Just watched Nat Geo about Airforce One and learned three new things

[pkdu]

1. Airforce One's "backup" 747 is identical AND flies everywhere Airforce One does , everywhere....just in case "One" becomes inoperable
2. Each plane has crew of 26 , yes 26 crew (not security) , crew
3. and most revealing , when "41" flew to Baghdad to "feed the troops" , the backup was just over the border in un-named country (take your pick , Israel , Saudi-A , Jordan?)...BUT ..here is the kicker... the crew were interviewed and told the story of how George , after leaving Baghdad tarmac , kept asking for minute by minute updates on whetehr they were now out of ground-air missile range...literally kept asking his chief-steward to call the captain and ask "are we there yet"... Commander -in-Chief... Pffft!

[XOKCowboy]

1. Little Britches was worried about the people he "liberated" shooting him down?

Now that's funny and sad at the same time.

[MercutioATC]

2. Also...

AF1 is whatever U.S. Air Force plane the POTUS happens to be on at the time.

If he's on a Marine aircraft, it's "Marine 1". Army aircraft? "Army 1"...etc.


If the President flies on a private (non-military) aircraft, it's "Executive One".



It's not the plane, it's the man.

[pkdu]

4. Hmm ..I see , so whats this?

[MercutioATC]

8. The cute answer?

"Dumbass One".

[MichellesBFF]

23. Segway 1

Bush 0

[ashling]

20. not the man,

the office

[annabanana]

24. (thank you) . . . . n/t

[MercutioATC]

25. Fair enough...whomever happens to hold the office.

My point was that it isn't the plane, as some believe.

[ashling]

27. No offense meant

I was remembering the line from Band of Brothers: "Salute the rank, not the man" or something like that.

Yeah, there was a lot of stuff in that piece about what it takes to run an overseas operation that I totally didn't know. I have watched it several times and am still amazed by all that is involved.

[imdjh]

3. Does the Queen have two 747 jets when she travels?

[frogcycle]

5. The Queen is not CinC of the world's most overwhelming military

with a nuclear arsenal ready to turn the planet to glass

[MercutioATC]

7. I'd have to agree.

Even when Bush was Prez, I didn't begrudge him the plane(s).

[Rosa Luxemburg]

10. the UK has enough N arsenal

[frogcycle]

14. but the Queen is not in charge of it

[imdjh]

17. Yes she is.

The government officials and military personnel who exercise authority over defense do so in her name, and it is expressly her right and job to oversee what they are doing and to pull rank if she believes the military to be in unconstitutional or illegal use.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

32. well you might think not

but

[imdjh]

16. You're right- she's the head of a vast military network and powerful commonwealth

But someone has to be #2, and I don't see why it's not valid to compare the style and expense of her travel to that of a US president, especially when you consider that she's a monarch and the US president isn't supposed to be.

[pkdu]

6. Believe it or not the Queen has just been reduced to a 12-seater

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1582959/Royal-Flight-is-axed-for-12-seater-plane.html

<snip>
The Royal Flight is to be axed, meaning that members of the Royal Family will have to use commercial flights or charter planes for overseas travel.
Have your say: Should the Royal Family take charter flights?
A small aeroplane, possibly with as few as 12 seats, will be bought for domestic travel and will be available for the Royal Family and senior ministers including Gordon Brown.
<snip>

[XOKCowboy]

12. Blair Force One. LOL Interesting article

Quite a contrast. The cost of 100M pounds for new planes got the plan axed. Approximately $300M? Petty cash for us.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

9. no she sold the planes she has to travel by charter or commercial

she used to have a ship until 1994

[Tangerine LaBamba]

11. Why am I not surprised?

The biggest surprise for me was that the asshole didn't try to take a bite out of that plastic turkey.

Perhaps he recognized it as his sibling, so he stopped himself......................

[BlooInBloo]

13. "Coward-In-Chief" is more like it.

[pkdu]

15. Yep - that sphincter was chattering morse-code all the way home n/t

[MarjorieG]

18. Wasn't all this for the fake turkey?

[pkdu]

19. Yup - plastic turkey day for Pretzlnit n/t

[Submariner]

22. Plastic was more photogenic for the photo op

The Troops got pressed turkey roll compliments of the KBR cooks. A mixture of turkey pieces and proportioned fat mushed, pressed and rolled into a blob of machine slice-able turkey. That's how Dubya took care of the Troops for his photo op.

[MarjorieG]

28. Once a product photographer, amazing what passes for real. But both planes, for a fake sentiment and

a fake turkey.

[pkdu]

29. Are you allowed to call him a fake turkey now that he's not in office? n/t

[ecstatic]

31. I guess Rove forced him to do it

and he was scared to death.

[nc4bo]

21. The cowardly "are we there yet?" questions really f'd me up

It just proved how much of a f'ing coward George W. Bush really was AND is.

Such a little, little man.

Investigate, Prosecute! Now!

[zbdent]

26. AF1 flies around New York for a photo op ... massive media outrage ...

AF1 flies to Baghdad for a photo op ... massive media blo*job ...

[Blue_Tires]

30. I've been to Andrews and seen a couple right next to each other...

I think there are 6(?) total 747s with the trademark blue/white and presidential seal

[yodoobo]

33. You saw the only two

There is only two 747 models. There are however a few more older models out of service that are scattered around the country in museums. That total including those is probably less than 10.

Two two 747 models are designated SAM28000 and SAM29000 but are of course referred to as Air Force One when the President is aboard.

FWIW, I toured JFK/Lyndon Johnsons AFI at a museum in Dayton Ohio. Was rather spooky to be standing the same spot LBJ was sworn in at.