C-137 Stratoliner: The VIP Transport Jet Developed From The Boeing 707

Exactly 64 years ago yesterday, on December 31, 1958, the Boeing C-137 executive transport plane made its maiden flight. The C-137 was developed from the Boeing 707 airliner to provide VIP transport for political leaders, delegations, and the military top brass. Before we get into how the C-137 came about, it's helpful to know a little bit about the Boeing 707 airliner came to be.

Boeing was lagging behind Douglas and Lockheed

Known primarily for its heavy bombers like the B-29 Superfortress during World War Two, Boeing's attempts to gain a foothold in the passenger airliner market were a step behind rival planemaker Douglas. After the war, the civilian airliner market was dominated by Douglas and Lockheed, with Boeing's offering the 377 Stratocruiser selling poorly.

Three_Pan_Am_Boeing_707_awaiting_delivery

Photo: Unknown via Wikimedia Commons.

Knowing that they needed to be inventive and develop a plane for the future in the late 1940s and early 1950s, Boeing began working on a jet-powered passenger aircraft that would later become the Boeing 707.

The first flight of a production Boeing 707 took place on December 20, 1957, and was certified by the Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) nine months later. Pan American World Airways (Pan Am) was the launch customer for the Boeing 707, entering the plane into commercial service on October 26, 1958.

The US Air Force wanted a new VIP Transport

In 1959 the United States Air Force was looking for a jet-powered plane to use for VIP transport and selected the 707, which was designated as the VC-137. Configured to seat 26 people comfortably, the aircraft was also kitted out to be used as an airborne control center.

In 1961 the Air Force procured an additional Boeing 707 for the exclusive use of the President of the United States and his staff members. Whenever the President was aboard the plane, its call sign was changed to "Air Force One" to avoid confusion with other aircraft.

Photo SGT Hernandez via Wikimedia Commons.

When John F. Kennedy took office in 1961, he requested that the plane's livery be changed to reflect his office's importance and display American prestige worldwide. Kennedy's wife, Jacqueline, and designer Raymond Loewy created the distinctive blue and white paint scheme with the United States written on the fuselage and the American flag on the tail.

The plane was to show America's prestige

In 1963 during the Cold War with the Soviet Union, President Kennedy flew in a C-137 Stratoliner to Berlin, where he famously uttered the words "Ich bin ein Berliner." This was in response to the Berlin Wall and to show the Soviet Union America's support for Western Europe.

The C-137 served as Air Force One until 1990, when then-President George H. W. Bush began being transported in a Boeing 747.

Variants of the C-137 Stratoliner:

VC-137A: Three Boeing 707s configured to carry 22 VIP passengers and to be used as an airborne control center
VC-137B:The three planes above fitted with four Pratt & Whitney JT3D-3 engines.
C-137B: The three VC-137Bs were redesignated and then downgraded from their role as VIP transports.
VC-137C: Two aircraft used as Air Force One for the President of the United States
C-137C: The two were downgraded from Presidential use, and are now in aviation museums.
EC-137D: Two aircraft built as Early Warning and Control System prototypes. Later configured as an airborne special operations command post.