Billy Mitchell Sets Absolute Speed Record

Oct. 18, 1922

Army Brig. Gen. William H. “Billy” Mitchell becomes the first U.S. military pilot to hold the recognized absolute speed record, as he sets a mark of 222.97 mph in the Curtiss R-6 at Selfridge Field, Mich. This is also the first time the world speed record has been certified outside of France.

Related

Pentagon Zeroes Out E-7 in Budget, Leaving Its Future Uncertain

April 22, 2026
The Pentagon did not include any funding for the the E-7A Wedgetail in its 2027 budget request, setting up another round in its fight with Congress over the future of the Boeing-built successor to the E-3 Sentry Airborne Early Warning and Control jet.

Pass-Through and Classified Spending: What’s Hidden in the ’27 Budget

April 22, 2026
For 2027, so-called “pass through” accounts—money that funds other agencies and is never actually touched or used by the Air Force—will top $52.3 billion. That's 13.4 percent of the total department spending plan. But proportionally, that $52.3 billion accounts for a smaller share than in past years, when it has sometimes exceeded 20 percent.  

Air Base Defense Would Get $1.4 Billion in ’27 USAF Budget

April 21, 2026
The Air Force wants to funnel $1.4 billion into air base defense with new weapon systems designed to protect homeland installations and forward-deployed airfields against drones and missile threats, Air Force budget officials said April 21.

Air Force Budget Plan Seeks to Boost Munitions

April 21, 2026
The Air Force’s fiscal 2027 budget request would invest $15 billion in its munitions portfolio, with $10.8 billion earmarked for weapons purchases and another $4.3 billion for research, development, test, and evaluation of new arms.