Boeing VC-137C
Boeing · United States · first flew 1959 · transport aircraft
The Boeing VC-137C is the military VIP transport variant of the Boeing 707-320, most famous as the dedicated presidential transport designated 'Air Force One' when carrying the US President. Two aircraft, SAM 26000 and SAM 27000, served as the primary presidential transports for decades.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, swept |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 4 × turbofan, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Long fuselage with presidential communications suite |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Four-engine swept-wing VIP transport based on Boeing 707
- Distinctive blue-and-white 'Air Force One' livery
- Long fuselage with presidential communications suite
Visually identical to a Boeing 707-320 airliner; distinguished by the iconic blue-and-white USAF livery with 'United States of America' along the fuselage and the presidential seal.
Specifications
- The Boeing VC-137C has a length of 46.61 m (153 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 44.42 m (146 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 966 km/h (600 mph).
- Typical crew: 2 pilots + cabin crew.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Derived from the commercial Boeing 707, the VC-137C entered USAF service in 1962 and became iconic during the Cold War era. SAM 26000 carried President Kennedy's body back from Dallas in 1963 and witnessed Lyndon Johnson's swearing-in. SAM 27000 replaced it as primary Air Force One and flew every president from Nixon through George W. Bush.
Variants
The VC-137A and VC-137B were earlier turboprop- and early turbojet-powered variants; the VC-137C with JT3D turbofans was the definitive long-range version. Both VC-137Cs are now preserved at presidential libraries.
Where you'll see it
Operated exclusively by the 89th Airlift Wing at Andrews Air Force Base, the VC-137Cs were retired in 2001 when the VC-25A (Boeing 747-based) assumed primary Air Force One duties.
Related aircraft
- Boeing 707-320 Intercontinental
- Boeing B-52H Stratofortress
- Boeing VC-137 Stratoliner
- Boeing 707
- Canadair CC-109 Cosmopolitan
- Hiller X-18
- Howard 500
- P-3 Orion
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