FDR's "Sacred Cow"-- Part 5: Today Looks Like It Did At Yalta

After the "Sacred Cow" left presidential service, it was used  for other transport duties until the plane was officially retired in October 1961.  In 1963, the "Sacred Cow" was transported to the National Museum of the Air Force in Dayton, Ohio, and the staff began the monumental task of restoring it to its former glory.

After ten years and more than 34,000 hours of work, the aircraft was put on display appearing as it did during President Roosevelt's  trip to Yalta.

Some "Sacred Cow" Data:

Crew:  Seven, plus up to 15 passengers
Maximum Speed:  300 mph
Range:  3,900 miles
Ceiling:  22,000 feet
Weight:  80,000 pounds fully loaded

Quite the Plane.  GreGen

FDR's "Sacred Cow"-- Part 4: To Yalta and the Birthplace of the U.S. Air Force

In addition, there was a battery operated elevator at the rear of the aircraft that allowed the president to board and leave the aircraft easily in his wheelchair.

The "Scared Cow" carried Roosevelt to the Yalta Conference in February 1945.  Illustrating the high security involved with this trip, the plane's serial number was changed for the flight as a special security measure.  This trip was Roosevelt's only one in his plane as he died suddenly in April.

His successor, Harry Truman, used the aircraft extensively during his first 27 months in office.  On July 26, 1947, he signed the National security Act of 1947 while on board the "Sacred Cow."  This bill, which became effective on September 18,  1947, established the U.S. Air Force as an independent service, making the "Sacred Cow" the "birthplace" of the U.S. Air Force.

--GreGen

FDR's "Sacred Cow"-- Part 3: A Very Modified C-54C

Preferring that the president be flown on an Army Air Force plane operated by an Army Air Force crew, General "Hap" Arnold, the commander of the USAAF, ordered the Consolidated C-87, a transport version of the famous B-24 bomber, be converted for the president, but the Secret Service voiced safety concerns and the job was turned over to the Douglas Aircraft Company to build a suitable plane that would be able to accommodate the special needs of the president.

This became the only C-54C built, so it was heavily modified on the production line.  A C-54A fuselage was fitted with wings from a C-54B which gave greater fuel capacity.

The unpressurized cabin included an executive conference room with a large desk and a bulletproof picture window.  For additional comfort, a private lavatory was installed next to the president's seat, and a fold-down bed was concealed behind the sofa.    The galley even had an electric refrigerator.

All the Comforts of Home.  --GreGen

FDR's "Sacred Cow"-- Part 2: "The Flying White House"

From the National Museum of the Air Force site.

FDR's "Sacred Cow" is located here.  Back in 2013, friend Denny and I boarded it on the 50th anniversary of JFK's assassination (we had also boarded the Air Force 1 plane that had taken him ti Dallas and his body back.  That was a real bit of history.

The Douglas VC-54 Skymaster, was the first purpose-built aircraft to fly  the President of the United States.  It carried the staff  transport designation "VC" designation., the aircraft was officially named "The Flying White House".  However, it became better known by its unofficial nickname "Sacred Cow," a reference  to the high security surrounding the aircraft and its special status.

In 1943, President Franklin D. Roosevelt became the first U.S. president to fly in an airplane while in office.  But, it was not the "Sacred Cow."  It was a Navy -owned, but civilian-operated Boeing  314 Clipper flying boat, the Dixie Clipper, which transported the president to the Casablanca Conference.

--GreGen

FDR's "Sacred Cow"-- Part 1: The First Air Force One

Back on Jan. 31, I was writing about the planes used to fly over "The Hump" and came across FDR's plane, "The Sacred Cow."

From the Air Mobility Command Museum site  C-54M Skymaster.

They have one, but not the Sacred Cow, which is in the U.S. Air Force Museum in Dayton.

The C-54 that was specially built for President Franklin D. Roosevelt was known as the Sacred Cow and built in 1944.  One special feature of it was an elevator behind the passenger cabin that lofted the president and his wheelchair in and out of the plane.

The passenger compartment included a conference room with a large desk and a bullet proof picture window.

Roosevelt made his first and only trip in it traveling to Yalta, USSR, in February 1945.

This plane remained in service for the first 27 months of the Truman Administration.  On  26 July 1947, Truman signed the National Security Act of 1947, which established the Air Force as an independent service.  This also made the Sacred Cow the birthplace of the U.S. Air Force.

After it was no longer used by the president, it was assigned other transport duties until retired in 1961.

--GreGen

"Flying the Hump"-- Part 2: Of Dakotas and Gooney Birds

By the end of the war, the airlift was  moving 77,306 tons of supplies a month,  operating 622 aircraft supported by 34,000  military personnel and  47,000 civilians.  At the end of the war the army reported  509 plane crashes, 1,314 known crew dead and more than 300 missing.

Early in the effort,  the airlift was the work if C-47s, converted DC-3 twin engine airliners called Dakotas by the British and Gooney Birds by their crews.

Lacking cabin pressure, the planes should have been limited to 10,000 feet.  But the problem was that for 140 miles, the mountains were never lower than 12,00 feet.  Everyone on board had to wear uncomfortable oxygen masks.

The C-47s were eventually replaced by  C-46s with supercharged four engines that could fly higher, faster and with more cargo.  But a problem was the wings iced more readily.  Some just fell out of the sky.  And, they were also unpressurized.

The C-46s were later replaced by the Douglas C-54 which could carry even more cargo, 4,000 miles and had a 22,000 foot ceiling, but still unpressurized.  One specialized C-54 variation became FDR's personal plane, dubbed the "Sacred Cow."  "The Sacred Cow" is now at the National Museum of the Air Force in Dayton, Ohio.

--GreGen