Inside a Historic Air Force One Plane Used by 8 Presidents, SAM 26000

Inside a Historic Air Force One Plane Used by 8 Presidents, SAM 26000


  • SAM 26000 operated as Air Power One from 1962 to 1998, carrying eight US presidents.
  • Lyndon Johnson was sworn in on board, and the aircraft transported John F. Kennedy’s physique from Texas.
  • SAM 26000 is housed on the Nationwide Museum of the US Air Power, the place guests can stroll via it.

“If historical past itself had wings, it will most likely be this plane,” Vice President Al Gore stated of the SAM 26000 Air Force One aircraft upon its retirement in 1998.

The primary Air Power jet designed and constructed particularly for US presidents, SAM 26000 (pronounced two six thousand) carried eight presidents between 1962 and 1998 — each chief from John F. Kennedy to Invoice Clinton.

After 13,000 flying hours over 36 years of service, the aircraft was retired to the National Museum of the US Air Force in Dayton, Ohio, the place it stays on show.

I visited the museum in August and walked via the historic plane. Have a look inside.

The SAM 26000 Air Power One jet, a Boeing VC-137C, was accomplished in 1962 for President John F. Kennedy.


SAM 26000 at the National Museum of the US Air Force.

SAM 26000 on the Nationwide Museum of the US Air Power.

US Air Power photograph by Ken LaRock

The Boeing VC-137C was a personalized and modified model of a civilian 707-320B airliner. It was powered by 4 Pratt & Whitney TF33 engines, every with 18,000 kilos of thrust.

First woman Jacqueline Kennedy selected the aircraft’s blue and white paint colours in coordination with industrial designer Raymond Loewy.


A blue and white plane on display in a museum, with "United States of America" painted on the side.

Eight US presidents flew on this Air Power One aircraft generally known as SAM 26000.

US Air Power photograph by Jim Copes

The primary woman additionally added the phrases “United States of America” to the plane to sign its significance because the president’s aircraft.

In a tragic interval of American historical past, SAM 26000 transported President John F. Kennedy’s physique house after his assassination in 1963.


Air Force One arrives with President John F. Kennedy's coffin.

President John F. Kennedy’s coffin was transported on Air Power One after his assassination.

Schulman-Sachs/image alliance by way of Getty Pictures

President Lyndon Johnson was sworn in as president aboard the aircraft hours after Kennedy was pronounced useless.

Now an interactive museum artifact, guests can board the aircraft the identical manner US presidents did by way of a staircase main into the cabin.


Air Force One at the National Museum of the US Air Force.

Air Power One.

Talia Lakritz/Enterprise Insider

Admission to the Nationwide Museum of the US Air Power is free.

SAM 26000 is positioned within the museum’s William E. Boeing Presidential Gallery, which incorporates different presidential planes such because the Douglas VC-54C, the first presidential aircraft, which was generally known as the “Sacred Cow.”

The primary cease on my self-guided tour was the cockpit, which featured a four-person crew.


The flight deck of SAM 26000.

The cockpit.

Talia Lakritz/Enterprise Insider

The crew consisted of a pilot, copilot, navigator, and flight engineer. The navigator and flight engineer roles had been finally changed by GPS and computerized know-how on later Air Power One planes.

Two telephones had been positioned behind the flight deck.


Two phones aboard Air Force One, SAM 26000.

Two telephones aboard Air Power One.

Talia Lakritz/Enterprise Insider

A plaque above the telephones learn, “This phone is topic to monitoring always. Use of this phone constitutes consent to monitoring.”

An gear space for storing featured a primary assist package and firearms.


A first aid kit and weapons on Air Force One SAM 26000.

A primary assist package and weapons on Air Power One.

Talia Lakritz/Enterprise Insider

The closet additionally had a rack to hold fits and coats.

Subsequent, I walked by the aircraft’s communication facility.


The communication facility on board SAM 26000.

The communication facility.

Talia Lakritz/Enterprise Insider

The safe communication middle allowed presidents to put calls wherever on the earth whereas in flight.

Meals had been ready within the galley.


The galley on board SAM 26000.

The galley.

Talia Lakritz/Enterprise Insider

The galley included a stovetop, oven, and sink.

This seating space was utilized by presidential workers, members of the press, and Secret Service brokers.


A seating area aboard SAM 26000.

A seating space aboard SAM 26000.

Talia Lakritz/Enterprise Insider

The plane may maintain as much as 40 passengers.

The seating space, like many areas of the aircraft, is now protected by plastic barricades.

I observed fox decals above the seats, which a museum volunteer advised me was a nod to the 89th Airlift Wing, which operates Air Power One.


A fox decal on Air Force One SAM 26000.

A fox decal on Air Power One.

Talia Lakritz/Enterprise Insider

Stationed at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, the 89th Airlift Wing is tasked with flying the president and high-ranking authorities officers. The group can also be known as “SAM FOX,” which stands for “Particular Air Missions Overseas.”

The presidential stateroom was positioned down an extended hallway.


A hallway on Air Force One.

A hallway on Air Power One.

Talia Lakritz/Enterprise Insider

The benches within the hallway had been hole to supply extra storage.

The president’s spacious quarters featured a desk, sofa, tv, and personal lavatory.


The president's stateroom aboard SAM 26000.

The president’s stateroom.

Talia Lakritz/Enterprise Insider

In 1969, Nixon redesigned Air Power One and moved the presidential quarters over the wings, which was the quietest and smoothest a part of the aircraft throughout flight.

The stateroom got here with two telephones, every with completely different functions.


Two phones in the president's stateroom on Air Force One SAM 26000.

Two telephones within the president’s stateroom.

Talia Lakritz/Enterprise Insider

Presidents used the white cellphone to speak with crew members and different passengers on the aircraft, whereas the beige cellphone could possibly be used to name wherever on the earth.

Behind the presidential stateroom, a convention room supplied extra assembly area.


A conference room on SAM 26000.

A convention room.

Talia Lakritz/Enterprise Insider

The room was furnished with throne chairs, a folding desk, and one other TV.

Further convention areas supplied extra seating for employees, Secret Service members, and VIPs.


Seating aboard SAM 26000.

A convention room aboard SAM 26000.

Talia Lakritz/Enterprise Insider

Presidents Nixon, Ford, and Carter sat right here whereas flying to attend Egyptian President Anwar El-Sadat’s funeral in 1981.

An workplace space throughout the aisle featured an electrical typewriter, scanner, and extra telephones.


A conference room with a map of the United States aboard SAM 26000.

A convention room.

Talia Lakritz/Enterprise Insider

Presidents used the electrical typewriter to put in writing and edit speeches whereas on board the aircraft.

The wall of the workplace area was adorned with a map of america.

President Lyndon Johnson was sworn in as president on this space of Air Power One’s cabin after Kennedy’s assassination in 1963.


Lyndon Johnson takes the oath of office aboard Air Force One after the assassination of John F. Kennedy.

President Lyndon Johnson was sworn in on board Air Power One after President John F. Kennedy’s assassination.

Common Historical past Archive/Getty Pictures

Kennedy was assassinated on November 22, 1963, whereas visiting Dallas. He was pronounced useless at Parkland Memorial Hospital at 1 p.m., and Johnson took the oath of workplace at 2:38 p.m.

Jacqueline Kennedy‘s pink go well with was nonetheless smeared with blood when Federal Decide Sarah T. Hughes administered the oath of workplace on Air Power One. Johnson’s spouse, Woman Chook Johnson, stood to his proper.

Standing within the very spot the place Johnson was sworn in after Kennedy’s assassination was awe-inspiring.


A hallway on SAM 26000.

A hallway between convention rooms on SAM 26000.

Talia Lakritz/Enterprise Insider

Even blocked off by plastic barricades, the aircraft’s cabin preserves a pivotal second in US historical past.

These 4 seats towards the again of the aircraft had been eliminated to make room for Kennedy’s coffin on the flight from Dallas again to Washington, DC, in 1963.


Seats on Air Force One.

Seats on Air Power One.

Talia Lakritz/Enterprise Insider

The Secret Service needed to break the handles off the casket to make it match via the aircraft door.

Air Power safety personnel operated out of this space in the back of the plane to safe the aircraft whereas it was on the bottom.


Seats for security personnel aboard SAM 26000.

Seats for safety personnel.

Talia Lakritz/Enterprise Insider

The seating space featured six seats, a cellphone, and a folding desk.

My tour ended in the back of the aircraft with a view of its name signal on the tail and an American flag.


The tail of SAM 26000.

The tail of SAM 26000.

Talia Lakritz/Enterprise Insider

In keeping with US Flag Code, an American flag decal should at all times be positioned in order that the celebs face ahead.

Air Power One stays an immediately recognizable image of US would possibly, making my walkthrough tour a memorable expertise.


The presidential seal on Air Force One.

The presidential seal on Air Power One.

Talia Lakritz/Enterprise Insider

Like many modes of presidential transportation, such because the bulletproof limousine generally known as “The Beast” and the Marine One helicopter, Air Power One is about greater than merely getting the president from level A to level B. It symbolizes the ability of america and its elected chief wherever it goes.

The picture projected by presidential planes stays of nice curiosity to President Donald Trump, who opted to just accept an expensive Boeing 747-8 jet from the Qatari royal family as an alternative of ready for Boeing to ship its long-delayed new Air Power One jets.





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