Nifty pic from the 89th MAW...quiz too. (Read 1,533 times)

Well, it's been re-engined. It started life with J-57s just like a KC-135A. I have an adavantage, though--I live in Richmond, and this jet came down to our place regularly to shoot ILSs and touch 'n goes, along with both 26000 and 27000.

The pic looks like it was taken in the early '80s after the USAF went to the subdued stripes but before it went to the BDUs. Perhaps it was taken in the 1970s, because the AGE equipment is still yellow and I think they changed the color of it in the late '70s. Am I right?

TF

You guys are close, but look closer. There are three, maybe four tell tale details to date the image. I marked some for ya all. The other is very subtle and may be due to the slight color imbalance in the image, but I doubt it. Sixviper you were close on this one.

This is a VC-137B, one of Three 707-153s with a 22-passenger VIP interior, later xpanded. The tail numbers were 6970, 71, 72. 59-6970 was delivered in May of 1959 and was the first official jet powered Presidential airplane until 62-2600 was delivered in 1962.At that time SAM 6970 became the backup Presidential aircraft until 1972 when 72-2700 was delivered. THis should help ya all too.

"USAF procurement of the Boeing 707 was very limited, amounting to three Model 707-153s designated VC-137A. When delivered in 1959 these had four 6123-kg (13,500-Ib) dry thrust Pratt & Whitney JT3C6 turbojets; when subsequently re-engined with 8165-kg (18,000-Ib) dry thrust TF33-P-5 turbofans they were redesignated VC-137B."



My stay with the 89th MAW at Andrews started on August, 8th, 1974. Rather ominous day if you think of it. I enjoyed working these birds. Clean, and sweet. On a funny note my first "Visit" to Air Force One for a walk through was to 62-2600. Tom Druley, an old Sixer from the 27th escorted me (Anyone heard from him at all? At Loring he was in a band that played at the Crossroads or Rendevous). It was humourous. We didn't enter the aircraft normally, but up through the forward electonics bay and into the cockpit. I will bet POTUS never accessed that way.

It was eerie walking 6000. Of course on the SAM fleet the yellow booties were a requirement. The oddest thing was standing in the aft entrance/exit area by the rear door. That is where JFK's casket had been for the flight from Dallas in 63, just 11 years earlier. From the moment I enlisted I had always wanted to do this and here I was now working the SAM fleet. Truly a humbling moment.

Mr. Ford had just taken office and the AC was restyled to his Presidency. Rows and rows of photographs of he and other VIPs lined the interior. Personally that would drive me nuts. Seeing the onboard Presidential Office was interesting, especially seeing it was not all that big or luxuious as Hollywood loves to protray it. That is where I first saw the "infamous" world clock many techs hated. Somewhere I have a pic of it.

One thing of note to any who worked the 89th then is the abundance of goodies all marked with the Presidential Seal. Matches, cigarettes, M&Ms, ashtrays, napkins, place settings, etc. These lasted into the Carter Presidency until he eliminated them for cost reasons and as an uneccessary give away extravagence. I did get lucky enough to collect a few of each along with engraved glasses of Air Force One. The matches and Marlboro 100's with the seal were coveted bargaining items back then.

BTW Ken, did you ever work the "JunkStars" (VC-140's)? If so do you remember the one liveryed in white with the "adjustable" tail numbers? We had six when I was there. Two trivia facts here. One appeared in Goldfinger. In the movie the interior size was drastically oversized. Also in the Carter years, Ms Lillian frequently used them to shuttle to Georgia. I have heard some interesting tales about her flights from the Stews working them.

AJ