Global Civil Aviation News October 3 message
Speaking of "Air Force One", I think you are not unfamiliar with readers. Air Force One is probably the easiest aircraft in the world to identify, and strictly speaking, Air Force One is not an aircraft, not even the two Boeing 747-200Bs currently in service in the United States, but any aircraft carrying the president.
Air Force One
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" data-track="5" >. </h1>
As mentioned earlier, Air Force One is not a specific aircraft; rather, Air Force One refers to the code name of the aircraft carrying the President in the U.S. Air Force. More precisely, Air Force One is the call sign used by the plane carrying the president.
A question: Where did the title of "Air Force One" come from?
In 1953, China Eastern Airlines (not China Eastern Airlines, its full name is Eastern Airlines, founded in 1926, until 1991 closed, it has been a major domestic airline in the United States) a commercial flight with flight number 610 and the presidential plane (Air Force 610) into the same airspace, and the code name is the same, air traffic control personnel can not judge which presidential plane is for a while. So, in order to avoid any potential confusion in the future, all subsequent presidential planes flew under the code name "Air Force One".
Still, most people would think of Air Force One as a special aircraft. In contemporary times, it is a pair of modified Boeing 747-200Bs with tail numbers 28000 and 29000. The Air Force designates the VC-25A, and these iconic blue-and-white aircraft have carried the president and his entourage since 1991 and have served George W. Bush. H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush W. Bush, Barack Obama, Donald Trump and now Joe Biden.
Obama aboards Air Force One
Second question: How is the performance of Air Force One?
Air Force One, model VC-25A, has a range of about 8,000 miles (12,000 kilometers) and is capable of aerial refueling (although this has never been used in practice). In addition, Air Force One is equipped with state-of-the-art security and defense systems and telecommunications suites, and can accommodate up to 70 passengers and 26 crew members, as well as a variety of meeting rooms, restaurant areas and a medical cabin on Air Force One.
It is worth mentioning that the "Air Force One" model VC-25A is not only the president, in fact, the vice president often rides the VC-25A, but the aircraft at this time is called "Air Force II". In addition to the VC-25A, the United States has also used a modified Boeing 757, known as the C-32, as the Air Force One or Air Force Two.
The Boeing 757 C-32 Air Force II, VC-32 is often used by vice presidents
In summary, the aircraft mentioned above is the most well-known "Air Force One" today. But they are not the first aircraft to be recognized as "Air Force One", so who in history has ever won the title of "Air Force One"? Let's take a look!
<H1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" data-track="63" >2, was the first Air Force One a modified C-87A aircraft? NO！ </h1>
The first Air Force One dates back to Franklin F. Kennedy. During the roosevelt era, when he did not have his own private jet to fly. He took to the skies in January 1943 aboard a commercial Boeing 314 (airship) when he was required to attend the Casablanca Conference in Morocco. The plane was the Dixie Clipper, a manned flying vessel of Pan Am.
The first Air Force One: Boeing 314 (airship)
Afterwards, the U.S. Army Air Corps was unhappy with having to rely on commercial airlines to transport the president, so it ordered a special military aircraft to be modified to carry the president. The aircraft modified at the time was the C-87A, which was modified in 1943 for the president's use and was named Guess Where II.
Theoretically, if the modified C-87A had no other problems, it would have been the first Air Force One, but that wasn't the case. After reviewing the C-87A's somewhat suspicious safety record, the Secret Service refused to let the president ride it. During the Roosevelt administration, it did begin to transport various other people, but Franklin never set foot on the plane.
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" data-track="65" >3, the first Air Force One: Douglas C-54 (Holy Cow).</h1>
Not interested in the modified C-87A, the Secret Service instead set about reconfiguring the Douglas C-54 Skymaster to carry the president. Nicknamed the Holy Cow, the VC-54C aircraft has a bedroom, a wireless phone, and even an elevator to carry Roosevelt's wheelchair onto the plane.
Douglas C-54 Holy Bull was the first Air Force One
Sadly, President Roosevelt used the Sacred Cow only once when he attended the Yalta Conference in 1945, and then he died. But even after only one use, the Douglas C-54 (Holy Bull) was the first Air Force One.
Harry Truman took office flying the VC-54C, specifically signing the National Security Act of 1947, which created the U.S. Air Force, on board.
It is worth mentioning that the aircraft is now preserved in the U.S. Air Force Museum in Ohio.
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" data-track="68" >4, the new officer took office three fires: Truman's "Air Force One."</h1>
I don't know if it was because of the three fires of the new official, Truman did not use the "Holy Bull" for a long time after taking office, but took the initiative to modify a DC-6 aircraft to meet his own needs. But that didn't last long, and in 1947, Truman adopted a modified VC-118 aircraft as Air Force One. In honor of his hometown, Truman named Air Force One "Independence."
Truman named the Air Force One after his hometown.
The main structure of the aircraft is that the presidential cabin is located at the rear of the aircraft, in addition to the main cabin that can accommodate 24 people or convert to 12 sleeper beds. It also has some technical improvements, such as reversible pitch propellers, autopilot, weather radar, and a larger fuel tank. In addition, it has a rather striking spray painting: an eagle design with a special meaning.
It is worth mentioning that the VC-118 served as a presidential plane until 1953. Today, it is now preserved with the Holy Cow at the National Museum of the United States Air Force in Ohio.
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" data-track="71" >5, Eisenhower's Air Force One: "Columbine II"</h1>
When Eisenhower became president, he brought with him a brand-new presidential vehicle: a custom version of the Lockheed C-121 model VC-121E, named the Columbine II by Eisenhower.
The name was reportedly inspired by Colorado's official flowers, so why "Columbine II"? Because the Columbine I was used in other means of transportation before he took office.
The Columbine II entered service in 1953, and it is also reported that it was this aircraft that gave birth to the title of "Air Force One". But even so, the Columbine II served only one year during the Eisenhower period.
Columbine II quickly upgraded to Columbine III
In 1954, Eisenhower upgraded the Columbine II to a longer, faster, and more comfortable aircraft. The president named the plane, and you guessed it, the new name was "Columbine III." It is worth mentioning that the "Columbine III" is the last piston-engined aircraft to be used as a means of transportation for the president.
Speaking of which, Eisenhower was also the first president to bring Air Force One into the jet age.
In 1959, he flew aboard the Boeing 707 Stratoliner, named "Air Force One" for the VC-137A. Air Force One has a telecommunications department, a conference area and a VIP room for up to 40 passengers.
Air Force One wears an unusual orange uniform
Although Eisenhower traveled on Boeing 707s from time to time, the Columbine III was the president's preferred way of traveling, and it was not until 1962 that the Boeing 707 took the place of the Columbine III and remained in the fleet until 1996. Surprisingly, Eisenhower named the plane "Columbine IV" instead of "Queen" (the boeing aircraft's best name).
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" data-track="74" > VI, the first custom Air Force One: Boeing 707</h1>
john k President F. Kennedy became the first president to fly an airplane designed specifically for the president's transportation. His Air Force One is a modified Boeing 707 with a tail size of 26,000. Named VC-137C, it entered service in 1962 and was the first aircraft to feature the iconic livery, which is now recognizable as Air Force One.
The Boeing 707 26000 was the first to be painted using Loewy
Industrial designer Raymond Loewy designed the appearance of Air Force One, and to this day, his design can still be seen on both sides of the presidential plane. The motifs he designed are widely considered symbols of American power and prestige. Sadly, after Kennedy's assassination, it also shipped Kennedy from Dallas to Washington.
Lyndon B Johnson has since been sworn in on the plane. The Boeing 707 remains the "Air Force One" that is the main official use in the United States, including Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, and George W. Bush. H· W. Bush.
It is worth mentioning that the sister machine of the Boeing 707 was introduced in 1972 with the tail number of 27000. It wasn't until 1990 that two Boeing 707 aircraft were replaced by the current Boeing 747.
What else do you know about Air Force One? Welcome to leave a comment!