European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - August 11, 1959, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Columbine a vice president flew to Moscow the president will go to conferences in Mats version of the commercial 707 new Jet transports ferry America s top officials Security guard watches Over the vc137 As it was serviced at Rhine main during Secretary Herter s visit to Geneva. The aft Cabin resembles that of the commercial version. Quiet Comfort in the vc137 s airborne conference room. The Bird watchers on the Auto Bahn motorists who Park outside of Rhine main air base in Frankfurt Germany to watch planes take off and land have had their first look at presi Dent Eisenhower s new Jet  is the air Force s vc137 a first Cousin to the Boeing 707 passenger Jet now in regular airline service. The $5 million Jet transport was delivered to the military air transport service Mats last Spring by Boeing. Since then it has made several trips to Europe bringing top ranking government officials to conferences. The first appearance of the big military Jet transport in Germany was after it had flown Secretary of state Christian a. Herter to the foreign ministers Confer ence in Geneva. While Herter remained in Switzerland the giant plane flew to Rhine main to be serviced at the Mats terminal. But no before the Crew of soviet foreign minister Andrei or apr to s Turboprop Ilyushin-18asked to take a peek inside of the Ameri can plane. Col William Draper the Pilot of the president s prop driven Columbine Iii who is now flying the vc137  said that the soviets were amazed to Aye August 11, 1959 by Ernie Weatherall staff writer by the amount of radar equipment an the luxurious passenger and Crew com  new air Force transport made its most recent visit to Rhine main after taking vice president Richard m. Nixon to Moscow where he opened the american exhibit. At Avnukova Airport it col Robert Wray who piloted the Nixon flight escorted soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev through the Craft. Accompanying Khrushchev was russian plane designer Andrei Tupoljev whose Jet transport recently brought soviet first Deputy Premier fro Koslov to new York although the vc137 is referred to As the presidents plane or the Columbine in at Rhine main there Are three Mats Jet transports available for or. Eisen Hower s  president will use one of the pc 137s this month to Fly to conferences wit British prime minister Harold Macmillan president Charles de Gaulle of France and German Chancellor Konrad Adenauer. Sometime in the fall the president will Fly to Moscow in the air Force Jet trans port in an Exchange visit with  Boeing Jet aircraft have been As signed to the 1298th air transport so Standrews air Force base my. They will provide service for personnel requiring rapid transportation for important government officials and for High priority cargo. According to the air Force the act i will be Able to whisk the president from Washington to London within six  slightly More than eight hours after Takeoff from Washington a we 7 can land in  began developing the j to trans port in 19f 2 and alter testing the Proto  producing Jet tankers the a Clofis. Boeing also built a commercial transport version called the 707. In 1958, the Ait Force ordered three 707 a designated pc 137sfor use by the president and other High ranking  main difference Between the Mill tary and commercial version of the jetliner is in the electronic equipment and Interior furnishings. In. The air conditioned presidential compartment Nixon and Herter were inconstant communication with Washington during their flight Over the Atlantic through radio  listened to news broadcasts Over. High frequency radio sets. The newscast was taped so they could hear it Over again if they  the Center Section of the aircraft which would be called an airborne head quarters the government officials sat at cont Eivore tables discussing their plans while flying Over the Ocean at 600  in arc two lounges which pull out and convert into double Beds. There Areno Oiler i i the aboard. Jets travel so  that sleeping accommodations Are Seldom  of the shortage of airports Large enough to handle the big Jet transports the president will still have to rely on his present propeller driven plane. Colum Bine Elf Tor his Shorter trips. The vc137jets will be used for transcontinental and intercontinental trips. Whenever the Jet transports Fly to Europe they will eventually Stop off at Rhine main air base for servicing. The stars and stripes Page 11