.—last week suffered problems that prompted emergency landings. A Vermont Air National Guard F-16 also recently developed a problem that required the pilot to jettison his external fuel tanks before attempting a landing. At Hill, a pilot with the 388th Fighter Wing had to jettison external fuel tanks and munitions shortly after takeoff. A bomb dropped on a shed near where ordnance is stored and exploded, demolishing the shed and a nearby transformer, reports The Salt Lake Tribune. The pilot landed safely. The Luke pilots in a two-seat F-16D had to make a hard landing short of the runway at Wickenburg Municipal Airport after losing engine power, according to a Luke release. They walked away safely. (This ABC15 report has slides showing the fighter in the dirt.)
The Air Force Historical Foundation (AFHF) announced the 2023-2024 winners of its prestigious annual awards honoring individuals and units “dedicated to the making and documentation of Air Force and Space Force history.” In addition to the standard collection of awards, this...