08/12/2006. Remarks by Jack McKillop: "This aircraft was accepted by the USAF as a C-121A-LO on December 22, 1948 and was bailed to Lockheed Air Service International of MacArthur Field (now Long Island Mac Arthur Airport), Islip, Long Island, New York, for flights in support of the Lockheed maintenance facility at Keflavik, Iceland. Nine round-trips a month were flown between Jan and November 1949.

In November 1949, the aircraft was returned to the Lockheed plant in Burbank, California, for conversion to a VIP transport designated VC-121A-LO. It was completed and delivered to the Military Air Transport Service's (MATS's) 1254th Air Transport Squadron at Washington National Airport (now Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport), Arlington County, Virginia, one of six VC-121As assigned to the squadron. This squadron was tasked with transporting government and Washington, D.C.-based VIPs. It was used primarily by the Secretary of the Air Force but President-elect Dwight D. Eisenhower flew in it when he made a trip to the Far East in November 1952.

Meanwhile, the 1254th Air Transport Squadron had been redesignated 1254th ATG (SM) (Air Transport Group (Special Mission)) and the aircraft were assigned to the 1298th Air Transport Squadron. Eisenhower liked this Connie and he asked that it be his primary aircraft and that it be named Columbine II. The aircraft remained his primary aircraft until the USAF took delivery of VC-121E, USAF s/n 53-7885, c/n 1049B-4151, on August 31, 1954. The new aircraft was christened Columbine III and this aircraft then became the primary backup until May 1955.

Between May and June 1955, this VC-121A was operated by Pan American World Airways as N9907F, Clipper Fortuna, on a special mission for the Government of Thailand. It was returned to the 1254th ATG (SM) but the VIP interior was deleted and it was again redesignated C-121A-LO in August 1956.

On January 1, 1960, the 1254th ATG (SM) was redesignated the 1254th ATW (SM) (Air Transport Wing (Special Mission)) and the aircraft were moved to Andrews AFB, Camp Springs, Maryland. On January 1 1966, MATS was redesignated the Military Airlift Command (MAC) and the 1254th ATW (SM) was inactivated and replaced by the 89th Miliary Airlift Wing, Special Mission. This Connie remained at Andrews AFB until transferred to the MASDC, on April 4, 1968 with 14,072 hours on the airframe.

On May 5, 1970, this aircraft was sold at auction to Christler Flying Service, Inc., of Thermopolis, Wyoming. Christler, an aerial application company operating in the US and Canada, bought five C-121As to replace their DC-3 fleet. Four of the C-121s were converted to agricultural sprayers but this aircraft, registered N9463, was stored at Desert Air, Inc. of Tucson, Arizona and used for spare parts to keep the other four flying. By the early 1980s, the aircraft was derelict at Tucson.

Somebody finally realized the history of this aircraft and using parts from another Connie, it was restored to flying condition in 1989-90 and sold to the Columbine II Corporation in January 1990 still registered N9463. The aircraft was painted in USAF markings of the 1950s and 1960s. It made its first post-restoration flight on April 5, 1990 and flew a limited US airshow circuit in 1990 and 1991 including the Armed Forces Open House at Andrews AFB in 1991. The aircraft was stored at Santa Fe Municipal Airport, New Mexico, until October 1998 when it was flown to Scottsdale Airport, Arizona, and offered at auction for US$ 1.5 million. There were no acceptable bids so it was returned to Santa Fe until flown to Avra Valley Airport near Tucson, Arizona. In May 2005, this C-121A was offered for sale for US$3.2 million (€2.5 million in July 2006). The aircraft is still registered to Columbine II Corporation as of this date."

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