The National Museum of the US Air Force at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, recently completed the second phase of renovating its Southeast Asia War Gallery, announced museum officials. The gallery pays tribute to Vietnam War veterans. During the phase II work, the museum added new exhibits highlighting the role of aerial tankers and combat search and rescue operations during the war, according to an Oct. 25 museum release. “Each new exhibit adds a facet to the museum’s account of Air Force service and sacrifice,” said Jeff Duford, phase II project manager. “When complete, the gallery will exhibit the full story of our airmen in Southeast Asia, from the earliest reconnaissance missions in 1961 to the SS Mayaguez rescue in 1975,” he added. The museum began the four-phase renovation in 2010. Phase one was completed in the fall of 2011. The fully renovated gallery is slated to open in 2015, states the release. (Dayton report by Sarah Swan) (See also Big Plans for the Air Force Museum from the February 2012 issue of Air Force Magazine.)
The Air Force awarded a $13.08 billion contract to the Sierra Nevada Corporation on April 26 for its Survivable Airborne Operations Center aircraft, the successor to the service’s E-4B “Doomsday” plane. Like the E-4B, officially called the National Airborne Operations Center, the SAOC will be meant to withstand a nuclear attack and keep…