Robert Chamberlain, 63, a record-setting B-1B test pilot, died July 4 in an airplane crash near Tehachapi, Calif., after a July 4th air show. The Denver Post reported Monday that Chamberlain and a copilot where killed when their L-29 Delfin crashed in a field after they had participated in a formation flight with two other aircraft as part of an Independence Day celebration. According to the Post, Chamberlain spent more than 20 years in the Air Force, where he was a B-1B production test pilot and, along with his crew, set four speed-with-payload records and numerous additional B-1B marks. After his Air Force career, Chamberlain went to work for United Airlines, where he instructed other pilots. He lived as a retiree in Morrison, Colo., outside of Denver.
The Air Force is requesting about $141 million for initial enlistment bonuses in its fiscal 2026 budget, while Space Force wants $13 million.
