The first "Air Force One"

Did anyone else notice the aircraft parked behind the Constellation?  I thought all of them had been cut up...

The Eagle-Eyed Mark

edit: I guess more of them are still flying than I thought.

A few years ago, I rode my motorcycle to Ohio to the Wright Patterson AFB in which they have the presidential annex hangar for many of the president's aircraft. I took a tour of the Connie on display in that hangar which was also Columbine. A very very interesting museum and the planes are just incredible to see. The main museum is just a awesome sight. You just don't know where to start. From the X-1 on the floor essentially tucked under the wing of the Valkyrie B-70 to the B-36 across the hangar. One thing for certain is that the lines of the Connie certainly express an incredibly imagination and beauty. Three years ago at a local airshow in Wilkes Barre, PA there was a Connie in which a mechanic was changing the oil on one of the engines. I got to talking to him and he was showing me all the metal in the oil. He was pretty devastated and concerned. He also told me some very interesting facts and took me through the plane. His wife was at a nearby table taking donations for "Save a Connie". I didn't realize that depending on model, these planes could have a oil capacity of anywhere from 56 to 76 gallons of oil. Ken

Excellent story. We have a Connie out here fully restored in Qantas livery which does the circuit of air shows around the country. It was originally rescued from a U.S. "graveyard". I was fortunate enough to see it fly at its first public outing at the Mangalore (not India) airshow in Victoria AU. It made several low & slow passes which were enough to bring as tear to any aircraft enthusiast's eye. A very graceful bird indeed.

Rod.

Very interesting story , thanks Roddie !

I might be incorrect on this, but I believe Ike's Columbine was the first plane to utilize the telephone as a direct line to the president. Ken

RknRusty wrote:Roddie, do you know of it's been posted at SH and RCG yet?
Rusty... waiting for the snorer to flip over.  

I have a Military Veteran buddy who forwards me LOTS of emails relating to U.S. Military history. That's where this video came from.