Walter Palmer, a member of the famed World War II Tuskegee Airmen, died March 28 at his home in Indiana, reports the Indianapolis Star. The 87-year-old Palmer flew 158 missions over Italy and Germany in a P-51 as part of the 99th Fighter Group. Palmer, whose military career ended with an eye injury from an automobile accident, was among the Tuskegee Airmen who traveled to Washington in 2007 for presentation of a collective Congressional Gold Medal.
The Air Force has finished modifying and testing the new VC-25B Bridge aircraft that will serve as a temporary Air Force One, the service announced May 1. All that’s left now is to finish painting the jet before it starts flying this summer.