Note: This aircraft is located in the Presidential Gallery on a controlled-access portion of Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. The gallery will close until further notice beginning May 1, 2013, as part of budget reduction requirements due to sequestration.
The C-140 is a military version of the Lockheed Model 1329 light jet transport. The prototype Jet Star was first flown on Sept. 4, 1957, only 241 days after design completion. Production began in 1960.
Although the majority of those produced were built for the civilian market, the USAF bought 16 Jet Stars as C-140As and Bs, the first of which was delivered in late 1961. Five C-140As were assigned to the Air Force Communications Command for use in evaluating military navigation aids and operations. Eleven C-140Bs were assigned to the Military Airlift Command for operational support airlift. Six of them were flown as VC-140Bs on special government and White House airlift missions by the 89th Military Airlift Wing at Andrews Air Force Base, Md.
The VC-140B on display carried Presidents Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan a number of times, although it was not the primary presidential aircraft. Whenever the President was aboard, it flew under the radio call sign Air Force One. This Jet Star ended its 26 years of service when it was flown to the museum on July 16, 1987.
SPECIFICATIONS: Span: 54 ft. 11 in. Length: 60 ft. 5 in. Height: 20 ft. 5 in. Weight: 41,000 lbs. maximum Armament: None Engines: Four Pratt & Whitney J-60 turbojets of 3,000 lbs. thrust each Crew: Four plus eight passengers Cost: $1,771,000
PERFORMANCE: Maximum speed: 598 mph Cruising speed: 520 mph Range: 2,200 miles Service ceiling: 45,000 ft.
