An 
airworthy L-2M liaison aircraft from World War II, complete with original radio equipment, replaced a less authentic model at the National Museum of the US Air Force in Dayton, Ohio. The former Army Air Forces “grasshopper,” which logged 230 hours as a pilot trainer at Pittsburg, Kan., arrived under its own power Wednesday and taxied to the museum. It will join the World War II gallery this winter. “This particular aircraft was used to train pilots during the war, and liaison aircraft like this one served many purposes in combat, such as spotting enemy troop and supply concentrations and directing artillery fire on them,” said Jack Hudson, museum director. After the war, this L-2, serial number 43-26592, was converted to a civil configuration. Donor Richard Valladao in 2009 returned it to its military specifications and toured the California air show circuit for several years. (Dayton report by Sarah Swan)
While the Space Force is still making long-term plans to establish high-fidelity live and virtual test and training ranges in the coming years, officials say they're also working with operators to identify near-term gaps and quickly field capabilities to address them.
