The National Museum of the US Air Force has decided to save a Massachusetts Air National Guard F-15A from the boneyard because of its role as a first responder following the 9/11 attacks. The 102nd Fighter Wing at Otis ANGB, Mass., must give up its aging A model F-15s under BRAC 2005, but according to the Cape Cod Times some airplane “junkies” started an online petition to preserve tail No. 77-102. The group has been told, says the Times, that the museum will preserve the fighter but is not certain where it will be displayed.
A U.S. Air Force F-22 shot down a Chinese surveillance balloon off the coast of South Carolina on Feb. 4, a week after it first entered U.S. airspace near Alaska. Officials said they took measures to prevent the balloon from gathering sensitive military information and are actively working to recover…