VC-137C SAM 26000
Tour inside the former Air Force One and Two

Interior of former Air Force One and Air Force Two (Andrews AFB open house, May 1998)

Presidential aircraft VC-137C (Based on Boeing B707) tail number 26000 entered service in Oct 1963.
It served president Kennedy, Johnson and Nixon as the "Air Force One".
Another VC-137C tail number 27000 was introduced in Dec 1972 and became the primary Air Force One, so 26000 became a backup aircraft.
In August 1990 VC-25A (based on Boeing B747) was delivered, and 26000 became Vice President's Air Force Two.
It left USAF inventory in Apr 1998, and at the Andrews AFB Airshow in May 1998 the plane was open for public tour for the first time where these photos were taken.
Currently this aircraft is on display at U.S. Air Force Museum in Dayton, Ohio.

Click photo for larger view (width 600 pixels, size 30 - 50KB)
SAM 26000 Inside - The State Room SAM 26000 Inside - The State Room SAM 26000 Inside - Meeting and Family Room SAM 26000 Inside - Meeting and Family Room SAM 26000 Inside - Staff Meeting Seat
SAM 26000 Inside - Front of State Room
afonemp.gif
SAM 26000 Inside - Staff Meeting Seat
SAM 26000 Inside - Front of communication room SAM 26000 Inside - Staff Seat
SAM 26000 Inside - Cockpit SAM 26000 Inside - Staff Seat
SAM 26000 External View - Door with Seal SAM 26000 Inside - Galley
SAM 26000 External View - Forward entrance SAM 26000 External View - Front SAM 26000 External View - Rear Vertical fin. Click for large photo SAM 26000 External view - View from rear door

Note *1 Compartment seen to the left is the communication room but it was not open to the public at the Andrews AFB airshow. You can see them at the U.S. Air Force Museum display.

Note *2 (Panel description) This state room has been occupied by every President since President Kennedy.

Note *3 iPanel description) Former President Nixon, Ford and Carter occupied this area on their flight to attend the funeral of Egyptian President Anwar Sadat.

Note *4 iPanel description) On 22 November 1963, Vice President Johnson was sworn in as President of the United States in this compartment prior to leaving Dallas for Washington D.C.

About 26000 (From the panel displayed alongside the aircraft)

C-137C tail number 26000 has proudly served America's leaders for more than 35 years.
Its list of passengers includes every U.S. president form John F. Kennedy to William J. Clinton, virtually every senior U.S. government official in the latter third of the 20th century, as well as kings, queens and heads of state from nations the world over.
It has witnessed some of America's greatest triumphs and tragedies.
  • 10 Oct 1962: 26000 arrived at Andrews Air Force Base. The aircraft was the first jet ever designed exclusively for presidential use. It was capable of traveling farther and faster than any other executive aircraft in the Air Force fleet.
  • 12 Oct 1962: Its first official flight was to Wheeler Air Base, Libya to bring the country's crown prince to the United States for a visit.
  • 10 Nov 1962: President Kennedy flew on 26000 fro the first time when he attended Eleanor Roosevelt's funeral.
  • 18 May 1963: While transporting a U.S. delegation to Moscow, it broke 30 speed records, including the fastest nonstop flight between the United States and the Soviet Union.
  • Jun 1963: President Kennedy flew to Ireland and Germany, where he made his famous "Ich Bin Ein Berliner" speech.
  • 22 Nov 1963: After President Kennedy's assassination, crew members felt it would be undignified for the fallen president's body to ride back to Andrews in the cargo hold, so a partition and four seats were removed from the rear of the aircraft to make room for the casket. Before leaving Dallas, President Johnson took the oath of office onboard the aircraft.
  • Jul 1969: President Nixon flew on a 13-day trip to 6 countries, culminating in a stop to meet the Apollo 11 crew.
  • 1970: National Security Advisor Henry Kissinger used this aircraft for the first of his 13 secret meetings with officials from North Vietnam. These missions were kept secret from the Secretaries of Defense and State, and the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency.
  • 1971: President Nixon gave 26000 an official name, "The Spirit of '76" in honor of the coming bicentennial.
  • Feb 1972: President Nixon made his historic "journey for peace" to China.
  • 24 Jan 1973: President Johnson's body was flown to Texas following a state funeral.
  • Oct 1981: Former presidents Nixon, Ford and Carter attended the funeral of Egyptian President Anwar Sadat.
  • Mar 1983: Queen Elizabeth II visited the West Coast of the United States.
  • 28 Jun 1997: Secretary of State Madeline Albright flew to Hong Kong to observe the ceremony that returned the British colony to China.
  • Sep 1997: First Lady Hilary Clinton flew to Calcutta, India to attend Mother Teresa's funeral.
  • 24 mar 1998: Final Air Force Two mission flown by Vice President Gore
  • 1 Apr 1998: 26000 leaves the Air Force inventory.


Presidential UH-1 and Marine One at Andrews Air Force Base Open House
UH-1 Presidential
This UH-1 Huey belongs to 89th Airlift Wing and is used to support Air Force One mission.
Click photo for large size high quality image.
Marine One
VH-3D (159352) used as "Marine One" on display at Andrews Air Force Base open house.
Click photo for large size high quality image.


Links to sites and pages related to U.S. Presidential Aircraft

Top (Home) page of the website
Individual pages that contain information about Presidential aircraft
VC-137
VC-25
C-32

Marine
One
Others
Boeing

About VC-25A
-
Yes
-
-
-
About C-32
-
-
Yes
-
-
About VC-137
Yes
-
-
-
-
USAF VC-25A fact sheet and air force one history
Yes
Yes
-
-
-
C-32 fact sheet
-
-
Yes
-
-
News about VC-137 SAM 26000 to retire
Yes
-
-
-
-

89th Airlift Wing homepage
(This page may no longer exist)
Yes
Yes
Yes
-
Yes
Navy Historical Center History of USMC HMX-1 unit that operates Marine One
-
-
-
Yes
-
Federation American Scientists About Special Air Mission
Yes
Yes
Yes
-
Yes
VC-137C fact sheet
Yes
-
-
-
-
C-32 fact sheet
-
-
Yes
-
-
VC-25 fact sheet
-
Yes
-
-
-
Seat Arrangement for SAM mission aircraft
Yes
-
-
-
Yes
Camp David

Detailed history and photos on presidential aircraft
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
The Southwest Virginia Scanner Club About aircraft of 89th Airlift Wing
Yes
Yes
Yes
-
Yes
Ronald Regan President Library

News about Former Air Force One SAM 27000 display
Yes
-
-
-
-
USAF Museum

About Former Air Force One and Two SAM 26000 display
Yes
-
-
-
-
Pima Air Museum About Former Air Force One, VC-118(based on DC-6) display
-
-
-
-
Yes
Museum of Flight About Former Air Force One, VC-137 58-6970 on sidplay
Yes
-
-
-
-
The Whitehouse

Photo of Vice President inside C-32A
-
-
Yes
-
-
BBC Photo of President Clinton in the state room aboard Air Force One
-
Yes
-
-
-
Yamasans Laboratory Photo of VC-25A at Yokota Air Base, Tokyo, Japan
-
Yes
-
-
-
Look out Photo of C-32A at Yokota Air Base, Tokyo, Japan
-
-
Yes
-
-
Airliner Photo Photo of VC-25A landing
-
Yes
-
-
-
Ships and Aircraft VC-25A Photographed from observation deck of Haneda Airport in Tokyo, Japan
-
Yes
-
-
-
N. Hirai's homepage Photo of VC-25A, C-32A and VC-137
Yes
Yes
Yes
-
-
Canopy VC-25A arrived at Hanaeda airport at night
-
Yes
-
-
-
Rimpeace Photo of VC-25A waiting for next mission at Yokota Air Base in Tokyo, Japan
-
Yes
-
-
-
Sakuma's homepage Photo of VC-137 at Kansai International airport
Yes
-
-
-
-
Sony pictures entertainamet Movie production notes including description on real aircraft
-
Yes
-
-
-
National Geographics TV program on Air Force One
-
Yes
-
-
-



Copyright 2001 Morimoto, Makoto : All Rights Reserved.

Visitor to this page since Nov 9, 2001