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Old 14th Nov 2017, 21:15
  #28 (permalink)  
tonytales
 
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Ft. Collins, Colorado USA
Age: 90
Posts: 216
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I started at Lockheed Air Service (LASI) at Idlewild International Airport in New York (KIDL) in 1954 and the most important contract they had was servicing the Presidential Fleet and VIP aircraft for the USAF. At that time the SAMFLEET as the VIP operation was known had a number of VC-121A Constellations of the L-749 model. Some of the aircraft were named and there was the Bataan and the Columbine being respectively General MacArthur and General Eisenhowers's. President Truman though had a VC-118 DC-6 type named the Independence.
However there was also one of the VC-121 named "The Dew Drop". The legend and lore around the hangar floor was that it had been so named for President Dewey. Of course that didn't happen. Reportedly, Mr. Truman as President was not amused and refused to set foot in a Constellation using Douglas VC-118 thereafter. Also it was said he made the Air Force keep the name Dew Drop on the aircraft. I did indeed see it there in 1954.
I certainly can't verify this but it was common knowledge among us at LASI in those days. And, after all, this is a Rumor Network. Can anyone provide backup for this?
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