5 famous aircraft in Air Force museum’s new hangar

VC-137C Air Force One (SAM 26000) is towed into the 224,000 square foot fourth building, at the National Museum of the United States Air Force in Dayton Saturday, April 9, 2016. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO BY E.L. HUBBARD

VC-137C Air Force One (SAM 26000) is towed into the 224,000 square foot fourth building, at the National Museum of the United States Air Force in Dayton Saturday, April 9, 2016. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO BY E.L. HUBBARD
Local News
By Jerrod Boitse
April 11, 2016
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If you haven’t heard, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base is making a big change.

They’re working on a $40.8 million expansion of the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force.

Museum officials say that the new expansion will be open to the public June 8.

According to Bob Bardua, museum spokesman, an opening weekend of events is in the works and is scheduled for June 11-12.

People came out last weekend to watch as one of the most famous planes in history was relocated to the new hangar.

Numerous, well-known planes have found a new home there in recent months.

Here are a few facts about  5 of the planes that have been moved.

SAM 26000, aka VC-137C Air Force One

  • This is possibly the most famous of all the aircraft now inside the expansion.
  • The SAM 26000 took President John F. Kennedy's body back to Washington, D.C., after he was assassinated in 1963.
  • Lyndon B. Johnson was sworn in as president on this plane.
  • This jet also flew Richard Nixon on the first presidential trip to China.
VC-54C Sacred Cow is towed into the 224,000 square foot fourth building

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The Douglas VC-54C

  • The Douglas VC-54C "Sacred Cow" was used by President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
  • This Air Force plane also carried around President Harry S. Truman while he was commander in chief.
  • This plane is also known as the Independence and is a military version of the DC-6 passenger airliner.

C-141 Starlifter

  • This aircraft is dubbed the Hanoi Taxi.
  • After the Vietnam War, this plane brought American POWs back home
  • The plane at the museum was the last C-141 that was in service
XB-70 Vakyrie was rolled into the new fourth building of the National Museum of the United States Air Force on Tuesday, October 27

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The XB-70 Valkyrie

  • Experimental jet once streaked across the sky at nearly three times the speed of sound.
  • The delta-winged bomber is the only one of its kind in the world.
  • The six-engine jet with twin tail fins weighs 230,000 pounds. 

X-15 hypersonic rocket plane

  • This aircraft was able to put aviators through the fringes of the atmosphere.
  • The X-15 is also the world's first piloted aircraft to reach hypersonic speeds.
  • This was the first aircraft to be moved to the new hangar last October.
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About the Author

Jerrod Boitse