Had over 3000 hours in them, flew out of Midway Island for Airborne Early Warning from 1961 to 1965. They were wonderful, safe Aircraft until they became low priority in 1964, then it was not uncommon to lose an engine on our 14 hour, 2800 mile flight. I flew the Barrier for over three years and kept the Russians from attacking. We would fly out of Midway( lots of Gooney Birds) for thirty days and then return to Oahu for thirty days.
Late '60s the mission was off the West coast, and off Cuba. Had one Sq at Homestead. Had to support one in Vietnam too, called College Eye. Planes were getting old, and after a tour in SEA, they had corrosion issues. They flew so low over the Gulf, they kicked up a lot of salt water. The closer they got to the water, the further the acquisition radar would reach. 552d was, and still is, a great organization.
Edwin phillips: I grew up practically next door to McClellan Field near Sacramento. My step-dad was crew chief on C-119's, the old Flying Boxcar, and flew training missions to Wake, Midway, and Guam several times. We'd ride our bikes to the end of I Street in Rio Linda & watch aircraft take off & land all day long. Air Force flew Connies a great deal out of McClellan in those days { 50's & 60's}. I've always considered the Constellation {even with RADAR dome} the most beautiful aircraft ever. I enlisted in the USAF ... 1971-1975. After discharge became an ex-pat for a number of years. In 1990 hooked a 2 year contract {stayed 5} at the Ballistic Missile Defense Test Range on Kwajalein, Marshall Island... only 700 miles from Midway.
I'm glad that's it's being saved and restored to flying condition. Seeing a plane displayed as a static exibit is ok but seeing the effort of a historical aircraft kept flying is something that's hard to put into words. Thanks to the whole team!
The Constellation (Connie) was the most beautiful aircraft ever designed, a brilliant Documentary and the devotion from the people involved in it's restoration should be honoured.
When I was a young boy living near the airport in Orlando, Florida in the 50s I loved to watch the airplanes coming and going. When I would hear multi engine radial engines I would look to the sky. I would be disappointed when the aircraft was a DC-6 or DC-7, because nothing thrilled me like seeing a big Connie flying over at low altitude. The lines on the Constellation were and continue to be the most beautiful ever made.
i missed the time of big powerful prop engines and the sound filling the sky but i was born and still live in stoke on Trent UK and a very tiny part of it called butt lane its only a tiny village but the great Reginald Joseph Mitchell was born 3 houses down from where my nan lives and every year on his birthday they did a spitfire fly over very low and that sound will never leave me . My other nan lived in London in the blitz and she still had nightmares and in her old age with dementia, she wakes up screaming about the V1 . many nights iv woken up to her shouting about the engine has gone quiet its going to hit . or i find her outside trying to get in an Anderson shelter that doesn't exist. i also forgot to add my grandad was a mechanic in ww2 for the RAF and he was stationed in Scotland and he would work on the anti-submarine sea plans i have a picture of him elbow-deep in a Supermarine Stranraer
My folks had a ranch in Blythe, CA. I remember stand out in the field when B-36s would fly over at around 20,000 feet. I could feel the vibration from the 6-turnin’ and 4-burnin. :-)
My dad used to fly TWA Connies out of the Dayton, OH airport in the late 50's and early 60's. I have great memories of being right out on the concrete with my mom an siblings as dad walked up the stairway and into the plane. What a beautiful aircraft! Edit: As I watched the rest of this video, I can't help but add that this is a really unique and fantastic project. My salute to everyone involved. Great video, great plane, great people!
1957, Philadelphia to St. Louis, my first flight ever at 5 yr old, aboard a Constellation. It is, was, and remains the most beautiful and graceful plane of all times. To all involved in the restoration and preservation please accept my heartfelt thank you.
Shudder to think of what all those overhauls cost plus all the guys redoing the lines etc. A lot of highly skilled labour...$$$. I'm glad there are rich dudes that love airplanes.
I saw the Red Bull DC 6 last week at Duxford these massive piston giants are just awesome and very complex . For you guys to have the money and skills to have something like this fly again is a serious achievement of monumental scale .
As a 6 year old kid it was my extreme pleasure to fly from Rio de Janeiro to Bogota Colombia in a Pan Air do Brasil Connie on our way to Dallas Texas. The way the Brasilians configured their Connies, the first class lounge was in the back of the cabin, not the front like all airlines do today. It was a night flight and I was amazed at the size of the flames coming out of the exhaust nozzles. The flight attendants handed out Chiclets chewing gum to combat the air pressure change on my young ears. I flew in a lot of different piston engine airliners in my youth, the Douglas DC-3, DC-4, DC-6 and DC-7 Seas, Lockheed Electra Model 10 and of course the aforementioned Connie. The Connie was by far my favorite. It was touching the way the narrator started choking up when talking about flying in the Connie I get that way every time I hear Anchor Aweigh and I was Coast Guard, not Navy.
@Elaine Ricketts um no. Lockheed. Kelly Johnson. Hughes just defined the design specification i.e. payload, range, speed. Kelly Johnson was the chief designer. They let Hughes fly an early test airplane and he almost killed them all. It’s in Kelly’s biography.
fw1421 the Dehavilland dh91 Albatross is as beautiful and graceful. In fact it looks similar, but predates the Connie by 20 yrs. But it is all a matter of taste.
Thank you guys for a great effort in preserving a piece of our history....I flew the Connie in the early 50's with my Mom....Great Lady In All Respects.....There will never be another like her...
Lockheed didnt make too many civilian aircraft, but when they did *Damn* did they get it right! The Connie and the L-1011 are both flying works of art. Thank you for putting the effort in to resurrect the first Air Force One. Those shots of it flying with the B-25 Mitchell are the most American thing I've seen in some time
Here in Australia we have a restored Super Constellation named CONNIE. It flies at a our shows and I have seen it fly twice. It put tears in my eyes, One of my Favourite planes alongside B17, 707, P51, I love them all and many more. 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
The Lockheed Constellation is a beautiful, flying piece of art. Lockheed was arguably head and shoulders over most other manufacturers for design and functionality. Think of the P-38....
Every once in a while, you see a video that touches your heart strings. When someone steps up and says words to the effect that, we've seen too many historic aircraft whither away, not again! Well done gentlemen and thanks for the chance to see the real thing!
WOW!!!!! Scott , Eric and ALL of you guys did a FANTASTIC job getting this BEAUTIFUL Connie back up in the air. I hope to one day see her show herself at many many air shows around the country. May God bless ALL of you for saving such a AMAZING part of our history. Thank you ALL so much for sharing this AWESOME experience with us.
My guess it's going to be at least 15 to 20 years to get that airplane to the condition the vision for it. Worth the time, effort and money to have the very first Airforce One in flying condition. I am 63 years old and my pilot career is coming to an end, I hope to live long enough to see not only this airplane restored, but sitting next to the Current Airforce One, now that would be a photo for the ages.
When I was a kid back in the 50s and 60s TWA CONNIES would fly over our neighborhood on their southbound approach to Philadelphia International Airport. I would always look up. As a private pilot today I wish I could have flown a Connie or at least rode in one.
So, so cool. Thanks for restoring this gem. Connies are truly special. I flew in one back when they were actual airline airplanes. Sitting over the wing during runup was a bone rattling experience. The Constellation is truly one of the remarkable airplane designs.
Way way long ago I used to work at Lockhed Burbank and I used to clean off the sealant on the skins after they were installed - lot of hard nasty work in the hot sun outside the plant. Never want to see another gallon of MEK again. My dad was a project engineer on Hughes' connie, that used to sit at Burbank.long long ago... glad to see Columbine will have a proper resting place. JERRY PALMER, MAUI, HI 2019
The most beautiful, majestic transport aircraft ever built. I only wish I could have ridden in one. Thank you for the video and a glimpse into a piece of American history. Truly a national treasure.
When I was a little kid, my dad returned from a business trip aboard a TWA Constellation. The experience of standing behind the fence as the mammoth aircraft taxied up to Sky Harbor's terminal was of an excitement that has never been surpassed (and I've had a LOT of exciting experiences). The sound of four giant redials and spinning propellers set on such a magnificent airplane is a true classic; would be thrilling in any era in the future. Back in 1956, when Pres. Eisenhower showed up at the Republican National Convention; everything was broadcast on live TV. As Eisenhower's airplane taxied in, the TV commentator noted its extra-long nose (for accomodation of radar). To my eyes, the Constellation looks sleek and FAST even when it's sitting still ... one of its animal opposite is, of course, the cheetah (in addition to sharks and eagles). In 1963 I was favored to be a passenger on a TWA night flight from Salt Lake City to Chicago ... and got a bonus. Seated by a window close to the right-side engines, I was amazed at the blowtorch flash of fire that shot out of the stacks. One thing I had NOT expected was all the inside-cabin noise and vibrations caused by the engines ... the Connie LOOKED sleek and smooth ... riding inside; not so. A stewardess chatted with another of the passengers; saying that TWA was currently replacing their Connies with 707s. I was on one of the last, if not THE last of the TWA Constellations. THANK YOU MEN, FOR RESCUING AND RESTORING THIS BEAUTIFUL AIRCRAFT.
Thank you for the beautiful views of a beautiful aircraft. Ever since I was a kid, Connie's have been my favorite airplane (I am a 72 year old retired A&P), so I understand your feelings about this whole experience. Thank you for saving this beautiful, historic machine. Oh, and I LOVE the sound of those big radial engines.
Thank you Erik, for making this heartwarming video of American accomplishment, both in original concept and the remarkable teamwork of the many, many folks who got Columbine II flying again. I love the concept that it is private but can be seen, touched, explored, and maybe flown in again, by aviation enthusiasts and history buff members of the public. I well remember these graceful power-houses of the skies when I was a kid.
Absolutely Beautiful and so Amazing I get that Chocked up Feeling. I am sure there are Millions out there that don't understand why I or anyone would feel that way but then I do Know that there are Millions that have seen this Video and that have Flown and worked on old Radial Engines and these Particular aircraft know exactly what I mean. Brings Tears to my Eyes that I have Been Out of this entrust for so many Years but the Feeling and the Fun of the Camaraderie has Never Left My Mind. I will always remember my Last Radial Engine flight witch I was able to Stick for about 20 Minutes from Pope AFB to Dobs AFB Georgia on an Engine Change test Flight and touch and goes Absolutely amazing it was a Tricycle Gear Convair T-29 this was a Military Air force Aircraft and unfortunately this Flight was its next to Last Flight. Its Last flight was going to be to A Bone Yard or a Scrap yard and I actually Cried knowing its Fate because it was a Clean, Polished Top Notch Aircraft that I thought should be in a Museum some where. Thank you For the Great Video. God Bless America its Disabled Veterans and Its American Patriots.
I know EXACTLY how you feel, I get all teary eyed too when I see 1 of these BEAUTIFUL planes fire up and more so to see them fly! I grew up on TWA Connies since my Dad worked for TWA in Columbus, Ohio. Some of my early flights were on TWA Connies out to Disneyland & back and over to Washington, DC and also flying back from New York. I finally got to fly the "Save-A-Connie" in Kansas City about 15 years ago to an Air Show in Columbus, Nebraska, it was FANTASTIC!!!!! Jim Thompson
Garry Harris The first airplane I flew on was a Connie. I think I was 4 or 5. My parents had pictures of me running up and down the isle during the flight. It was a loud plane and vibrated a bit but for someone so young it was an adventure. Today flying is a horrible experience here in the US,TSA,cramped seats jammed so close together. 9/11 was the end of flying being an enjoyable experience. We used to dress up to fly and they served nice meals,and it wasn’t that long ago. You never would see people treated the way passengers are treated today,but back then you didn’t see trashy people changing diapers and stuffing them in seat bags or putting bare feet up on the walls.
I flew to Okinawa on a “Connie.” They were obsolete by the time I got out of the military. Two years in the 173rd Army Airborne as a parachute rigger, doing heavy drop from Caribou’s and C-130’s.
I was blown away by this story. I hate seeing vintage aircraft wither away and become scrap. Watching this beautiful aircraft being saved and all the team work it took to get it there was nothing short of incredible. I was an aircraft mechanic in the military for 10 years and aircraft never leave your soul once you spend time giving them everything you have. An incredible story with a fantastic ending. Thanks to everyone of you that had a hand in this recovery and preservation......AMAZING!!
I used to live behind the Airplane Graveyard in Tucson, Arizona. It's one of the saddest things I have ever seen. I could literally throw a rock over the fence and hit some Boeing.
I had to drop everything and watch this video! I've been wanting an update/backstory on the retrieval and restoration of Columbine II. Excellent job Erik and all involved in this project!
It took a lot of people, a lot of money and a lot of dedication to get this gorgeous bird flying. And the man hours is astronomical, it’s hard to believe they flew them as long as they did. The maintenance costs on the engines alone is mind boggling. Good job to all those involved
I helped Harry Oliver get that airplane out of the boneyard at Davis -Monthan AFB in Tucson way back in the day. What a joy to see those folks are gonna really bring it back to life. Thank You Harry
Was is ever stored at the Pima Air Museum? They've had a few Presidential planes there. I seem to remember seeing it there in the late 70's early 80's.
I saw one fly years ago at the El Toro airshow it was truly amazing the sound of those engines was spectacular the pilot was banking and doing low passes over the runway it's something I'll never forget. Cheers Howard Hughes 🖒
Amazing, the complete effort by all involved. I flew as a passenger on a TWA Constellation in 1956 I believe it was....huge plane and a bit loud. Thanks for sharing guys.
So did I. I was with AEWBARRONPAC flight crew 26. Over 2000 hours flight time on the Pacific barrier, Midway to the Aleutians. The Willy Victor was and is a truly great airplane. ATW2 63-65
The C-121 Connie and the C-47 Goonie Bird are the two most beautiful birds ever. I can’t imagine what a daunting task to get this iconic aircraft flying again must have been. These gentlemen deserve all the praise given. My utmost respect sirs.
What a great piece. This is what aviation is all about on so many levels. The passion, the respect for men and machine, the brotherhood. Thanks to everyone who had something to do with rescuing this airplane and thank you for sharing the beginning of the journey with us.
Awesome video and very touching! Thanks so much for this undertaking for the American public. And, I agree, this has to be one of the prettiest airplane designs ever...by far.
Glad I found this. We can see that the great passion and friendship among all the crews overides any issues, problems and challenges that they had faced while giving life back to the Columbine. I am into aircraft and I have read the history of Constellation , seen pics, videos and read about it. Its shape is a beauty, its powerful and its part of the American history . 70 years later it still can fly. A great job done by them. They deserve a salute by the people of this country.
Fantastic! Always loved the iconic Connie since I was a kid - a most beautiful airplane. Kudos to the whole team.... long may she be flying. Great video :)
I had the privilege of working and flying on the Super Connie's 1970 to 1973 out of 552 AEW and C-wing in McClleand AFB California. also Korat Thailand. there isn't a better flying Recip. aircraft around. Its nice to see this bird is gonna be perserved for our kids and beyond.
Great stuff, thanks for all the work. To me, the Connie is a special aircraft. I still remember seeing her for the first time in her gleaming TWA livery when I was 6 or 7 years old.
Erik, You've outdone yourself once again my friend!! Thank you for all the hard work that you do so that us fellow aviation enthusiasts can enjoy these magnificent machine's. I truly hope that you are able to make a DVD of stuff like this!! These guy's definitely deserve to be recognized for all the work they do to preserve our history. Keep up the great work my friend. Stay safe and God Bless.
Ryan Moeller: You should see the upcoming Lufthansa Connie (an ex TWA air-frame);90% of the fuselage is all new, 85%+ of the Wing is all-new,All Glass cockpit, and to alleviate costs associated with future usage,their Connie has a A320 front landing gear fitted to it. Lufthansa even commissioned Brand New wear replacement (and many New spares of) Props,engine parts/accessory drives,flight control systems,etc. I can't wait to take a sight-seeing tour on it when the Tours become available.
I hung a pair of HF antennas on one of these in 1957. And when I was transferred to Ramey AFB in 1963, flew from Charleston on one of these. Dear memories.
A Connie is a breathtakingly beautiful airplane, I think possibly the most aesthetically beautiful machine that mankind has ever put in the air. Thank you to everyone who got her running again, and thank you to everyone who filmed this. She's not just special because she was the first Air Force One, she's also a Connie.
Super Constellation G model... emmigrated from Prestwick Scotland in 1957 to Canada. Trip took 14 hours with a stop in Gander for fuel. I was 9 years old with a window seat and totally mesmerized by those massive compound radials throbbing away all night over the Atlantic. The stove- pipe sized exhausts glowing in the frozen darkness. I was sold. Got my pilots license years later. Still love that magnificent form in flight, so graceful. Well done team, God Bless and keep her flying. B. Mellis / Canada.
So impresed, my father flew this plane back in the '50s, Capt. Harold E. Grant. I saw these aircraft on the flight line at Travis. I use to make my father mad as I was more interested ein the air craft fire trucks.
Thanks for saving a beautiful Connie. When I was a little kid, we flew the eastern shuttle from friendship to New York on Connies. I do remember that. I still love the old ww2 iron and and those old prop jobs. Awesome.
I recall seeing Constellations in glossy advertisements in old editions of National Geographic magazine as a boy in the 1960s and thought what a smoothly elegant plane it was and that I would probably never be able to travel in one. A wonderful restoration and fantastic to think that this amazing aircraft was actually the original AirForce One. I would like to hear more about its life in that role. Was it really fitted with machine guns at some point?
This has to be one of the most beautiful aircraft ever built. When I was 17 I had the privilege of flying from Basic training to tech school in one. What a magnificent aircraft. Makes me feel so good to see people care enough to keep one alive. Thank You
Fellow Air Force Veteran Veteran Thank You for your Service from a US Air Force Veteran . I went to Tech School in Denver , Colorado @ Lowry AFB for AFSC 645XX Inventory Mgt Specialist .. Did you make the Air Force a career ? I didn't & I still regret it ' til this day in 2020 @ 68 years old .
@@bobshaw4063 Bob Thank you for your service also. I did not make the AF a career, but it was not that I did not enjoy my time as a 43250 Jet engine mech. But after my tour in Vietnam 68 - 69 I got stationed at Norton AFB in San Bernardino Ca. Which you would think would have been great duty. But we were a support base for Vietnam and I ended up working 6 and 7 days a week. So I was done with it after that.
@@racerd9669 Thank You for your reply . I don't blame you for not staying in . Working 6 and 7 days a week as Jet Engine mechanic I'm sure must have been quite grueling for you . While in Vietnam I hope you weren't affected by Agent Orange like so many others were . Do you know if it affected any females who served in Vietnam ? What rank were you when you discharged ? I tested twice for Staff Sgt I didn't make it the first time in Germany & tested twice but the scores hadnt been posted before I left Germany for discharge @ McGuire AFB in New Jersey . I was a Buck Sgt E - 4 when I got out . Could you have asked to be cross trained in another AFSC? Take Care & Stay well .
The jet equivalent to a 'beautiful' plane is the Boeing 727, alas 'not allowed' to fly in Europe any more, if I owned one I'd fly it at 3,500ft over Berlin, Brussels, Paris and Barcelona at midnight, piss them right off! Then climb to 20,000ft to Kumasi, Ghana, I'd need to keep it at Mildenhall, near where I live. They have Boeing 707s at Mildenhall and they're nice old jets too.
I know the feeling the gentleman was referring to when he said the emotions he experienced when he watched the Plane rotate and take flight, I'm not an aircraft mechanic but I am an auto truck mechanic as well as a computer technician. I've built more engines than I can count in my 45-50 years as an engine builder. When the engine first 'lights', it's a feeling that matches no other, knowing you were a part of it. BTW, I remember seeing videos of this Aircraft a year ago or somewhere near that, of the previous owner not really knowing anything about the Historical value, "Columbine II", or the original "Air Force One", almost became a 'donor' for the restoration of other planes.
In my 20's i worked in my Dad's boat shop and rebuilt whatever needed rebuilding engine wise as i read every thing and went to AP school for a while, he used to say to me on firing up a rebuild I'd done (and they would always fire right up,) you should see you smile !! and you're right it's a great feeling .
@@oxcart4172 People will always have children they can't afford and will be hungry. The more you give them money and food, the more kids they will have.
You guys got some great shots of the Connie! I think the Connie is such a beautiful aircraft and I love seeing this one flying again! Question, did Connie's come with A.P.U.s, and if yes, what type? And im very grateful to all the people who made this happen and think its real important that your gonna keep it flying!! You have a right to be proud of yourselfs!! You did real good!!!
A brotherhood of and for a mission..LOVE it. Keep up the great work crew! Any plane with a radial needs to be saved. Keeps us from having to listen to another turbine.
I flew in and out of Santa Fe a few times back then and saw her there. I would have loved to been able to afford her. I am an a&p but still, lots of money to buy and restore her. I'm glad she made it to a good home. Congrats everyone!
What an awesome project!! A big thank you to each and every one of you that took part in this! What a national treasure. I'm curious where can one go to view this beautiful aircraft. I am assuming that it is at the Mid America Flight Museum in Mt. Pleasant, TX. I would love information on where to visit to see it. Thanks again for your excellent video regarding the Connie's restoration....just love it!!
Flew Connies EC121s in the 60s. Most beautiful plane ever built. I had models of the when I was a kid in the 1950s. Should be enough parts to make it right. We had 10 of them at NAS Jax and Otis AFB. Flew eace track patterns between FL and Cuba - Also out of Thailand.
Talked to a retired Constellation pilot at a club we belong to. He flew every version and often over the polar route and had some amazing stories and facts about the plane.
I can remember seeing that airplane collecting dust and tumble weeds out in Santa Fe, before it was restored. It looked abandoned at the time and I had NO idea what it was... so COOL to see that it was the first AF1. Great work!
I grew up in Brunswick, GA home of NAS Glynco...There was a training squadron of the EC-121M version of the super Connie which had the large radar dome on the top and bottom of the fuselage...My uncle Bill was a flight engineer and give me a closeup personal tour while his bird was in the hanger for maintenance...being 9 years old I had never seen anything so ginormous. On several occasions Aunt Doris would take me on base to watch them take take off...how could something so big get off the ground...they would bank to the south-east towards the cost of Florida...it was such an awesome sight...Glynco NAS was also a Blimp base with two of the worlds largest wooden hangers...The hangers could house up to six Blimps each with the doors closed... www.flygcairports.com/historic-photo-gallery.html www.flygcairports.com/images/history/bqk/BGIA-Archives-1941-to-1945/ProjectGlynco.pdf
@@johnmarlin4661 My Uncle's name was Bill Parnell and I believe his rank was Chief Petty Officer. After he retired from the navy, moved to Albany Ga and was an air-traffic controller at what used to be Turner Air Force base/NAS Albany.... Thank you sir for your service❕
Did JFK use this aircraft? He came down to Cherry Point MCAS 1961 or 1962 and there was a Connie on the flight line. I had pictures of him and the Connie in the background.
Wonder what happened to the Connie that was parked for many years at the Reading Airport in PA. Guess it's been about 8 years since I've been out there (attended several of their WW2 Weekend they hold every year during the first weekend in June) since I moved to Colorado. For kicks looked at an aerial view from Google Maps (dated 2020) at the airport and don't see it now. Was out in the open before dunno maybe a hanger queen (somewhere) now. Always wondered if someone was going to restore it. Is a gorgeous bird and fantastic work by all involved restoring Columbine II, such a historic aircraft. I'm sure Ike would like what they've done with her ;-)! Wonder if that is going to fly over everyone's heads, LoL.. PS - Know Kermit Weeks has a Connie parked at his Fantasy Of Flight in FL but doesn't seem destine to ever fly again (he mention possibly turning it into a mini restaurant). He also mentioned that a bunch of Boy Scouts had trashed the interior :-(. Must have been F Troop.
Those damnable kids should have been arrested and forced to work at whatever odd jobs they could get until they paid for repairs to everything they damaged. Little bastards! Obviously their parents did a crappy job bringing them up.
Several years ago my wife gave me a PT-17 flight at Fantasy of Flight. License was current and I got to fly a while. Biggest treat was a Connie on the ramp that I got to walk around. Gorgeous bird! Reminded me of an E Jag. Looks like it’s racing just sitting still! Congratulations to all the folks who made Columbine live again!
My father used to work on one of these in the Dc air Nat guard. I must admit it was my first love. The Connie opened up the world of aviation to me an loved every minute of it since.
This the most beautiful video of a Connie in flight I've ever seen. Awwwwe what a big beautiful bird flying. My family and I migrated to Australia in '62 aboard a Qantas Super Connie from London. Even though I was only three at the time I have little snippets of memories of the flight. I even have a photo of my family and I standing on the tarmac in Melbourne in front of her. It's just a shame the photo doesn't show the aircraft's registration which would have been on the tail fin. So I can safely join the distinguished club of those who have actually flown in a Connie. Kudos to all for a job wonderfully done !
What a beautiful aircraft, and a true icon of aviation history. In 1970, my first duty assignment after USAF aircraft maintenance tech school was to the 552 OMS at McClellan AFB in Sacramento CA where I had the privilege of working on the military version of this airframe, the EC-121D. Years later, I was very pleased to discover one of the planes I actually worked on, tail number 555 which we called triple nickle at the Air Force Museum in Dayton Ohio. One of the highlights of that time was when I got to sit left seat and be the brake rider during a 4 engine run up. I'll always have a soft spot in my heart for the "Connie".
Nice to see your comment. I was assigned to the 552nd as an Avionics Tech from 1971 to 1973, and also worked on TN-555. Our paths must have past on many occasions during maintenance activities. I spent three temporary 90 day deployments to Korat RTAFB in support of the College Eye mission, and was fortunate to fly aboard the EC-121.
I was at McClellan in 1971 when 555 was being flown to Wright Patterson AFB in Ohio to be donated to the Air Force museum. If I remember correctly an engine failed enroute causing the plane to land at Stead AFB near Reno Nevada where they swapped out the engine.. Interestingly the plane had been christened " Spirit of Sacramento" and the mayor of Sacramento was on the plane for the donation flight. The is a C121 at the McClellan Air Museum today. The tail number is 555 but it is in fact a former US Navy C121.
@@jerzycal I did not know she was a Navy handoff, but that's not surprising as the Navy were the recovery gurus for the returning Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo spacecraft and the 121's were used for tracking the capsules, among other duties.
I may have been on board this plane, rolled down out of Grand Canyon toward Flagstaff and happened upon it outside of a museum on the way down. It impressed me as kind of plush inside, the galley in particular, beyond your usual military equipment.
It's great to see the true passion that gets and keeps these icons in the air. If only it wasn't so darned expensive too! The catch in the crew chief's voice at the end just sums it up really. He said it's just an aircraft, nut and bolts etc. No, it isn't! The Love and care people like these put into them imbues them with a special quality that mere machines just don't have.
"Just nuts and bolts" this is his way of the explaining plans to approach the oncoming project. Being intimidated of the glory this airplane posses may have discouraged his accepting to take on the of rebuilding. Comprendi ?
This is the most beautiful airliner of all time. I had the privilege of being a passenger in the late 50s between Brazil and the US. Unforgettable.
Used to stop North Vietnamese troop supply 1967 to 1972. I was on 90+ missions.
Had over 3000 hours in them, flew out of Midway Island for Airborne Early Warning from 1961 to 1965. They were wonderful, safe Aircraft until they became low priority in 1964, then it was not uncommon to lose an engine on our 14 hour, 2800 mile flight. I flew the Barrier for over three years and kept the Russians from attacking. We would fly out of Midway( lots of Gooney Birds) for thirty days and then return to Oahu for thirty days.
Thank you for your service too our country.
Thanks Edwin (from your allies in the UK). Great story - Would like to hear a lot more... I love the Connie too.
Late '60s the mission was off the West coast, and off Cuba. Had one Sq at Homestead. Had to support one in Vietnam too, called College Eye. Planes were getting old, and after a tour in SEA, they had corrosion issues. They flew so low over the Gulf, they kicked up a lot of salt water. The closer they got to the water, the further the acquisition radar would reach. 552d was, and still is, a great organization.
Martin D
Edwin phillips: I grew up practically next door to McClellan Field near Sacramento. My step-dad was crew chief on C-119's, the old Flying Boxcar, and flew training missions to Wake, Midway, and Guam several times. We'd ride our bikes to the end of I Street in Rio Linda & watch aircraft take off & land all day long. Air Force flew Connies a great deal out of McClellan in those days { 50's & 60's}. I've always considered the Constellation {even with RADAR dome} the most beautiful aircraft ever. I enlisted in the USAF ... 1971-1975. After discharge became an ex-pat for a number of years. In 1990 hooked a 2 year contract {stayed 5} at the Ballistic Missile Defense Test Range on Kwajalein, Marshall Island... only 700 miles from Midway.
I'm glad that's it's being saved and restored to flying condition. Seeing a plane displayed as a static exibit is ok but seeing the effort of a historical aircraft kept flying is something that's hard to put into words. Thanks to the whole team!
flew in these out of pt mugu 3years
My Dad flew these throughout his career in the U.S. Navy retiring in 1971, died in 1999. He would have loved to have seen this. Gives me goose bumps
The Constellation (Connie) was the most beautiful aircraft ever designed, a brilliant Documentary and the devotion from the people involved in it's restoration should be honoured.
The Connie and Super Connie are the sexiest planes ever made.
we have one in Albion Park NSW Australia its the pride of the fleet at all airshow here ,,, Man it takes so long to clean her
Meh the b29 is may fave
F111
@@trythinking6676 The Aardvark? Utilitarian yes, but sexy NO.
Agreed. One of the nicest looking planes ever made IMO.
When I was a young boy living near the airport in Orlando, Florida in the 50s I loved to watch the airplanes coming and going. When I would hear multi engine radial engines I would look to the sky. I would be disappointed when the aircraft was a DC-6 or DC-7, because nothing thrilled me like seeing a big Connie flying over at low altitude. The lines on the Constellation were and continue to be the most beautiful ever made.
i missed the time of big powerful prop engines and the sound filling the sky but i was born and still live in stoke on Trent UK and a very tiny part of it called butt lane its only a tiny village but the great Reginald Joseph Mitchell was born 3 houses down from where my nan lives and every year on his birthday they did a spitfire fly over very low and that sound will never leave me . My other nan lived in London in the blitz and she still had nightmares and in her old age with dementia, she wakes up screaming about the V1 . many nights iv woken up to her shouting about the engine has gone quiet its going to hit . or i find her outside trying to get in an Anderson shelter that doesn't exist. i also forgot to add my grandad was a mechanic in ww2 for the RAF and he was stationed in Scotland and he would work on the anti-submarine sea plans i have a picture of him elbow-deep in a Supermarine Stranraer
My folks had a ranch in Blythe, CA. I remember stand out in the field when B-36s would fly over at around 20,000 feet. I could feel the vibration from the 6-turnin’ and 4-burnin. :-)
My dad used to fly TWA Connies out of the Dayton, OH airport in the late 50's and early 60's. I have great memories of being right out on the concrete with my mom an siblings as dad walked up the stairway and into the plane. What a beautiful aircraft! Edit: As I watched the rest of this video, I can't help but add that this is a really unique and fantastic project. My salute to everyone involved. Great video, great plane, great people!
1957, Philadelphia to St. Louis, my first flight ever at 5 yr old, aboard a Constellation. It is, was, and remains the most beautiful and graceful plane of all times. To all involved in the restoration and preservation please accept my heartfelt thank you.
Shudder to think of what all those overhauls cost plus all the guys redoing the lines etc. A lot of highly skilled labour...$$$. I'm glad there are rich dudes that love airplanes.
Rv4 Guy j
It takes a lot of poor volunteers too ;-)
And that is just a warm up for the formal restoration. Hope it will live in a hanger from now on.
Often times there's a lot of Skilled Volunteers, like the B-29 Doc
@@southjerseysound7340 - Poor ? . They are fortunate enough to live close enough to join them.
I saw the Red Bull DC 6 last week at Duxford these massive piston giants are just awesome and very complex . For you guys to have the money and skills to have something like this fly again is a serious achievement of monumental scale .
The Connie is the prettiest airplane ever built, and the photos starting at about 19 minutes into this video really do it justice. Thank you!
As a 6 year old kid it was my extreme pleasure to fly from Rio de Janeiro to Bogota Colombia in a Pan Air do Brasil Connie on our way to Dallas Texas. The way the Brasilians configured their Connies, the first class lounge was in the back of the cabin, not the front like all airlines do today. It was a night flight and I was amazed at the size of the flames coming out of the exhaust nozzles. The flight attendants handed out Chiclets chewing gum to combat the air pressure change on my young ears. I flew in a lot of different piston engine airliners in my youth, the Douglas DC-3, DC-4, DC-6 and DC-7 Seas, Lockheed Electra Model 10 and of course the aforementioned Connie. The Connie was by far my favorite. It was touching the way the narrator started choking up when talking about flying in the Connie I get that way every time I hear Anchor Aweigh and I was Coast Guard, not Navy.
Connie’s are with out a doubt the most beautiful,graceful airliners ever designed! ❤️❤️❤️
Agrred; with her in it, every airspace turns into a catwalk !
Her pilots call her the greatest three engine airplane ever built! I guess her engines were not the most reliable.
Designed by Howard Hughes.....
@Elaine Ricketts um no. Lockheed. Kelly Johnson. Hughes just defined the design specification i.e. payload, range, speed. Kelly Johnson was the chief designer. They let Hughes fly an early test airplane and he almost killed them all. It’s in Kelly’s biography.
fw1421 the Dehavilland dh91 Albatross is as beautiful and graceful. In fact it looks similar, but predates the Connie by 20 yrs. But it is all a matter of taste.
Thank you guys for a great effort in preserving a piece of our history....I flew the Connie in the early 50's with my Mom....Great Lady In All Respects.....There will never be another like her...
The Connies and Super Connies are my favorite pre-jet airliners by far. Thank you for restoring such a historic and beautiful aircraft!
Lockheed didnt make too many civilian aircraft, but when they did *Damn* did they get it right! The Connie and the L-1011 are both flying works of art.
Thank you for putting the effort in to resurrect the first Air Force One. Those shots of it flying with the B-25 Mitchell are the most American thing I've seen in some time
The Electra was perfection too.
Yes. The Tri Star was way ahead in looks and technical ability like the Connie was.
Thanks for saving her. Keep them flying for the future, Thank you
Here in Australia we have a restored Super Constellation named CONNIE. It flies at a our shows and I have seen it fly twice. It put tears in my eyes, One of my Favourite planes alongside B17, 707, P51, I love them all and many more. 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
The Lockheed Constellation is a beautiful, flying piece of art. Lockheed was arguably head and shoulders over most other manufacturers for design and functionality. Think of the P-38....
This plane has tremendous historical meaning, also for many other nations.
Every once in a while, you see a video that touches your heart strings. When someone steps up and says words to the effect that, we've seen too many historic aircraft whither away, not again!
Well done gentlemen and thanks for the chance to see the real thing!
Grossman2868 so glad you liked it!! Thank you
WOW!!!!! Scott , Eric and ALL of you guys did a FANTASTIC job getting this BEAUTIFUL Connie back up in the air. I hope to one day see her show herself at many many air shows around the country. May God bless ALL of you for saving such a AMAZING part of our history. Thank you ALL so much for sharing this AWESOME experience with us.
Sex
My guess it's going to be at least 15 to 20 years to get that airplane to the condition the vision for it. Worth the time, effort and money to have the very first Airforce One in flying condition. I am 63 years old and my pilot career is coming to an end, I hope to live long enough to see not only this airplane restored, but sitting next to the Current Airforce One, now that would be a photo for the ages.
When I was a kid back in the 50s and 60s TWA CONNIES would fly over our neighborhood on their southbound approach to Philadelphia International Airport. I would always look up.
As a private pilot today I wish I could have flown a Connie or at least rode in one.
So, so cool. Thanks for restoring this gem. Connies are truly special. I flew in one back when they were actual airline airplanes. Sitting over the wing during runup was a bone rattling experience. The Constellation is truly one of the remarkable airplane designs.
Way way long ago I used to work at Lockhed Burbank and I used to clean off the sealant on the skins after they were installed - lot of hard nasty work in the hot sun outside the plant. Never want to see another gallon of MEK again. My dad was a project engineer on Hughes' connie, that used to sit at Burbank.long long ago... glad to see Columbine will have a proper resting place. JERRY PALMER, MAUI, HI 2019
The most beautiful, majestic transport aircraft ever built. I only wish I could have ridden in one. Thank you for the video and a glimpse into a piece of American history. Truly a national treasure.
When I was a little kid, my dad returned from a business trip aboard a TWA Constellation. The experience of standing behind the fence as the mammoth aircraft taxied up to Sky Harbor's terminal was of an excitement that has never been surpassed (and I've had a LOT of exciting experiences). The sound of four giant redials and spinning propellers set on such a magnificent airplane is a true classic; would be thrilling in any era in the future. Back in 1956, when Pres. Eisenhower showed up at the Republican National Convention; everything was broadcast on live TV. As Eisenhower's airplane taxied in, the TV commentator noted its extra-long nose (for accomodation of radar).
To my eyes, the Constellation looks sleek and FAST even when it's sitting still ... one of its animal opposite is, of course, the cheetah (in addition to sharks and eagles).
In 1963 I was favored to be a passenger on a TWA night flight from Salt Lake City to Chicago ... and got a bonus. Seated by a window close to the right-side engines, I was amazed at the blowtorch flash of fire that shot out of the stacks. One thing I had NOT expected was all the inside-cabin noise and vibrations caused by the engines ... the Connie LOOKED sleek and smooth ... riding inside; not so. A stewardess chatted with another of the passengers; saying that TWA was currently replacing their Connies with 707s. I was on one of the last, if not THE last of the TWA Constellations.
THANK YOU MEN, FOR RESCUING AND RESTORING THIS BEAUTIFUL AIRCRAFT.
yes, prop planes don't allow too much in the way of casual conversations.
Thank you, Sir, for the opinion. Such a wonderful memory...
Thank you for the beautiful views of a beautiful aircraft. Ever since I was a kid, Connie's have been my favorite airplane (I am a 72 year old retired A&P), so I understand your feelings about this whole experience. Thank you for saving this beautiful, historic machine. Oh, and I LOVE the sound of those big radial engines.
Thank you Erik, for making this heartwarming video of American accomplishment, both in original concept and the remarkable teamwork of the many, many folks who got Columbine II flying again. I love the concept that it is private but can be seen, touched, explored, and maybe flown in again, by aviation enthusiasts and history buff members of the public. I well remember these graceful power-houses of the skies when I was a kid.
Glad to see this beautiful bird flying again. The Lockheed Constellation is a gorgeous airplane with that distinctive triple fin tail rudder.🥰
Absolutely everything about this project is awesome beyond description! Thank you all for your efforts.
Absolutely Beautiful and so Amazing I get that Chocked up Feeling. I am sure there are Millions out there that don't understand why I or anyone would feel that way but then I do Know that there are Millions that have seen this Video and that have Flown and worked on old Radial Engines and these Particular aircraft know exactly what I mean. Brings Tears to my Eyes that I have Been Out of this entrust for so many Years but the Feeling and the Fun of the Camaraderie has Never Left My Mind. I will always remember my Last Radial Engine flight witch I was able to Stick for about 20 Minutes from Pope AFB to Dobs AFB Georgia on an Engine Change test Flight and touch and goes Absolutely amazing it was a Tricycle Gear Convair T-29 this was a Military Air force Aircraft and unfortunately this Flight was its next to Last Flight. Its Last flight was going to be to A Bone Yard or a Scrap yard and I actually Cried knowing its Fate because it was a Clean, Polished Top Notch Aircraft that I thought should be in a Museum some where. Thank you For the Great Video. God Bless America its Disabled Veterans and Its American Patriots.
Garry Harris Great story Gary! Thanks for sharing!!
Garry Harris
I know EXACTLY how you feel, I get all teary eyed too when I see 1 of these BEAUTIFUL planes fire up and more so to see them fly! I grew up on TWA Connies since my Dad worked for TWA in Columbus, Ohio. Some of my early flights were on TWA Connies out to Disneyland & back and over to Washington, DC and also flying back from New York. I finally got to fly the "Save-A-Connie" in Kansas City about 15 years ago to an Air Show in Columbus, Nebraska, it was FANTASTIC!!!!! Jim Thompson
Garry Harris The first airplane I flew on was a Connie. I think I was 4 or 5. My parents had pictures of me running up and down the isle during the flight. It was a loud plane and vibrated a bit but for someone so young it was an adventure. Today flying is a horrible experience here in the US,TSA,cramped seats jammed so close together. 9/11 was the end of flying being an enjoyable experience. We used to dress up to fly and they served nice meals,and it wasn’t that long ago. You never would see people treated the way passengers are treated today,but back then you didn’t see trashy people changing diapers and stuffing them in seat bags or putting bare feet up on the walls.
Great video, great work and of course, great aircraft! I thoroughly enjoyed this.
Wonderful film. Thanks for the making and sharing of it.
There's nothing as beautiful as a Tri-Tail Connie.
I remember driving by Dynamic and seeing her sitting on the tarmac. There’s something about the lines of a Connie..nice work.
I flew to Okinawa on a “Connie.” They were obsolete by the time I got out of the military. Two years in the 173rd Army Airborne as a parachute rigger, doing heavy drop from Caribou’s and C-130’s.
Interesting from a political and aircraft historical point of view
hey brother, i was 173rd too, 2002-2006 Airborne Infantry. 2/503 and 1/508
I was blown away by this story. I hate seeing vintage aircraft wither away and become scrap. Watching this beautiful aircraft being saved and all the team work it took to get it there was nothing short of incredible. I was an aircraft mechanic in the military for 10 years and aircraft never leave your soul once you spend time giving them everything you have. An incredible story with a fantastic ending. Thanks to everyone of you that had a hand in this recovery and preservation......AMAZING!!
Scott H So happy you liked it! It was a lot of fun making this video
I used to live behind the Airplane Graveyard in Tucson, Arizona. It's one of the saddest things I have ever seen. I could literally throw a rock over the fence and hit some Boeing.
I had to drop everything and watch this video! I've been wanting an update/backstory on the retrieval and restoration of Columbine II. Excellent job Erik and all involved in this project!
It took a lot of people, a lot of money and a lot of dedication to get this gorgeous bird flying. And the man hours is astronomical, it’s hard to believe they flew them as long as they did. The maintenance costs on the engines alone is mind boggling. Good job to all those involved
So enjoyable to watch this. What a great aircraft. What a great crew. Really poured their hearts and souls into this project. Well done.
Thank you to you and your team for restoring and keeping alive an important part of the U.S.A.'s history! It looks fabulous!
You should bring it to Oshkosh! It would be amazing to see Fi-Fi, Doc, and Columbine II in formation!
Justin Weinberg that would be cool!
I am sure they will eventually. It will take a several years to do a full restoration, then she will really be a plane to behold.
FiFi, Doc, Columbine II, and Bataan! Talk about the ultimate formation!
It is truly wonderful that these three historic airplanes have been salvaged and saved. Hats off to everyone involved in the process.
I helped Harry Oliver get that airplane out of the boneyard at Davis -Monthan AFB in Tucson way back in the day. What a joy to see those folks are gonna really bring it back to life. Thank You Harry
And thank you for helping Harry!
Was is ever stored at the Pima Air Museum? They've had a few Presidential planes there. I seem to remember seeing it there in the late 70's early 80's.
I thought it was stored at Pinal County Airport, a few miles north of Tucson?
What is the chain of title?
I saw one fly years ago at the El Toro airshow it was truly amazing the sound of those engines was spectacular the pilot was banking and doing low passes over the runway it's something I'll never forget. Cheers Howard Hughes 🖒
Amazing, the complete effort by all involved. I flew as a passenger on a TWA Constellation in 1956 I believe it was....huge plane and a bit loud. Thanks for sharing guys.
The first powered aircraft I flew in was a super G, Connie. I had flown in gliders before. About 1959
I flew in EC-121 Connies out of VW-13 Argentia Newfoundland . Awesome aircraft.
ADR2 VW-13 1961-1962
So did I. I was with AEWBARRONPAC flight crew 26. Over 2000 hours flight time on the Pacific barrier, Midway to the Aleutians. The Willy Victor was and is a truly great airplane. ATW2 63-65
The C-121 Connie and the C-47 Goonie Bird are the two most beautiful birds ever. I can’t imagine what a daunting task to get this iconic aircraft flying again must have been. These gentlemen deserve all the praise given.
My utmost respect sirs.
What a great piece. This is what aviation is all about on so many levels. The passion, the respect for men and machine, the brotherhood. Thanks to everyone who had something to do with rescuing this airplane and thank you for sharing the beginning of the journey with us.
I hope y’all sell copy’s of some of these AMAZING photos shots as posters. I would LOVE to have some to go in my shop. 😉👍🏼
Awesome video and very touching! Thanks so much for this undertaking for the American public. And, I agree, this has to be one of the prettiest airplane designs ever...by far.
Glad I found this. We can see that the great passion and friendship among all the crews overides any issues, problems and challenges that they had faced while giving life back to the Columbine. I am into aircraft and I have read the history of Constellation , seen pics, videos and read about it. Its shape is a beauty, its powerful and its part of the American history . 70 years later it still can fly. A great job done by them. They deserve a salute by the people of this country.
Fantastic! Always loved the iconic Connie since I was a kid - a most beautiful airplane.
Kudos to the whole team.... long may she be flying.
Great video :)
I had the privilege of working and flying on the Super Connie's 1970 to 1973 out of 552 AEW and C-wing in McClleand AFB California. also Korat Thailand. there isn't a better flying Recip. aircraft around. Its nice to see this bird is gonna be perserved for our kids and beyond.
probably the best shots ever taken of a Connie
Great stuff, thanks for all the work. To me, the Connie is a special aircraft. I still remember seeing her for the first time in her gleaming TWA livery when I was 6 or 7 years old.
Amazing aircraft, an engineering marvel: not one straight line to be discovered! Nice to see one flying again!
Erik,
You've outdone yourself once again my friend!! Thank you for all the hard work that you do so that us fellow aviation enthusiasts can enjoy these magnificent machine's. I truly hope that you are able to make a DVD of stuff like this!! These guy's definitely deserve to be recognized for all the work they do to preserve our history. Keep up the great work my friend. Stay safe and God Bless.
Ryan Moeller:
You should see the upcoming Lufthansa Connie (an ex TWA air-frame);90% of the fuselage is all new, 85%+ of the Wing is all-new,All Glass cockpit, and to alleviate costs associated with future usage,their Connie has a A320 front landing gear fitted to it.
Lufthansa even commissioned Brand New wear replacement (and many New spares of) Props,engine parts/accessory drives,flight control systems,etc.
I can't wait to take a sight-seeing tour on it when the Tours become available.
I hung a pair of HF antennas on one of these in 1957. And when I was transferred to Ramey AFB in 1963, flew from Charleston on one of these. Dear memories.
A Connie is a breathtakingly beautiful airplane, I think possibly the most aesthetically beautiful machine that mankind has ever put in the air.
Thank you to everyone who got her running again, and thank you to everyone who filmed this. She's not just special because she was the first Air Force One, she's also a Connie.
Super Constellation G model... emmigrated from Prestwick Scotland in 1957 to Canada. Trip took 14 hours with a stop in Gander for fuel. I was 9 years old with a window seat and totally mesmerized by those massive compound radials throbbing away all night over the Atlantic. The stove- pipe sized exhausts glowing in the frozen darkness. I was sold. Got my pilots license years later. Still love that magnificent form in flight, so graceful. Well done team, God Bless and keep her flying. B. Mellis / Canada.
So impresed, my father flew this plane back in the '50s, Capt. Harold E. Grant. I saw these aircraft on the flight line at Travis. I use to make my father mad as I was more interested ein the air craft fire trucks.
I have always wondered if the shape of the fuselage of this plane produces some lift, as is the case with Piaggio Aero.❓
@@radioguy1620 for exa. Superconstelation...
Thanks for saving a beautiful Connie. When I was a little kid, we flew the eastern shuttle from friendship to New York on Connies. I do remember that. I still love the old ww2 iron and and those old prop jobs. Awesome.
I recall seeing Constellations in glossy advertisements in old editions of National Geographic magazine as a boy in the 1960s and thought what a smoothly elegant plane it was and that I would probably never be able to travel in one. A wonderful restoration and fantastic to think that this amazing aircraft was actually the original AirForce One. I would like to hear more about its life in that role. Was it really fitted with machine guns at some point?
This has to be one of the most beautiful aircraft ever built. When I was 17 I had the privilege of flying from Basic training to tech school in one. What a magnificent aircraft. Makes me feel so good to see people care enough to keep one alive. Thank You
Fellow Air Force Veteran Veteran Thank You for your Service from a US Air Force Veteran . I went to Tech School in Denver , Colorado @ Lowry AFB for AFSC 645XX Inventory Mgt Specialist .. Did you make the Air Force a career ? I didn't & I still regret it ' til this day in 2020 @ 68 years old .
@@bobshaw4063 Bob Thank you for your service also. I did not make the AF a career, but it was not that I did not enjoy my time as a 43250 Jet engine mech. But after my tour in Vietnam 68 - 69 I got stationed at Norton AFB in San Bernardino Ca. Which you would think would have been great duty. But we were a support base for Vietnam and I ended up working 6 and 7 days a week. So I was done with it after that.
@@racerd9669 Thank You for your reply . I don't blame you for not staying in . Working 6 and 7 days a week as Jet Engine mechanic I'm sure must have been quite grueling for you . While in Vietnam I hope you weren't affected by Agent Orange like so many others were . Do you know if it affected any females who served in Vietnam ? What rank were you when you discharged ? I tested twice for Staff Sgt I didn't make it the first time in Germany & tested twice but the scores hadnt been posted before I left Germany for discharge @ McGuire AFB in New Jersey . I was a Buck Sgt E - 4 when I got out . Could you have asked to be cross trained in another AFSC? Take Care & Stay well .
One of the most beautiful aircraft ever built kudos to all those who keep her flying
The jet equivalent to a 'beautiful' plane is the Boeing 727, alas 'not allowed' to fly in Europe any more, if I owned one I'd fly it at 3,500ft over Berlin, Brussels, Paris and Barcelona at midnight, piss them right off! Then climb to 20,000ft to Kumasi, Ghana, I'd need to keep it at Mildenhall, near where I live.
They have Boeing 707s at Mildenhall and they're nice old jets too.
I know the feeling the gentleman was referring to when he said the emotions he experienced when he watched the Plane rotate and take flight, I'm not an aircraft mechanic but I am an auto truck mechanic as well as a computer technician. I've built more engines than I can count in my 45-50 years as an engine builder. When the engine first 'lights', it's a feeling that matches no other, knowing you were a part of it. BTW, I remember seeing videos of this Aircraft a year ago or somewhere near that, of the previous owner not really knowing anything about the Historical value, "Columbine II", or the original "Air Force One", almost became a 'donor' for the restoration of other planes.
Bobby Tucker so true! It’s a great feeling!!
In my 20's i worked in my Dad's boat shop and rebuilt whatever needed rebuilding engine wise as i read every thing and went to AP school for a while, he used to say to me on firing up a rebuild I'd done (and they would always fire right up,) you should see you smile !! and you're right it's a great feeling .
I remember when she was the Presidents airplane. She was beautiful then and she is beautiful now. Thank you for sharing
The most elegant plane ever designed, bar none. A GREAT save for American aviation!!
Thank-you dear lord for rich people that love airplanes
Yes! So true. Thanks for the guys that make it happen.
Bit of a shame about him ignoring starving kids though!
David Baker It’s his money.
@@oxcart4172 People will always have children they can't afford and will be hungry. The more you give them money and food, the more kids they will have.
@@dundonrl not necessarily. People usually have large families so that they are assured that they'll have someone to look after them in their old age
This guy looks like a Wyatt Earp double from Tombstone. ( Kurt Russell )
You guys got some great shots of the Connie! I think the Connie is such a beautiful aircraft and I love seeing this one flying again! Question, did Connie's come with A.P.U.s, and if yes, what type? And im very grateful to all the people who made this happen and think its real important that your gonna keep it flying!! You have a right to be proud of yourselfs!! You did real good!!!
A brotherhood of and for a mission..LOVE it. Keep up the great work crew! Any plane with a radial needs to be saved. Keeps us from having to listen to another turbine.
I flew in and out of Santa Fe a few times back then and saw her there. I would have loved to been able to afford her. I am an a&p but still, lots of money to buy and restore her. I'm glad she made it to a good home. Congrats everyone!
What an awesome project!! A big thank you to each and every one of you that took part in this! What a national treasure. I'm curious where can one go to view this beautiful aircraft. I am assuming that it is at the Mid America Flight Museum in Mt. Pleasant, TX. I would love information on where to visit to see it. Thanks again for your excellent video regarding the Connie's restoration....just love it!!
Glad you like the video! It was an epic trip for sure.
The plane is in Bridgewater Virginia being restored currently.
What a wonderful piece of design - well done to you guys for this all together.
Seeing that flying again is simply amazing, what a incredible job 🙂.
Only Concorde was ever (arguably) more beautiful!
It's really obvious that she's thankful to be back in the air!
Nice video, beautiful aircraft, awesome history - would have liked to have seen the interior of the ship....
So wonderful to see a Truly Classic Aircraft returned to Flight capability. Kudo's to all involved..!!
Flew Connies EC121s in the 60s. Most beautiful plane ever built. I had models of the when I was a kid in the 1950s. Should be enough parts to make it right. We had 10 of them at NAS Jax and Otis AFB. Flew eace track patterns between FL and Cuba - Also out of Thailand.
Talked to a retired Constellation pilot at a club we belong to. He flew every version and often over the polar route and had some amazing stories and facts about the plane.
Dive Bar Casanova Man, I’d love to talk to that guy! I would love those stories
Good to see historically important aircraft being saved, well done guys.
I'm thankful we have people with the expertise, money and passion to rescue these aircraft so we can all enjoy them. Thank you!
I can remember seeing that airplane collecting dust and tumble weeds out in Santa Fe, before it was restored. It looked abandoned at the time and I had NO idea what it was... so COOL to see that it was the first AF1. Great work!
Waiting for pictures from INSIDE Columbine...
Wondering the same - or was the inside gutted in storage?
My dad was offered Air Force 1 pilot assignment, he declined. He was ready to retire after 2 wars.
lol
My dad was the flight surgeon for AF1 from 59, on the Columbine, til 62 on the 707.
I grew up in Brunswick, GA home of NAS Glynco...There was a training squadron of the EC-121M version of the super Connie which had the large radar dome on the top and bottom of the fuselage...My uncle Bill was a flight engineer and give me a closeup personal tour while his bird was in the hanger for maintenance...being 9 years old I had never seen anything so ginormous. On several occasions Aunt Doris would take me on base to watch them take take off...how could something so big get off the ground...they would bank to the south-east towards the cost of Florida...it was such an awesome sight...Glynco NAS was also a Blimp base with two of the worlds largest wooden hangers...The hangers could house up to six Blimps each with the doors closed...
www.flygcairports.com/historic-photo-gallery.html
www.flygcairports.com/images/history/bqk/BGIA-Archives-1941-to-1945/ProjectGlynco.pdf
Went through Navy NFO Training at NAS glynco in 1965 . Got many flights in the EC121 Super Connie
@@johnmarlin4661 My Uncle's name was Bill Parnell and I believe his rank was Chief Petty Officer. After he retired from the navy, moved to Albany Ga and was an air-traffic controller at what used to be Turner Air Force base/NAS Albany....
Thank you sir for your service❕
Did JFK use this aircraft? He came down to Cherry Point MCAS 1961 or 1962 and there was a Connie on the flight line. I had pictures of him and the Connie in the background.
,,, JFK was most likely only in the 707, C-135 .
Roland Tamaccio - The 707s entered service as presidential aircraft in October, 1962.
To appreciate the magnificent lines of a Lockheed Constellation in flight, go right to the 23:28 mark. Well done!
Wonder what happened to the Connie that was parked for many years at the Reading Airport in PA. Guess it's been about 8 years since I've been out there (attended several of their WW2 Weekend they hold every year during the first weekend in June) since I moved to Colorado. For kicks looked at an aerial view from Google Maps (dated 2020) at the airport and don't see it now. Was out in the open before dunno maybe a hanger queen (somewhere) now. Always wondered if someone was going to restore it. Is a gorgeous bird and fantastic work by all involved restoring Columbine II, such a historic aircraft. I'm sure Ike would like what they've done with her ;-)! Wonder if that is going to fly over everyone's heads, LoL..
PS - Know Kermit Weeks has a Connie parked at his Fantasy Of Flight in FL but doesn't seem destine to ever fly again (he mention possibly turning it into a mini restaurant). He also mentioned that a bunch of Boy Scouts had trashed the interior :-(. Must have been F Troop.
Those damnable kids should have been arrested and forced to work at whatever odd jobs they could get until they paid for repairs to everything they damaged. Little bastards! Obviously their parents did a crappy job bringing them up.
Several years ago my wife gave me a PT-17 flight at Fantasy of Flight. License was current and I got to fly a while. Biggest treat was a Connie on the ramp that I got to walk around. Gorgeous bird! Reminded me of an E Jag. Looks like it’s racing just sitting still! Congratulations to all the folks who made Columbine live again!
My father used to work on one of these in the Dc air Nat guard. I must admit it was my first love. The Connie opened up the world of aviation to me an loved every minute of it since.
This the most beautiful video of a Connie in flight I've ever seen.
Awwwwe what a big beautiful bird flying. My family and I migrated to Australia in '62 aboard a Qantas Super Connie from London. Even though I was only three at the time I have little snippets of memories of the flight. I even have a photo of my family and I standing on the tarmac in Melbourne in front of her. It's just a shame the photo doesn't show the aircraft's registration which would have been on the tail fin.
So I can safely join the distinguished club of those who have actually flown in a Connie.
Kudos to all for a job wonderfully done !
Erik that was so awesome, thank you for sharing. The enthusiasm of your guys was chicken noodle soup for my aviation soul this morning.
What a beautiful aircraft, and a true icon of aviation history. In 1970, my first duty assignment after USAF aircraft maintenance tech school was to the 552 OMS at McClellan AFB in Sacramento CA where I had the privilege of working on the military version of this airframe, the EC-121D. Years later, I was very pleased to discover one of the planes I actually worked on, tail number 555 which we called triple nickle at the Air Force Museum in Dayton Ohio. One of the highlights of that time was when I got to sit left seat and be the brake rider during a 4 engine run up. I'll always have a soft spot in my heart for the "Connie".
Nice to see your comment. I was assigned to the 552nd as an Avionics Tech from 1971 to 1973, and also worked on TN-555. Our paths must have past on many occasions during maintenance activities. I spent three temporary 90 day deployments to Korat RTAFB in support of the College Eye mission, and was fortunate to fly aboard the EC-121.
I was at McClellan in 1971 when 555 was being flown to Wright Patterson AFB in Ohio to be donated to the Air Force museum. If I remember correctly an engine failed enroute causing the plane to land at Stead AFB near Reno Nevada where they swapped out the engine.. Interestingly the plane had been christened " Spirit of Sacramento" and the mayor of Sacramento was on the plane for the donation flight. The is a C121 at the McClellan Air Museum today. The tail number is 555 but it is in fact a former US Navy C121.
@@jerzycal I did not know she was a Navy handoff, but that's not surprising as the Navy were the recovery gurus for the returning Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo spacecraft and the 121's were used for tracking the capsules, among other duties.
Great video of a great historic adventure.
Very much enjoyed it here in Holland.
I may have been on board this plane, rolled down out of Grand Canyon toward Flagstaff and happened upon it outside of a museum on the way down. It impressed me as kind of plush inside, the galley in particular, beyond your usual military equipment.
It's great to see the true passion that gets and keeps these icons in the air. If only it wasn't so darned expensive too! The catch in the crew chief's voice at the end just sums it up really. He said it's just an aircraft, nut and bolts etc. No, it isn't! The Love and care people like these put into them imbues them with a special quality that mere machines just don't have.
"Just nuts and bolts" this is his way of the explaining plans to approach the oncoming project. Being intimidated of the glory this airplane posses may have discouraged his accepting to take on the of rebuilding. Comprendi ?