Provide links to info, models, decals, & etc.
Marine One, VH-53. Fujimi makes one in 1/72. I can’t say anything about the quality though, I’ve never seen the kit.
Executive One. The callsign “Marine One” is used only if the President is aboard. It’s call sign is “Blackjack” when no one but the crew is aboard. It’s a modified Navy H-3 flown by Marine squadron HMX-1 out of Quantico, VA
Well, if he left on it like the radio just said he did that makes it Marine 1 then, right? Just like the above poster said?
No, he wasn’t the President when he boarded. Marine One and Air Force One are call signs, not aircraft.
Also I must correct myself “Executive One” is the call sign of a civilian aircraft with the President on board. The call sign of the helicopter was probably “Blackjack XX”.
Ah, I think he left after Obama was sworn in, so the helo would not technically be called Marine One while Bush was on board.
I’m one of many that call the Presidential transport aircraft, whatever model they may be, by the name + One. The blue and white 747 will always be Air Force One to me, even though I realize it’s incorrect if the pres isn’t aboard. Just makes it less confusing for me.
The change in call sign from the aircraft mission call sign to AF 1 or Marine 1 has been played in the movies occassionally. As was stated the only time a military aircraft will get the callsign (branch of service) is when the current President of the United States is onboard.
When past Presidents fly on military assets, they will use a SAM or Special Airlift Mission callsign. There are two of those big 747 in the AF inventory…primary and backup in this case they are VC-25 not to confused with the E-4B NEACAP or Doomsday airplane.
VC-4
E-4B
The E-4 will often been seen in support of the VC-4 when POTUS travels. It will be based nearby, usually not at the same airport where the President and his VC-25 are visiting.
The President will also fly on smaller aircraft such as these, the selection of what aircraft is used depends on where the President is going…hard to get a 747 into an air field which can only accommodate commuter aircraft.
So when the President steps off that Marine Helicopter it changes its callsign from Marine One to what ever its daily mission callsign is and as the President step aboard anyone of these smaller executive support aircraft it becomes Air Force One. Just think of the President as the callsign, not the aircraft.
When the President travels it’s quite a production. An advance team of C-5s will arrive prior to POTUS, carrying Limos, Secret Service Suburbans, ambulances and all sorts of support equipment. Sometimes, the C-5s will transport the Marine Corps helos. Occasionally, If there is a military airfield near the destination, Air Force One will land there for security and to not disrupt the airspace around a major city and POTUS will be flown on Marine One to the destination.
When Marine one flies in DC airspace, there are two other identical helos flying with it. So you don’t know which one POTUS is on. When it lands, they play a little 3 card monty to add a little more confusion. I work in downtown DC and have seen this happen. It’s impressive.
I feel better now that I’ve learned something today. Thanks guys. Never thought about Bush being the ex pres when he left.
The title President, Senator and Govenor stay attached to those who held the position as long as they live. You’ll hear them referred to as former Govenor or former president…not by Mr Bush or Mr Clinton. It is a way of showing respect for those who served. Now you know. [;)]
There was a program on TV last night about Air Force One and what goes into a trip that the President goes on. I think it was the Militaary Channel
Is it true that POTUS is one of the only heads of state with his own jet? I heard that the Prime Minister of Great Britain travels on commercial jet, and so does the head of Italy, France, Canada, and Austria. True or not? Anybody know?
I think that the Brits used an RAF VC-10 but now the use a BA jet. I don’t what mods it has.
Some countries do chose to use a civilian aircraft, not a dedicated one from their military’s resources…however those civilian aircraft are specially chartered and specially appointed with plush accomodations. Even the Pope has “his own” aircraft when traveling abroad…you won’t find him or any other head of state sitting in first class of an aircraft filled with fare paying passengers.
You have to remember the resources at the command of POTUS…some state govenors in this country command more than some foreign leaders.
Our President wouldn’t need as large an aircraft either…that is if he didn’t have to haul half of the worlds media representatives along with him. The whole aft cabin is standard passenger seating for the press corps. Let them find their own way to and from and he’d be able to use a much smaller platform…say a B737 BBJ such as the one pictured in my post above.
Air Force One has taken off one more time than it has landed. Who here knows how that happened?
A President died in flight and the call sign was changed or the President stopped being the President in flight are the only scenarios I can think of.
I have another question for you executive aircraft experts. How does the Presidents escape capsule work? It would seem to me that it’s pretty big and would require a large hole to launch it out the bottom of a 747. How do they modify the structure of a 747 so it can have an escape capsule without breaking in half? It seems to me like the escape capsule door it exits out the bottom of AF1 with would create a weak spot in the airframe.
Johnson took the oath of office in flight after the Kennedy assassination, did he not?
No President’s have died in flight. President Kennedy’s body was flown to Washington on AF 1, but it may not have been called that. President Johnson was sworn in on AF 1 after having been informed of President Kennedy’s death.
AF 1, and flight in general for Presidents, began with a C-54 supporting President Roosevelt. It wasn’t called AF 1 back then, and IIRC he only flew in it once (twice for round trip). IIRC AF 1 began with the modified B-707 used first by President Kennedy.
To answer the original question, President Nixon was still technically President when he departed Washington on AF1 after he resigned. President Ford had not yet been sworn in, but was prior to AF 1 landing in California, home of President Nixon.
GS
President Johnson was sworn in as President on route back to Washington after Kennedy’s assassination in Dallas - that’s the only scenario I can think of along those lines.
The escape capsule is an urban myth resulting from the fictional account in the Harrision Ford movie.
Mark
There’s no escape capsule? Wouldn’t that be putting the President in a potentially hazardous situation without an escape? If something goes wrong in the White House there’s a bunker he can retreat to right? Or if something goes wrong with the limo they could put him in a Suburban right? If he’s on a ship and something goes wrong there’s lifeboats. It would make sense to me that if something goes wrong with AF1 they could strap him into a capsule and get him off the plane. Or if something goes wrong with Marine One they could strap him into a parachute and push him out the door. Or doesn’t Presidential security work like that? This suddenly has me interested. I just figured that no matter where or what the president was doing he had an escape plan incase the shit hit the fan.