An Abbreviated History of Air Force One

     Air Force One plays an important role as one of numerous forms of transport for the President of the United States. The plane acts as a mobile symbol of the American presidency and bears the American flag, the presidential seal, and the name of our country (“Air Force One”, 1600 Penn). Today, this plane is a standard piece of equipment, but its inception occurred just under 75 years ago

The Flying White House, aka, Sacred Cow (Air Force One)

     The history of Air Force One began with President Franklin D. Roosevelt. By World War II, aviation technology had evolved to the point where transportation by aircraft was becoming more widely accepted and utilized. President Roosevelt flew to the Casablanca Conference in 1943, making him the first president to use air transportation during his presidency (Douglas). This trip made many people nervous for a variety of reasons. Not only was the president flying in an airplane (a dangerous enough prospect, considering there was a war going on), but he flew on an airplane which, although owned by the Navy, was not under the operation of the US military (Douglas). To remedy this problem, it was decided that a plane would be made specifically to transport the president. The first presidential plane was a Douglas VC-54C Skymaster, which was specially equipped with increased fuel capacity, office and conference areas, and an elevator, among other modifications (Douglas). This plane was known as The Flying White House; however, most people called the plane by its nickname, the Sacred Cow, because there was so much security and attention given to the aircraft (Douglas). President Roosevelt used the plane to fly to the Yalta Conference; however, this was the only flight Roosevelt would take on the Sacred Cow. The plane’s service to the United States continued under the Truman administration. The National Security Act of 1947, which President Truman signed aboard the Sacred Cow, created the US Air Force as an official branch of the US military (Douglas).

Columbine II (Moore)

     The next presidential plane was the Douglas VC-118 Independence, which was used by President Truman during his later years in office. Following this aircraft was the Lockheed C-121 Columbine II, which was used by President Eisenhower. During a flight over New York City in 1953, Eastern Airlines Flight 8610 almost collided with Air Force Flight 8610; it was unknown at the time that the Air Force plane was in fact the presidential plane and that President Eisenhower was aboard. In order to prevent such errors in communication from happening again, the presidential plane was officially designated “Air Force One” (Moore). Eisenhower utilized a few smaller planes as well, including Columbine III (Thompson). These planes would be the last presidential planes to have propellers.

     In 1962, Air Force One entered the jet era. A Boeing 707-320B aircraft was provided for presidential use. Named Special Air Mission (SAM) 26000 (Thompson), this Air Force One had a long term of service and was responsible for the transport of Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, H.W. Bush, and Clinton (Boeing). Jackie Kennedy decided on the blue and white paint scheme and the addition of the American flag and “United States of America” to the exterior of the plane (Boeing). The new design offered more space and comfort than any of the previous presidential planes. During its 36 years of flying, the plane witnessed great successes and horrible tragedies, including President Nixon’s visit to communist China and President Kennedy’s assassination (Boeing). A second Boeing VC-137C, called SAM 27000, was added to the presidential fleet in December 1972 (Boeing). 

Air Force One today ("Air Force One", 1600 Penn)

     Today, the Air Force One fleet consists of two Boeing 747 jetliners, named SAM 28000 and SAM 29000. These planes are equipped with specialized communication and navigation equipment and are customized to serve as a comfortable living and professional space (“Historical Snapshot”). A new plane may soon be added to the list of Air Force One aircraft; an announcement in January 2015 stated that a Boeing 747-8 would be commissioned as the next Air Force One (Thompson). This plane will bring new technology and capabilities as the first presidential aircraft commissioned in the twenty-first century.

     The fleet of presidential aircraft hold a special place in aviation and American history. Although the name “Air Force One” can be applied to any Air Force aircraft which transports the president (“Air Force One”, 1600 Penn), these presidential planes are unique in that they are made specifically to serve our Commander in Chief. Whether a propeller-driven aircraft or a sleek jetliner, Air Force One flies as an emblem of our government and our country.

Works Cited

“Air Force One.” 1600 Penn: History & Grounds. The White House, n.d. Web. 16 April 2016.     https://www.whitehouse.gov/1600/air-force-one

Air Force One. The White House Museum, n.d. Web. 17 April 2016. http://www.whitehousemuseum.org/special/AF1/

Boeing VC-137C SAM 26000. National Museum of the US Air Force, 01 October 2015. Web. 16 April 2016.

Douglas VC-54C “Sacred Cow.” National Museum of the US Air Force, 01 October 2015. Web. 16 April 2016. http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/Visit/MuseumExhibits/FactSheets/Display/tabid/509/Article/195813/douglas-vc-54c-sacred-cow.aspx

“Historical Snapshot.” VC-137C Air Force One. Boeing, 2016. Web. 16 April 2016. http://www.boeing.com/history/products/vc-137c-air-force-one.page

Moore, Jim. “The First Air Force One.” Online video clip. First Air Force One Flies Again. AOPA, 24 March 2016. Web. 16 April 2016. http://www.aopa.org/News-and-Video/All-News/2016/March/24/First-Air-Force-One-flies-again

Thompson, Mark. See Air Force One’s Transformation Over 70 Years. Time, 29 January 2015. Web. 16 April 2016. http://time.com/3687741/air-force-one-obama-boeing-history/