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 plans to add external weapons pylons on the B-1B bomber, both to increase the number of aircraft that can test hypersonic missiles and expand the Lancer’s loadout as USAF transitions to the B-21 bomber.