Air Force One: Its Secrets and History

Air Force One remains a potent symbol of America’s power around the world. The presidential aircraft has seen a wide range of historic moments, both tragic and humorous.
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FDR Was The First President To Fly In Office (U.S. National Archives)

While it wasn't yet officially called "Air Force One," the first aircraft obtained specifically for presidential travel belonged to President Franklin D. Roosevelt, flying in a Douglas Dolphin amphibian until 1939, and then in a plane called the "Dixie Clipper" during World War II.

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President Eisenhower's Plane Was The First "Air Force One" (USAF Museum/Wikimedia Commons)

After President Dwight Eisenhower's plane entered the same airspace as another plane with the same call sign, the designation “Air Force One” was established, which technically refers to any airplane that contains the President.

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The First "Flying White House" Belonged To Kennedy (­AFP/Getty Images)

It was President John F. Kennedy who first requested a "Flying White House." A modified long-range 707 was purchased in 1962, and First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy personally oversaw the design of the trademark blue and white color scheme that cemented Air Force One as a symbol of the United States.

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Offices And Facilities (Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images)

Air Force One is equipped with a wide range of facilities that enable the president to conduct his duties mid-­flight. The plane has three decks and 4,000 square feet of interior floor space, including bedroom, bathroom, workout room and office space for the president.

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Air Force One Has A Twin (Roman Gray/USMC/Wikimedia Commons)

The U.S. Air Force actually maintains two customized Boeing 747 jets for use as Air Force One, each identical to the other. Both are housed at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland.

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Advanced Electronics (The White House/Getty Images News/Getty Images)

Air Force One is equipped with heavy shielding to protect its advanced electronics from interference, as well as a suite of classified technology designed to jam radar and evade missiles.

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C­141 Starlifters Fly Ahead With The President's Motorcade (Tim Chapman/AFP/Getty Images)

One part of the Presidential aerial entourage that's not typically seen is the C­141 Starlifter that flies ahead of Air Force One to its destination in order to deliver the President's motorcade.

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President Johnson Once Hosted A Press Conference Naked On Air Force One (Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

President Lyndon Johnson was notorious for flaunting his authority to throw people off balance. He held an impromptu press conference in the plane's bedroom, answering questions about the economy while taking off his underwear and waving a towel for emphasis.

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Fighter Escorts Are Rare (Doug Mills/AFP/Getty Images)

In a 1974 incident, while President Richard Nixon was on his way to a scheduled stop in Syria, Syrian fighter jets intercepted Air Force One to act as escorts. Air Force One pilots were not informed of this beforehand, however, and took evasive action from the fighters, including a dive.

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Landing (Jerod Harris/Wire Image/Getty Images)

Air Force One remains a potent symbol of America’s power around the world.

Written by:
Shea Huffman

Edited By:
Charlie Benavides

Images Provided By:
Getty Images

Music:
YouTube Music Library

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