First Air Force One Being Restored

[Retired W4]

I thought the aviation buffs here might enjoy reading about this old Super Connie. The part about a former Harley-Davidson guy doing the V-twin APU was pretty cool.

Dynamic Aviation makes headway in restoring first Air Force One | Science And Technology | dnronline.com

 

[AJ]

I thought the aviation buffs here might enjoy reading about this old Super Connie. The part about a former Harley-Davidson guy doing the V-twin APU was pretty cool.

Dynamic Aviation makes headway in restoring first Air Force One | Science And Technology | dnronline.com

I remember reading an article on this several years ago.

 

[sceva]

I thought it was in the Air Force Museum in Riverside Ohio, my mistake though; they have Columbine III.

 

[THE PILGRIM]

Here's the Bataan, Gen. MacArthur's Connie.
I took this at Valle, AZ just before the plane was flown to Chino, CA.

 

[Abbynormal]

I thought I remember seeing the Columbine at the Pima Air & Space Museum in Tucson during the 90's. I remember my Dad being amazed it was still around.

 

[yaktamer]

I thought I remember seeing the Columbine at the Pima Air & Space Museum in Tucson during the 90's. I remember my Dad being amazed it was still around.

You are correct. All of his transports were named Columbine. He had two of the Connies. The first one, which is at Pima, he had when he was SHAPE commander. The second one was when he was President, so that one would be the first Air Force One.

 

[Alk8944]

The Dynamic Aviation article makes one huge mistake! They refer to the Constellation engines as "rotary engines"! They are RADIAL engines. The difference is in the earlier rotary engine types the engine crankshaft is stationary. The engine block and cylinders rotate around the crankshaft. In the radial type engine, all Wright, Pratt & Whitney, etc. the crankcase is stationary and the crankshaft rotates and carries the propeller.


Rotary engines have not been manufactured since WW One! All "round engines" made since then are Radial engines.