Kim A. Chiasson
February 2, 2010Wednesday, Feb. 4
February 4, 2010It was designated “Air Force One” when President Dwight D. Eisenhower was in office. And the Aero Commander 680 – Military (U-4B) is slated to soon arrive at the Regional Military Museum of Houma, according to museum president C.J. Christ.
After years in storage, the aircraft and many other military artifacts have a new home at the Houma museum, says Jerry Adams, chairman of the Wedell-Williams Memorial Foundation, which recently authorized the transfer.
Records indicate that Eisenhower preferred a smaller twin-engine plane on short trips because they could easier land at small airports, Chris says. On longer trips, the president used “Columbine III,” a four-engine Lockheed Constellation.
The Aero Commander 680 was subsequently used by the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo., and the Civil Air Patrol in Louisiana.
The Houma museum also has a variety of military artifacts including Jeeps, tracked vehicles, uniforms, a 5-inch Navy gun, WW II “Duck,” Higgins design landing craft, scale model of PT Boat PT-366 and many other items.
The museum is located at 1154 Barrow St., and is open weekdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more info, call (985) 873-8200.
