Will Be Given A 'Face Lift' And Put Back On Display

The Sikorsky Sea King helicopter that was used as VIP Transport for President Richard Nixon has been on display at the Nixon Museum since 2006, and has weathered under the southern California sun in Yorba Linda.

Last week, the helo was removed from the museum and transported to Chino Airport, where it will be restored before being placed back on display.

Radio station KPCC reports that the museum itself has been closed for nearly a year as it undergoes a $15 million renovation project. While on display, the helicopter's paint and presidential seal have faded in the sun. Those and other cosmetic issues will be dealt with as part of the process.

The aircraft carried President Nixon more than 180 times while he was President, most famously his last flight after his resignation from the office August 9, 1974. It was also the first Presidential helicopter to fly over a combat zone when Nixon flew over the battlefields of Vietnam, according to Nixon Museum spokesperson Joe Lopez.

At the time, the Presidential VIP transport missions were divided between the Army and the Marine Corps, and the helicopter was designated either Army One or Marine One depending on which service provided the pilot. The Marine Corps became the sole provider of Presidential helicopter transport in 1976, according to Wikipedia.

(Image from YouTube video)

FMI: http://nixonfoundation.org