Air Force One

Ohio History

SAM 26000

Now we'll jump back to the Presidential Gallery, and the first jet built specifically for Presidential use in 1962. It carried eight US Presidents over three decades, from President Kennedy to President Clinton. The jet's official name was SAM 26000, which stood for "Special Air Mission," number 26000. The call sign "Air Force One" was also used when the President was on board to make sure everyone knew where the President's aircraft was. Because President Kennedy did not give the plane a nickname like previous Presidential aircraft, the media also began to call it Air Force One. The name stuck. Check out my Roosevelt's Plane post right here to see a side view of SAM 26000 as well - it wasn't easy to photograph these big planes!