VC-137 Air force One airplane model. Special Air Mission 26000 was brought into the inventory by President Kennedy and has played a very important role in American and world history. The aircraft was the first jet designed exclusively for presidential use. It used the call sign, "Air Force One," whenever the president was aboard. Kennedy's first flight was in November 1962 when he and the first lady attended Eleanor Roosevelts funeral in New York. President Kennedy used aircraft 26000 when he flew to the divided East German city in June 1963 and made his famous "Ich Bin Ein Berliner" speech. A few months later he took the plane to Dallas. Ironically, one of the shortest flights was from Fort Worth to Dallas because Kennedy felt safe in the aircraft. SAM 26000 carried President John F. Kennedy to Dallas, Nov. 22, 1963, and his body was returned to Washington, DC, following his assassination. Lyndon B. Johnson was sworn into office as the 36th president of the United States on board 26000 at Love Field in Dallas. This fateful aircraft also was used to return President Johnson's body to Texas following his state funeral on Jan. 24, 1973. The aircraft was used for Richard Nixons first trip abroad to Vietnam. In 1972, President Richard M. Nixon made historic visits aboard 26000 to the People's Republic of China in February and to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics in May. National Security Advisor Henry Kissinger's trips to secretly meet with officials from North Vietnam were also aboard this aircraft.
Mahogany Wood. Scale: 1/100. Wingspan 17 1/2 inches, Length 18 1/2 inches.
