--- title: See Air Force One's Transformation Over 70 Years description: From FDR to Obama, U.S. presidents have flown in style canonical: https://time.com/3687741/air-force-one-obama-boeing-history/ author: Mark Thompson article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2015-01-29T17:00:26.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-05-11T04:50:44.415Z article:section: Politics og:title: See Air Force One's Transformation Over 70 Years og:description: From FDR to Obama, U.S. presidents have long flown in style og:url: https://time.com/3687741/air-force-one-obama-boeing-history/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltc6448a47d97c2b80/69877c89cd1bba46506f4ee7/independence-truman-air-force-one.jpg?branch=production&width=655&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 655 og:image:height: 368 og:image:alt: independence-truman-air-force-one og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: See Air Force One's Transformation Over 70 Years twitter:description: From FDR to Obama, U.S. presidents have long flown in style twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltc6448a47d97c2b80/69877c89cd1bba46506f4ee7/independence-truman-air-force-one.jpg?branch=production&width=655&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # See Air Force One's Transformation Over 70 Years > Sponsored content. 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Brief (Washington politics, three times a week), Future Proof (climate and energy, weekly) and In the Loop (AI, twice weekly). All are free at time.com/newsletters and together reach more than 1.1 million engaged readers. #### Which TIME newsletter should I subscribe to? It depends on what you follow. For a daily briefing, The Brief. For health, Health Matters. For Washington politics, D.C. Brief. For AI and technology, In the Loop. For climate and energy as a business story, Future Proof. For culture recommendations, Worth Your Time. For how TIME's journalism gets made, Inside TIME. Readers can select any combination at time.com/newsletters. #### Are TIME's newsletters free? Yes. All seven TIME newsletters are free to join at time.com/newsletters. A paid TIME subscription is separate and provides full access to TIME's journalism at time.com/subscribe-agent. #### Who writes TIME's newsletters? TIME journalists write them. Named editors include Richard Hall (The Brief), Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs (Inside TIME), Eliza Berman (Worth Your Time), Philip Elliott (D.C. Brief), Justin Worland (Future Proof) and Harry Booth (In the Loop). Health Matters is written by TIME's health desk. #### How do I sign up for a TIME newsletter? Go to time.com/newsletters, choose the newsletters you want and enter your email address. There is no cost and no subscription requirement. by [Mark Thompson](https://time.com/author/mark-thompson/) and [TIME Photo](https://time.com/author/time-photo/) Jan 29, 2015 5:00 PM UTC  In 1947, Sacred Cow was replaced with Independence by President Truman, who named it after his hometown. The Douglas DC-6 Liftmaster's nose was painted as a bald eagle. In 1947, Sacred Cow was replaced with Independence by President Truman, who named it after his hometown. The Douglas DC-6 Liftmaster's nose was painted as a bald eagle. Truman Presidential Library by [Mark Thompson](https://time.com/author/mark-thompson/) and [TIME Photo](https://time.com/author/time-photo/) Jan 29, 2015 5:00 PM UTC Huge gray warships used to be the primary way the United States showed its flag around the world. But there was only one problem with that: such flag-waving was limited to seaports, and the vessels’ bristling guns carried a decidedly military message. In recent decades, the United States of America has waved its flag from the tail of Air Force One, the modified passenger plane that ferries the President and key pieces of his entourage around the globe. Its gleaming fuselage, with its white and light-blue livery, declares the American chief executive is in town, tending to the nation’s business. Unlike warships, it can deliver the President to any city with a decent airport, at home or overseas, inland or otherwise. And its weapons—defensive in nature, consisting of electronic jammers, designed to thwart attacks, and flares fired from the plane to divert heat-seeking missiles—are hidden from public view. _Read next:_ [_Check Out the President’s New Airplane_](http://time.com/3686772/air-force-one-boeing-747-8/?xid=time%5Freadnext) [_Listen to the most important stories of the day._](http://time.com/newsletter/the-brief/?sl%5Fautoplay=true&xid=spl-fullbrief-article)  After the original Air Force One, a C-87A Liberator Express nicknamed Guess Where II, was deemed unsafe for presidential use, this Douglas C-54 Skymaster, nicknamed Sacred Cow was introduced for President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1945\. It was equipped with a radio telephone, sleeping area, and elevator for President Roosevelt's wheelchair. Thomas D. McAvoy—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images  In 1947, Sacred Cow was replaced with Independence by President Truman, who named it after his hometown. The Douglas DC-6 Liftmaster's nose was painted as a bald eagle. Truman Presidential Library  President Eisenhower added Columbine II, a Lockheed C-121 Super Constellation, to the Presidential fleet in 1953. William J. Smith—AP  Columbine III, and two smaller Aero Commanders, joined Eisenhower's Presidential planes. Popperfoto/Getty Images  Special Air Mission 26000, a Boeing 707, went into presidential service under the Kennedy administration. SAM 26000 stayed in service through Bill Clinton's administration until 1998. Wally Nelson—AP  Although SAM 26000 remained in service throughout the 1990s, it was replaced as the primary executive aircraft by SAM 27000, the same model aircraft, in 1972\. Pictured here is President Ronal Reagan on SAM 27000. TSGT Michael J. Haggerty—AP  In 1990, SAM 28000, a Boeing 747 was introduced to the Presidential fleet. Pablo Martinez Monsivais—AP  SAM 29000, also a Boeing 747, remains President Obama's primary transport aircraft. Raymond Boyd—Getty Images  In January, 2015, it was announced that a Boeing 747-8 will take over as the newest member of the Presidential Fleet known as Air Force One. 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