参观美国空军博物馆【2003.09.01记事本】

黄安年文黄年的博客/2025年3月29日发布（第36209篇）

【个人所藏资料-个人日记GRSZZL-GRRJ660篇】

2003年9月1日(纽约时间),星期一(农历八月初五日),阴雨，Dayton地区；来美后第94天

06:00 起床写作

07:45分,早点

10:00-14:20分 参观空军博物馆

美国空军博物馆（United States Air Force Museum，USAF Museum）位于代顿市东，它的东侧是675号公路，南面是35号公路，西边紧邻RiversideTown。我们自Beavercreek地区走675号公路到Air Col. Glenn HWY转向Harshman Rd.就到了USAF Museum（1100 Spaatz Street, Wright-Patterson, AFB, Ohio, 45433, www.wpafb.af.mil/museum)。这是世界上最大和历史最久的军事航空博物馆，展示了从Wright Brothers在Kitty Hawk至今的军事航空发展史。每年这里接待来自世界各地数以百万计的参观访问者，除感恩节、圣诞节和元旦外，全年上午9点——下午5点免费对外开放，不需出示任何证件。今年是美国航空发展史的100周年，独立日这天，这里举行了盛大的庆祝活动，博物馆也进行了整修和扩大。

美国空军博物馆分早期馆（从早年军事飞行到第二次世界大战）、现代飞行库、现代馆（二战、喷气时代、朝鲜战争、越南战争）、空间馆、空军一号总统座机馆等。关于早期馆陈列了莱特兄弟试飞的许多实物以及从第一次世界大战到第二次世界大战开始时的珍贵飞行文物。现代飞行库陈列了近代不同飞行时期的飞行器实物,你可以随意进入机仓参观。在现代馆里我们看到二战时期陈纳德的飞虎队在中国，看到冷战时期美国的U-2无人驾驶飞机和在朝鲜战争和越南战争期间的飞行器和珍贵实物。我们一进USAF Museum就直接来到参观总统坐机的展厅,需要排队等候专车接送到另外一个展区,大约开了5分钟光景就到了The Presidential Aircraft and Research and Development/Flight Test Hangars。在这里我们登上了陈列着的每架总统座机，从小罗斯福总统到克林顿均逐一陈列。空军博物馆里陈列了250多架飞机，其中供总统使用的有9架。老罗斯福总统在1910年曾坐过Wright B型飞机，但是正式拥有总统座机的是1943年1月11日富兰克林·罗斯福总统在战时参加卡萨布兰卡会议。This flight , however, was made aboard an unidentified Army C-54 and the Dixie Clipper a Pan American Boeing 314 contracted by the government. This trip gave rise to the requirement for a military aircraft specifically assigned to meet the needs of transporting the President. The first such aircraft was a cargo version of the B-24 bomber, designated a C-87A and heavily modified for VIP use. This aircraft, named Guess Where II, was never used by the President, but Mrs. Roosevelt did make a tour of South and Central America in it in 1944。”

第一次专门为总统座机设计的Sacred Cow是罗斯福总统1945年2月参加雅尔塔会议使用的。此后有几架为总统使用的飞机，但是还没有定名为空军一号。“Today the President’s a aircraft are operated as part of the Special Air Mission fleet of the 89^th Airlift Wing based at Andrews AFB outside of Washington, D.C. This fleet is highlighted by two VC-25As-modified Boeing 747s and today’s AIR force ONE. It also contains the c-137 Stratoliner (Boeing 7070, C-9 Nightingale (McDonnell Douglas DC9), c-20  Gulfstream , C-21A(Lear 35-A), and UH-IN Iroquois helicopter, as well as the new C-32A(Boeing 757) and C-37 A (Gulfstream V) which will replace the bC-137.”为罗斯福和杜鲁门总统使用过的飞机Douglas C-54C“Skymaster”,其中有专门为罗斯福准备的轮椅，1947年7月26日杜鲁门总统在飞机上签署了国家安全法。“This aircraft , named the Sacred Cow, was built in 1944 for use by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. It is a Douglas C-54 transport aircraft with extensive interior modifications. One special feature is an elevator behind the passenger cabin to lift the President in his wheelchair in and out of the plane. The  passenger compartment includes a conference room with a large desk and bullet-proof picture window. President Roosevelt made his first and only flight in this aircraft, traveling to Yalta in the USSR in February 1945 for a conference with the world War Two leaders of Great Britain and the USSR. For security reasons, the tail number on the aircraft was changed for this flight. On July 26, 1947, President Truman signed the National Security Act of 1947 while on board the Sacred Cow. This act established the Air Force as an independent service, making the Sacred Cow the birthplace of the U.S. Air Force. It was later assigned to other transport duties and was eventually retired  in October 1961. In 1983 the Sacred Cow was trucked to the Air Force Museum and the ten year task of restoring the aircraft began in August 1985. The aircraft now appears as it did during President Roosevelt’s trip to Yalta.”

杜鲁门总统使用的专机还有Douglas VC-118“Liftmaster”“The VC-118 was a military variation of the Douglas DC6 commercial airliner. In 1947, USAAF officials orders the 29^th production DC-6 to be modified as a replacement for the aging C-54C Sacred Cow. Presidential aircraft. The aft fuselage was converted into a stateroom and the main cabin configured to either seat 24 passengers or be made up into 12”Sleeper”berths. The –118 was formally commissioned into the AAF on July 4, 1947, and was nicknamed Independence for the President’s hometown in Missouri. Probably the plan’s most historic flight occurred when it carried President Truman to Wake Island in Oct. 1950 to discuss the Korean situation with Gen. Douglas MacArthur.”“Beginning in 1951, the USAF purchased 165 C-118As which were about six feet longer than the Independence. C-118As played a key role in Operation Safe Haven, the aircraft of 14,000 Hungarian refugees to the U.S. in 1956-57.”“In May 1953, after nearly six years of White House service, the Independence was retired as a Presidential aircraft and subsequently several Air Force organizations as a VIP transport. It  was brought to the USAF Museum in 1965, and in 1977-78, restored to its former presidential markings and eagle-like paint scheme.”

1956-1960年德怀特·D.艾森豪威尔总统乘坐U-4B短途旅行。它是最小的空军一号，我们登上了艾森豪威尔总统的座机，正好遇到一位身重200多磅的美国胖子在飞机走道里迎面而遇，两人无法同时走过，只能侧身背过让对方先过，至于飞机上的卧房，和火车上的卧铺。它有两个引擎带有the familiar blue and white paint scheme。在艾森豪威尔总统离职后， 飞机用作政府高官的飞行。1969年10月1日它被送往空军研究院（Air Force Academy。1977年11月送往Nebraska Civil Air Patrol,1996年进入博物馆。艾森豪威尔总统使用的另一架飞机是Lockheed VC-121E“Constellation”“The C121 is the military version of the famed Constellation commercial transport. During World War Two, the AAF purchased 22 early model Constellations(L-49), which designated C-69s, and between 1948 and 1955 the USAF ordered 150 C-121s(L-749)for use as cargo and passenger carriers, executive transports, and airborne early warning picket ships. The aircraft on display, an L-1049 and only VC-121F built, was President Eisenhower’s personal airplane between 1954 and 1961. Mrs. Eisenhower christened it Columbine III in honor of the official flower of Colorado, her adopted home state. In ceremonies on Nov. 24, 1954. Columbine III served as the presidential aircraft until President Eisenhower left office in January 1961. It remained in service transporting government officials and visiting foreign dignitaries throughout the world until it was retired to the U.S. Air Force Museum in 1966.”

“The UH-13J was the Air Force’s version of the Bell commercial model 47J helicopter. Two UH-13Js were purchased in March 1957 for use as the first presidential helicopters. On July 13, President Eisenhower became the first Chief Executive to fly in a helicopter when he took off from the White House lawn in the sister ship of the Sioux on display. Following their retirement as presidential aircraft on March 1, 1962. both UH-13Js were used to carry high-ranking Department of Defense personnel and numerous foreign dignitaries. In July 1967, they were retired from service, one going to the Smithsonian Institution and the other to the Air Force Museum.”

和1968年8月—1973年初林登B.约翰逊有关的飞机是North American T-39A“Sabreliner”“The T-39 was developed as a private venture to meet  a USAF requirement for a twin jet utility trainer. The prototype made its first flight on September 16, 1958。In all143 T-39As and 6 T-39Bs were built for the USAF. The Sabreliner also entered the commercial market where it became a highly successful executive jet transport. The T-39A on display was delivered to the USAF on June 6, 1963. From August 1968 until early q973, it was assigned to Bergstrom AFB, Texas, in support of former President Lyndon B. Johnson . It was flown to the Museum on October 24, 1984.”此外“Beech VC-6A is a standard Beech craft King Air B90 with a VIP interior and is the only one of its type purchased by the Air Force. It was placed in service in early 1966. During the early part of its operational career, it was used to transport President Lyndon B. Johnson and members of his family between Bergstrom AFB, Texas , near Austin, and Johnson family ranch near Johnson city. During this time, the aircraft became informally known as the Lady Bird Special . After leaving presidential service, the VC-6A continued in its special executive transport role until it was retired  in September, 1985.”

洛克希德VC-140B “Jet Star”在一段时期内曾先后由尼克松、福特、卡特和里根总统坐过。“”The C-140 is a military version of the Lockheed 1329. The prototype Jet Star was first flown on September 4,1957, and production began in 1960. Although the majority were built for civilian market, the U.S. Air Force bought 16 Jet Stars as C-140As and –Bs , the first of which was delivered in late 1961. Six were flown as VC-140Bs on special government and White House airlift mission. The VC-140B on display carried Presidents Nixon, Ford, Cater and Reagan a number of times.”

波音空军一号(Boeing VC-137C ‘Air Force One’)的展示是总统坐机的重头戏，从肯尼迪到约翰逊、尼克松、卡特、克林顿的专机均逐一展出。“This Boeing 707-320B, USAF serial 62-6000, was specially outfitted in 1962 to be the official aircraft of the president of the United States . The designation Air Force One was given to this Air  Force aircraft only when the President was aboard, otherwise it was known by the tail number as SAM(Special Air Mission) 26000.”

“On October 10, 1962, the VC-137C, 26000, entered Air Force service directly from the Boeing assembly line in Renton, Washington. President Kennedy had the aircraft pained in striking blue and white instead of the usual military colors to give the aircraft a distinctive look. The words United States of America were emblazoned on the fuselage and an American flag was painted on the tail. This aircraft has carried all the presidents from 1962 to 1998.”

“In 1963, Number 26000 flew President Kennedy to Berlin where he declared to the West Berliners “”Ich bin ein Berliner ”that assured them of the continuing support of the US in the face of the construction of the Berlin Wall. The airplane flew President Kennedy to Dallas, Texas, on November, 22 1963, where he was assassinated, and it was on this airplane that Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson was sworn in as the 36^th president of the United States. President Johnson used the aircraft extensively, including flights to Vietnam at the height of that conflict. Beginning in 1970, President Nixon’s National Security Advisor Henry Kissinger used the aircraft for 13 trips to Paris for secret negotiations with the North Vietnamese. President Nixon also used 26000 frequently, including his historic trip to China in February 1972 the first visit to that country by an American president.”“In December 1972 ,26000 was replaced as the primary presidential aircraft by another Boeing VC-137, 72-7000, and 26000 became a back-up. In this role it was used primarily by the vice president and other senior officials, though still occasionally used by the president himself. For example, Secretary of State James Baker used it for flights to the Middle East prior to the 1991 Gulf War, The aircraft was flown to the Air Force Museum for permanent display in May 1998.”

在博物馆邻近处是纪念公园，里面有塑像、纪念装饰品、树丛、长凳等，人们在这里散步回味对博物馆的感受。在博物馆里还有教育部向儿童、成人、旅游者、学者等提供不同需求的节目，而博物馆的研究部则提供进一步的研究信息。IMAX剧院提供相关影片，供读者观看。如果有时间，可以整天在博物馆里仔细地参观。和博物馆相邻的是美国空军基地，在它的旁边是以莱特命名的莱特州立大学，在莱特大学生活区外不远的地方有一座纪念莱特兄弟的纪念碑，在这里，我们站立良久，浮想联翩，1903年以来的一百年间，我们这里地球已经发生了翻天覆地的变化。

14:20-15:10分在家午饭

15:30-17:00休息

17:40-21:30分在王玉凤家

参见黄安年《美国空军博物馆参观纪》载《美国纪行—一个 中国学者的美国生活》第204-207页，文化艺术出版社2005年版。