LAST -- Propeller-Driven Aircraft To Be Used As the Primary Presidential Transport
N 32° 08.355 W 110° 52.145
12S E 512347 N 3555878
This Douglas VC-119A Liftmaster was the last propeller-driven aircraft to be used as the main Presidential transport plane for Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson from 1961-1965.
Waymark Code: WMPFYY
Location: Arizona, United States
Date Posted: 08/25/2015
Views: 5
Located in the outside grounds of the
Pima Air & Space Museum is a Douglas VC-118A Liftmaster, a military version of the DC-6A commercial plane. The museum's website highlights this plane's history and reads:
DOUGLAS VC-118A LIFTMASTER
The C-118 is a militarized version of the Douglas DC-6 airliner. Just over 100 C-118s were acquired for use by the Air Force as passenger and cargo transports. The main difference between the military and civil versions is the installation of a large cargo door on the left side of the aircraft. The C-118s were used primarily as passenger aircraft and several eventually served in the Presidential fleet. This aircraft served as the official Air Force One for President Kennedy. It was the last propeller driven aircraft to be designated as the primary Presidential transport. The VC-118A was overshadowed during its service by the introduction of the first Boeing VC-137s. President Kennedy preferred to travel in the larger, faster jet aircraft and the VC-118 was used primarily for short trips to airports that were too small for the big Boeings. Once the VC-137 became the primary Presidential aircraft the VC-118 was used as a back up plane and to transport lower ranking VIPs.
This plane allows visits inside the plane but the plane door was closed when we walked by. This plane may move around within the museum's grounds so keep this in mind when touring the outside area.