Air Force One: The Aircraft That Shaped the Modern Presidency [Hardcover]

Von Hardesty (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 2003

In the 1940s, FDR was the first airborne president, flying several times in a C-54 nicknamed the "Sacred Cow." In the 1950s, it was aircraft known as "Independence," "Columbine II" and "Columbine III" that transported Harry Truman and Dwight Eisenhower on occasion. But it was not until after the Korean War, with the United States becoming the leader of the free world, that presidential air travel entered the modern age. The jet-age mobility of the American presidency beginning in the 1960s corresponds directly to the nation's emergence as a super power. Air Force One: The Aircraft that Shaped the Modern Presidency is the story of the planes, the Presidents, their staff and, their many trips across the nation and around the globe. But it's also more than that-it is a vehicle for better understanding the activities and dealings of each presidential administration in the second half of the twentieth century. Through vibrant photography, this book communicates the story of a unique set of planes and the presidents who made them a vital national asset. Now all of these planes and their famous passengers have been captured. Written by Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum curator Von Hardesty and featuring over 200 illustrations, including new photos of the airplane' interiors, this book takes you on a memorable flight through history. Through insider accounts and from a unique vantage point on well-known political events, Hardesty shows how the presidency was transformed by the remarkable advances in aviation technology.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This compelling history of presidential air transportation begins with the first president to fly (and to fly abroad, and to have a special plane): FDR. Eisenhower and Truman both had dedicated prop planes, but JFK took the leap into the jet age with the 707 that had the grimmest task of any Air Force One-bringing his body home from Dallas. Other Air Force Ones have had less well-known dramas: Lyndon Johnson's impromptu around-the-world flight in 1967, Richard Nixon's last departure from Washington and Bush's escorted, circuitous route home after 9/11. But mostly the 707s and their successors the 747s have made the president accessible to the world and vice versa, without having to be out of touch with his responsibilities or reducing his security. The price of this is imposing; a double-page spread shows the logistics of a major presidential journey abroad. Among any number of fascinating sidebars are digressions on the transportation of other chief executives and on the presidential helicopters. With well-chosen and well-reproduced photographs, the author, a curator at the National Air and Space Museum, has provided a sterling contribution to the history of both the presidency and of American aviation and even includes an annotated bibliography of print, visual and electronic media.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 6 Up-An attractive cover is only the beginning of an interesting and informative presentation by the curator of the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. Divided into seven chapters, the text is basically a chronology of presidential travel. Brief mention is made of James Monroe's two treks by horseback through the northeastern states, and then through the South. The train later became the presidents' unofficial mode of long-distance transportation. Beginning with the Guess Where II used by First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, the author describes the type, design, accommodations, and uses of the planes by each administration. Among those described are Sacred Cow, Independence, Columbine, and the various models known as Air Force One. Considerable space is devoted to how the interiors were redesigned to suit the personality of each leader. Double-columned text, sidebars, detailed captions, and wide margins result in a pleasing format. The text is generously illustrated with black-and-white vintage and color photos of all sizes. This title is not just a history of presidential aircraft, but is also a history of the presidency and how each plane played an important part in diplomatic and historical occasions, including the role of Air Force One on 9/11. A short epilogue lists where the retired planes may be viewed. Andrew Santella's Air Force One (Millbrook, 2003), which is much shorter, is for a younger audience, and focuses more on the planes than on history. However, it makes an excellent companion to this title. A first-class production.
Eldon Younce, Harper Elementary School, KS
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 192 pages
• Publisher: Northword Press; 1st edition (October 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1559718943
• ISBN-13: 978-1559718943
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 10.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,217,394 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Better than the Harrison Ford Movie!, October 11, 2003

By 

I.M. Soty (Dixon, IL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Air Force One: The Aircraft That Shaped the Modern Presidency (Hardcover)

OK, I admit it! I'm an aviation nut, and am in awe of the presidency and its trappings. I watch West Wing every Wednesday to get the inside view of the White House, and I own the DVD of Air Force One starring Harrison Ford. So this book was a natural for me, and I knew that I would love it even before I picked it up.

That said, once I started getting into the book, it was better than I ever anticipated. The authors do a great job of laying out the history of air travel and the office of the President, and you quickly realize how Air Force One was instrumental in creating the world view that the United States was (and is) a SuperPower nation. Not only do you get a great history lesson as to the importance of modern avaiation and the American presidency, you are also enlightend as to the technology and logisitcs involved in keeping the president moving around the globe.

This book is great for anyone who has an interest in presidential history, as well as people who love aviation history. The pictures, while many have been seen previously, make for a great and welcome addition to the text. You certainly feel as if you have had an opportunity to fly on Air Force One.

I really enjoy having this book in my library, and if I owned a coffee table, I'd have it sitting on the coffee table.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating Presidential History, October 15, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Air Force One: The Aircraft That Shaped the Modern Presidency (Hardcover)

AIR FORCE ONE by Von Hardesty is a terrific book about the presidential plane. Chocked full of interesting details about the planes, the presidents, the politics, the décor and even the dish behind each president from Roosevelt to George W. Bush, it is a book that gives the full picture of the most famous plane in the world. I recently saw Bob Schieffer (who wrote the foreword) of CBS's Face the Nation Fame talking about it on a television show and couldn't resist buying it when hearing the behind-the-scenes stories. I now have a better understanding about AIR FORCE ONE and its significance to our presidents. The book has many photos which capture the behind-the-scenes world of each president, first ladies, and their families and the key players who rode on the planes during historical visits such as Nixon's visit to China, Lyndon Johnson's swearing in as president following the tragic assassination of JFK . This book would make a great holiday gift, and I highly recommend it.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A reader engaging, informed and informative presentation, December 13, 2003

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Air Force One: The Aircraft That Shaped the Modern Presidency (Hardcover)

Van Hardesty brings a special expertise to this specialized aviation history by being the curator of the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. Air Force One: The Aircraft That Shaped The Modern Presidency is a reader engaging, informed and informative presentation on those advances in air travel which have affected the American Presidency and enabled America's leaders to make more and farther-ranging visits around the world. More than 260 color and archival photographs illustrate this absorbing story of the air vehicles that have served the American President in the twentieth century. Air Force One is a strongly recommended contribution to both Aviation History reference collections and American Political Science supplemental reading lists.