“Red River Queen” Lands In Illinois: The Air Force has given the green light to send the “Red River Queen,” an F-105 Thunderchief fighter bomber that flew combat missions in the Vietnam War, to Centralia, Ill., reports the Morning Sentinel. The city plans to put it on display at a public park, in memory of one of its pilots, the late Lt. Col. Bill Pachura, who was stationed in Southeast Asia with the 357th Tactical Fighter Squadron. Pachura, who died of cancer in 2002, was from the Centralia area. The aircraft has been at Lackland AFB, Tex.
Small satellites meant to improve the way the U.S. measures Earth’s magnetic field—an option to expand the military’s position, navigation, and timing enterprise—launched March 30 from Vandenberg Space Force Base, Calif.