The Lockheed C-140B as it arrived at Hill Aerospace Museum in 1992.

When the Hill Aerospace Museum first acquired a C-140 Jetstar in 1992, the museum did not know the full story of its origin. The aircraft came to the museum from the 1467th Facilities Checking Squadron stationed at Scott Air Force Base in Illinois. Airmen used the C-140 to check aircraft instrument landing systems and calibrate them for landings in poor weather or at night.

Early in this aircraft’s life at Hill Aerospace Museum, white paint flaked off while staff were closing the air stair door one day. This prompted their discovery of the one-of-a-kind blue paint that indicates Presidential usage. As the restoration crew further sanded down layers of paint to restore the aircraft, they discovered a shadow of the presidential seal. The 89th Airlift Wing at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland, which provides transportation for the President and cabinet-level VIPs, inspected and confirmed that the aircraft was used extensively by both President Lyndon B. Johnson and his wife, Lady Bird. In keeping with its historical role, the museum restoration team repainted the C-140 to reflect how it appeared when in the service of the President.

LBJ and Lady Bird in the (V)C-140B JetStar

This C-140B, now on display at Hill Aerospace Museum, was manufactured in 1963. It was stationed at Andrews Air Force Base in 1966, and then transferred to the 89th Military Airlift Wing (Special Air Mission). It served President Johnson and First Lady Claudia Taylor “Lady Bird” Johnson until 1977. Whenever the President was aboard, the aircraft flew under the call sign of “Air Force One.”

The C-140 is a military version of the Lockheed Model 1329 light jet transport. Production of these aircraft began in 1960. Although most of them were built for the civilian market, the U.S. Air Force purchased sixteen of these aircraft in 1961. Eleven were assigned to the Military Airlift Command for operational support airlift, and the remaining six were flown as (V)C-140Bs on special government and White House airlift missions.

C-140s spent time with several different units before the end of their service. In June 1972, the U.S. Air Force redesignated the C-140B as a VC-140B and, in the summer of 1977, relocated the fleet to Germany to serve with the 435th Tactical Airlift Wing. In February 1978, the VC-140Bs were redesignated and reconfigured back to C-140Bs and moved to the 58th Military Airlift Squadron at Ramstein. In March 1982, the 89th Military Airlift Wing acquired the aircraft again until they returned to the 58th Squadron in January, 1987.

Restoration of the Interior

The overall restoration of S/N 62-4201 took nearly 12 years and was completed in 2004. One of the most important aspects of the project was restoring the interior of the jet to its former glory. Museum volunteer Goffrey Baer worked to bring the interior back to a presentable state. He located and installed missing instruments in the cockpit, and obtained various navigation equipment and charts to complete the flight deck. Notably, he was able to obtain VIP seats from Universal Studies, who had used a contemporary Jetstar in the Arnold Schwarzenegger movie “True Lies.”

While the Jetstar is rarely open for viewing due to environmental controls, the interior of this jet is a favorite among staff and guests. For a closer look at the interior of the Jetstar, take a look at our virtual tour. Hill Aerospace Museum also hosts an annual Open Aircraft Day, enabling guests to get a closer look at this aircraft.

Specifications of Lockheed C-140B JetStar

S/N 62-4201

Crew: Three
Engines: Four Pratt & Whitney J60-P-5 turbojets
Wingspan: 53 ft 8 1/2 in
Length: 60 ft 6 in
Height: 20 ft 6 in
Weight: Empty: 22,500 lbs; max: 40,470 lbs
Speed: Max: 573 mph; cruise: 526 mph
Range: 1,930 miles
Service Ceiling: 36,000 ft
Armament: None
Cost: $1,771,000

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