President Trump unveils new Air Force One blueprints
The new plane has a red, white and dark blue paint scheme instead of the old model's light blue and white, and the American flag on the tail is also larger.
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US President Donald Trump announced the design of a new private jet. Photo:ABC. |
“This is the new Air Force One,” President Donald Trump said on June 13 when unveiling the design of the aircraft used for foreign trips by US leaders. This is the first time the presidential plane has been redesigned since the time of John F. Kennedy.
The new Air Force One's fuselage is painted red, white, and dark blue, while the old one was painted light blue, sky blue, and white. The US presidential fleet consists of two identical jets.
The current Air Force One is a converted Boeing 747 that has been in service for nearly 30 years. It has 1,220 square meters of usable space, three floors, armored windows, a medical room, and a kitchen capable of serving 100 people at a time. The two new Boeing 747s, also with longer fuselages, cost $3.9 billion and are expected to be delivered in 2024.
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Comparison of two Air Force One designs. Graphics:BBC. |
Trump said the new plane is larger and has a longer wingspan than the current model. "I'm doing this for other presidents, not for me," he said. If he is re-elected in 2020, Trump is unlikely to be able to use the plane, as his term ends in 2024.
The first Air Force One, used by President Dwight Eisenhower in 1959, was painted red and yellow. During President John F. Kennedy's time, it was changed to the blue and white color scheme it still uses today. The planes of the leaders of Russia, China, and France are also painted red, white, and blue.