President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s Aircraft Heads to Florida With the CAF Tampa Bay Wing

As reported by the CAF on The FLY!, the Commemorative Air Force’s newsletter, the Commemorative Air Force (CAF) Tampa Bay Wing has recently welcomed a new addition to its fleet—an L-26B Aero Commander, famously known as Ike’s Bird. This 1955 aircraft was used by President Dwight D. Eisenhower for short trips around Washington, D.C., and holds the distinction of being the smallest aircraft ever to carry the Air Force One call sign.

When President Eisenhower took office, he chose not to use Independence, President Harry Truman’s Air Force One, opting instead for a Lockheed Constellation as his primary aircraft. However, for short trips to and from his farm near Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, Eisenhower needed a plane that could operate from the property’s short and unimproved grass airstrip. At the time, helicopters were not yet reliable enough, and traveling by car caused traffic delays. Eisenhower tasked his chief pilot, Col. William Draper, with finding a suitable aircraft for these frequent short trips.

Draper selected one of the most popular executive transport aircraft of the day—the Aero Commander 560A. The U.S. Air Force ordered several of these aircraft for the President’s use, designating them as L-26s. Eisenhower, a pilot himself, was advised not to fly, but he likely took the controls of the Aero Commander on occasion, enjoying the opportunity to fly. Six L-26 aircraft were initially acquired for White House operations, used exclusively by President Eisenhower, Vice President Richard Nixon, Cabinet members, government officials, Secret Service personnel, family members, and White House staff. The aircraft now assigned to the CAF Tampa Bay Wing, serial number 55-4638, was one of these original six.

After retiring from government service, Ike’s Bird was purchased at auction in 1997 by private owner Scott Main of Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Over the years, he meticulously restored the aircraft to its original White House configuration. In 2019, the Commemorative Air Force acquired the aircraft to ensure its legacy would be preserved and shared with the public. The CAF Tampa Bay Wing is thrilled to bring this historic aircraft to its base at Lakeland Linder International Airport, where it will be housed in the SUN ‘n FUN hangars. The unit plans to display Ike’s Bird at airshows and aviation events, giving the public the rare opportunity to see—and even fly in—a former Air Force One. For more information about Ike’s Bird, visit www.ikesbird.org. To support the CAF Tampa Bay Wing, visit www.caftampabaywing.org.