The American Air Museum in Duxford, England, and Boeing sponsored a flyover of the Air Force Memorial April 10 in Arlington, Va., with three World War II aircraft to honor the 30,000 American airmen who gave their lives flying from British bases during the conflict. A B-17 Flying Fortress, P-40 Kittyhawk, and P-51 Mustang flew over the spires of the monument during the event, which attracted several hundred people, the Washington Post reported April 11. The newspaper said a British contingent, headed by former Prime Minister John Major, the guest of honor, came to Arlington for the event. Also present was retired Air Chief Marshal Peter Squire, who was Royal Air Force Chief of Staff until 2003. He is now chairman of the Imperial War Museum at Duxford and also president of American Air Museum, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year.
It is critical that the Air Force move forward on the replacement for its E-4B “Doomsday” aircraft to keep the capability “viable” into the next decade and beyond, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr. told lawmakers May 8.