Lot 24
Kennedy, John F, Color photograph of Air Force One "Special Air Mission" (SAM) 26000 signed and inscribed, "For Dr. Phillips--with thanks and best wishes--John Kennedy 1963," 8 x 10 in., n.p. The President signed in black fountain ink at top center. This VC - 137 aircraft was built by Boeing Aircraft in Renton, Washington and delivered in October 1962. The first flight was made by President Kennedy in November 1962 to attend the funeral of Eleanor Roosevelt in Hyde Park, New York. The plane also carried President Kennedy's body back to Washington after his assassination on November 22, 1963, and is, consequently, considered the most historic of all of the planes called Air Force One. It was retired to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton, Ohio in 1998.
Flights made on this aircraft in 1963, all piloted by Col. James B. Swindal, are the following:
June - trip to Berlin for JFK's "Ich bin ein Berliner" speech, and then to Ireland;
August - trip to Hyanisport, Massachusetts upon the death of his newborn son, Patrick;
Early November - trip to Cape Canavaral, Florida;
November 21 - final trip to Texas;
November 22 - the President's body was flown back to Andrews Air Force Base and Lyndon B. Johnson took the oath of office on the plane.
Other important flights made after 1963 on (SAM) 26000 include:
February 1972 - President Nixon visited China;
January 1973 - Ex-President Johnson's body was flown to Washington and returned to Texas for burial;
October 1981 - Former Presidents Nixon, Ford and Carter flew to Egypt to attend the funeral of assassinated Egyptian President Anwar Sadat;
April 1994 - Ex-President Nixon's body was flown to California for burial.
Estimated Value $2,500 - 3,500
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| Realized $2,520 |
