MacArthur's Connie 'BATAAN'
This is General Douglas MacArthurs C121 Lockheed Constellation as used by him whilst in office. It is currently on show at the 'Planes of Fame' museum at Valle, Arizona.
Here are some facts about the aircraft courtesy of connie survivors ( http://www.conniesurvivors.com/N422NA):
Current registration - N422NA
Delivered to USAF January 1949 as C-121A 48-613
Flew the Westover AFB-Rhein-Main route in support of the Berlin Airlift
Converted to a VC-121A in 1950
Was the first VC-121A fitted with APS-10 weather radar
Personal aircraft of General MacArthur from September 1950 to April 1951 and named "Bataan"
Personal aircraft of General Ridgeway from 1952 to 1953
Transferred to HQ, Pacific Air Command as VIP transport from 1953 to late 1965 when it was declared surplus by the USAF
Flown to Davis Monthan AFB in January 1966 for storage
To NASA June 1966 for use by the Goddard Space Center, Greenbelt, MD as NASA422
NASA stripped out the VIP interior and installed instrumentation for use on the Apollo space program
Registered N422NA June 1969
Retired by NASA late 1969 and flown to the US Army Aviation Museum at Fort Rucker on March 10, 1970
Declared surplus by the Army and sold to the Planes of Fame Museum on May 7, 1993
Made airworthy at Fort Rucker and ferried to Dothan, AL June 23, 1993 for additional restoration
Flown to Addison, TX May 1994 for restoration of the interior
Ferried Addison, TX - Avra Valley, AZ - Chino, CA December 3-6, 1994 and to The Planes of Fame Museum Annex in Valle, AZ early 1995
On display at the museum as 48-613 "Bataan" with interior restored to how it was during service with General MacArthur
More information can be found t the following link: http://www.planesoffame.org/
Read MoreHere are some facts about the aircraft courtesy of connie survivors ( http://www.conniesurvivors.com/N422NA):
Current registration - N422NA
Delivered to USAF January 1949 as C-121A 48-613
Flew the Westover AFB-Rhein-Main route in support of the Berlin Airlift
Converted to a VC-121A in 1950
Was the first VC-121A fitted with APS-10 weather radar
Personal aircraft of General MacArthur from September 1950 to April 1951 and named "Bataan"
Personal aircraft of General Ridgeway from 1952 to 1953
Transferred to HQ, Pacific Air Command as VIP transport from 1953 to late 1965 when it was declared surplus by the USAF
Flown to Davis Monthan AFB in January 1966 for storage
To NASA June 1966 for use by the Goddard Space Center, Greenbelt, MD as NASA422
NASA stripped out the VIP interior and installed instrumentation for use on the Apollo space program
Registered N422NA June 1969
Retired by NASA late 1969 and flown to the US Army Aviation Museum at Fort Rucker on March 10, 1970
Declared surplus by the Army and sold to the Planes of Fame Museum on May 7, 1993
Made airworthy at Fort Rucker and ferried to Dothan, AL June 23, 1993 for additional restoration
Flown to Addison, TX May 1994 for restoration of the interior
Ferried Addison, TX - Avra Valley, AZ - Chino, CA December 3-6, 1994 and to The Planes of Fame Museum Annex in Valle, AZ early 1995
On display at the museum as 48-613 "Bataan" with interior restored to how it was during service with General MacArthur
More information can be found t the following link: http://www.planesoffame.org/