Columbine II

''Columbine II'' is a Lockheed VC-121A-LO Constellation (Air Force Serial Number 48-8610, Lockheed Model 749–79–36); the aircraft that was to become the first plane to use the Air Force One callsign and the only presidential aircraft ever sold to a private party. The aircraft was ferried from long-term storage in the Sonoran Desert at Marana Regional Airport, Arizona, to the east coast for restoration in March 2016.

The aircraft was ordered and named by U.S. President Eisenhower, it was named ''Columbine II'' because he had earlier flown on Constellation named Columbine when he was General. It became the first ''Air Force One'', when the President was aboard after a near miss due to confusion with callsigns.

Presidential aircraft

''Columbine II'' was built as a C-121A at Burbank, California and bailed to Lockheed to support the Lockheed Air Service International maintenance facility at Keflavík, Iceland. In November 1952, President-elect Dwight D. Eisenhower used the aircraft to travel to South Korea. Early in 1953 this aircraft was converted to VC-121A-LO standard for use by President Eisenhower, until replaced in 1959 by VC-121E-LO ''Columbine III'' (AF Ser. No. 53-7885), operated by the 1254th Air Transport Squadron of the United States Air Force (USAF).

Ike flew on a Constellation named ''Columbine'' before he was president, he often had to make trips across the Atlantic as a high-ranking U.S. General. As president he ordered another Lockheed Constellation, but this one was fitted out with greater amenities; he named it ''Columbine II''.

The aircraft was built in 1948, and became the presidential aircraft from 1954 to 1959 for President Eisenhower, before this he flew in a smaller Aero Commander L-26B. Columbine II was supplemented by ''Columbine III'', which was another Lockheed Constellation, and is preserved at National Museum of the United States Air Force. ''Columbine II'' was replaced by a Boeing 707 for presidential transport.

Preservation

After being replaced, ''Columbine II'' continued in service with the United States Air Force until retired to Davis–Monthan Air Force Base for storage during the late 1960s. The aircraft was sold as part of a package lot to Mel Christler, a Wyoming businessman who owned a crop-dusting service, and was made airworthy in 1989 and flown to Abilene, Kansas for Eisenhower's 100th birthday celebration and to an air show at Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland. In 2003, it was flown to Marana Regional Airport, Arizona.

The aircraft owner was considering cutting the aircraft up as scrap when the Smithsonian Institution, during a research project, contacted the owner and informed him that 48-0610 was, in fact, a former presidential aircraft. The owner then, in the hope of finding a new owner willing to display the aircraft, attempted to sell the plane at auction, but it was not sold.

''Columbine II'' was purchased and moved from Arizona to Bridgewater, Virginia, in March 2016 for restoration by Dynamic Aviation. The purchase price has not been disclosed, but the purchaser, Karl D. Stoltzfus Sr., founder of Dynamic Aviation, has said it was less than $1.5 million. Dynamic Aviation mechanics did significant work on the plane in Arizona in preparation for its flight to Virginia. The restoration is expected to take several years to complete.

In November 2020, Karl Stoltzfus died, one of the chief drivers of the project, but the company vowed to continue the restoration though with a reduced staff on the project. The company appointed a new director to the ''First Air Force One'' project, which hopes to take the aircraft on tour around the United States.

Call-sign "Air Force One"

''Columbine II'' was the first plane to bear the call sign Air Force One. This designation for the U.S. Air Force aircraft carrying the incumbent president was established after an incident in 1953, when "Eastern Air Lines 8610", a commercial flight, crossed paths with "Air Force 8610", which was carrying President Eisenhower.

See also

* Transportation of the president of the United States

References

External links

Video - America's lost Air Force One
YouTube.com

First Air Force One
, dynamicaviation.com
Website for the project
*

{{Lockheed Constellation family

1940s United States military transport aircraft
Individual aircraft

Presidential aircraft
Transportation of the president of the United States