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U.S. Forest Service airtanker scandal
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<p>The U.S. Forest Service airtanker scandal involved a scheme, officially called the Historical Aircraft Exchange Program, in which the <a href="/facts/U.S._Forest_Service/NRzYYHhc">U.S. Forest Service</a> would acquire retired <a href="/facts/U.S._Air_Force/7MxWBYlc">U.S. Air Force</a> <a href="/facts/C-130_Hercules/EVzoWXp9">C-130A</a> transport aircraft and <a href="/facts/United_States_Navy/xYK0fUou">U.S. Navy</a> <a href="/facts/P-3_Orion/j3qMIss7">P-3</a> anti-submarine patrol aircraft, ostensibly for use as firefighting <a href="/facts/Airtanker/4R9nv5Qm">airtankers</a>, but which ended up with the planes' ownership being transferred illegally to private companies and the aircraft themselves being used for other purposes or even sold for a profit. The controversy resulted in two of the involved principals being sentenced to prison and a number of civil lawsuits. </p>