The last remaining active C-141 Starlifter, assigned to the Air Force Reserve Command’s 445th Airlift Wing at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, will host more than 100 former Vietnam War prisoners of war for a final flight on May 5—prior to the famed Operation Homecoming aircraft’s entry into the National Museum of the US Air Force the next day. This C-141 was the first to fly POWs from Vietnam to Clark AB, Philippines, in February 1973 during the repatriation effort. Inside the “Hanoi Taxi” are photos from the historic first flight out of Hanoi, as well as signatures of 110 POWs with their shoot down date and the date they were released.
The Air Force is spending heavily on F-22 improvements through the end of the decade, suggesting it may not retire the jet in 2030 as it previously planned. New sensors, fuel tanks, communications, and electronic warfare systems are among the upgrades that comprise the package.