Inside the last Boeing 707 to serve as Air Force One: See Reagan's jet that marked the end of an era

Before the gleaming 747s that present ferry U.S. presidents crossed oceans, determination was a smaller, sleeker pitchy that carried the value of the escaped world. 

The past Boeing 707 to service arsenic a superior Air Force One — the craft that erstwhile flew President Ronald Reagan, positive six different American presidents — present sits nether a striking solid pavilion astatine the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library successful Simi Valley, California.

"This was the past 707 that was utilized arsenic a superior craft arsenic Air Force One," said David Trulio, president and CEO of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute. "Subsequent to President Reagan, it was a 747."

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Reagan flew the 707, process fig SAM 27000, much than immoderate different president, and it remained successful the statesmanlike fleet until it was decommissioned successful 2001, taking its past formation conscionable 3 days earlier the Sept. 11 attacks. 

During his presidency, however, Reagan ordered the modernization of Air Force One to the larger, much precocious 747s arsenic the superior aircraft. 

President Ronald Reagan traveled aboard SAM 27000 much than immoderate different U.S. president. (Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation & Institute)

The modulation from the 707-based VC-137s to the 747 fleet took spot successful 1990, according to the U.S. Air Force, a twelvemonth aft Reagan's word ended, and expanded the aircraft’s range, communications capabilities and comfort.

Ironically, Reagan himself ne'er flew aboard the newer jets helium had commissioned, Trulio said.

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Yet helium traveled to 26 countries, covering 660,000 miles aboard SAM 27000 — a pitchy that held astir fractional arsenic galore passengers arsenic today’s Air Force One, which tin accommodate astir 102 people, according to Boeing.

The 707 besides shuttled Presidents Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush.

President Reagan and archetypal woman Nancy Reagan question aboard Air Force One successful 1986. (Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation & Institute)

When the Reagan Library learned the level was going to beryllium decommissioned, it sought to grant the 40th president's privation to person it placed permanently successful the abstraction wherever helium would aboriginal beryllium laid to rest.

Boeing, the plane’s manufacturer, collaborated with the Reagan Library to transport and reassemble the aircraft. The 707 was disassembled and towed to the room site. As the pavilion was constructed, each portion was brought wrong and rebuilt wrong the gathering itself.

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This year, the Air Force One Pavilion celebrated its 20th anniversary. Since opening to the nationalist successful October 2005, astir 7 cardinal visitors person stepped aboard Air Force One 27000. 

The three-story pavilion besides features a Marine One helicopter, Reagan’s 1984 statesmanlike limousine and an authentic Irish pub from his ancestral colony of Ballyporeen, Ireland. A sweeping mural, "History of the Flying White House," traces statesmanlike aerial question from its beginnings with FDR to the contiguous day.

The Air Force One Pavilion opened to the nationalist successful October 2005.

Over the past 2 decades, the pavilion has been utilized for everything from acquisition programs and planetary summits to statesmanlike and adjacent precocious schoolhouse debates. 

The Reagan Library’s integer scope has grown tremendously, Trulio said, present topping 1.8 cardinal followers crossed platforms arsenic it expands entree to its exhibits and events for audiences worldwide.

The level is the apical attraction for visitors to the Reagan Library. 

When visitors participate and spot the monolithic aircraft, somewhat tilted to springiness the illusion of takeoff and framed by floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the Simi Valley hills, their archetypal absorption is to gasp, Trulio said.

"It's a truly remarkable, precise surviving portion of history," helium told Fox News Digital. 

The Air Force One Pavilion includes Reagan’s limousine and a Marine One helicopter. (Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation & Institute)

"Any 1 of our visitors tin travel and bargain a summons and really spell onto the level and spot precisely wherever the president, his staff, the property corps, the Secret Service and truthful connected utilized it arsenic a working, flying office."

The level is the apical attraction for visitors to the Reagan Library, Trulio noted.

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It looks the aforesaid arsenic it did 20 years ago, helium added. While it was erstwhile authorities of the art, its rotary phones and mid-century decor are a blast from the past for visitors today. 

"To us, they look a small '80s," Trulio said.

The erstwhile president knew that "face-to-face talks tin beryllium helpful," said the CEO of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute.  (J. David Ake/AFP via Getty Images)

Unlike modern planes, Reagan's was not the "cushiest," helium added. "There's a league room, determination are perfectly comfy chairs — but the existent Air Force One has bedrooms. This 1 doesn't."

Still, it was a conveyance of face-to-face diplomacy, helping to signifier planetary past and continuing to thatch lessons that resonate today.

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After his archetypal gathering with Soviet person Mikhail Gorbachev successful Geneva during the Cold War, for example, Reagan remarked, "So, face-to-face talks tin beryllium helpful."

Trulio said determination are "tremendous parallels" betwixt Reagan's epoch and today. 

President Reagan putts a play shot aboard Air Force One successful 1985. (Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation & Institute)

"History, it's been said, rhymes. And if you deliberation of the ‘70s going into the ’80s, that was a play of economical challenge, precocious inflation, we were competing with a communist authorities with planetary ambitions, and determination was a consciousness that possibly America's champion days were down us," helium said.

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"President Reagan was an unquestionably palmy president," helium continued. "It's inspiring but besides profoundly instructive to gully connected those successes arsenic we ponder the challenges and the opportunities that we look today."