A Northrop P-61 Black Widow crew records the type’s first victory, as 1st Lt. Francis Eaton (pilot), 2nd Lt. James E. Ketchum (radar operator), and SSgt. Gary Anderson (gunner) intercept and shoot down a Japanese Betty bomber. The Black Widow is the AAF’s first purpose-designed night fighter.
A fresh National Guard squadron of F-16 Fighting Falcon jets is rotating into the Middle East, seven months into the U.S. conflict with Iran. The high operational tempo of fighter units is prompting the Air Force to address concerns about extended deployments in the Middle East and their implications for…
