Dates

Event

Constructed as a C-118A.

Circa 1953

Taken on Strength/Charge with the United States Air Force with s/n 53-3303.

Converted to a VC-118A.

1972

To 7104th Air Base Wing, Wiesbaden, Chievres Air Base, Belgium.
Assigned to the 7101st for use by the Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR).

From 1974 to 1976

I was assigned to Chievres AB about 25 minutes up the road from SHAPE in Mons Belgium. General Andrew Goodpasture was the SACEUR at the time. He had been an advisor to Dwight Eisenhower in the 50s when Ike was the Supreme Commander. Goodpaster preferred this VC-118. He had an issue with his heart and the pace of this fixed wing aircraft would allow him to move about Europe and rest between stops. The aircraft was equiped nicely with a state room for the General with desk, phone and staff area. There was seating for several passengers and secure communications equipment. General Goodpaster was the ultimate diplomat with a remarkable military history. He was replaced in late 1974 by General Al Haig. The aircraft was kept in a secure hangar on Chievres AB along with two Army Helicopters. It was guarded 24/7 by Air Force Secuity Police who would sometimes accompany the aircraft. Maintenance was performed by ground crew members daily. Most of the time the entire ground crew was polishing this bright, shinny aircraft. They waxed it with a product called Glass Wax. It came in pink, square cans. The ground crew bowled on SHAPE as a team. They wrote to and were ultimately sponsored by the Glass Wax company who sent them pink bowling shirts with black letters. Their bowling team was known as the Glass Wax Wipers. The shirts did not improve their scores however because they always bowled with Heineken too. This was a beautiful aircraft and was the perfect fit for General Goodpaster who came from the WWII era. While General Haig used the plane often it never seemed to fit his image. He was jet material. A mover and a shaker. Gen. Haig was more personable to the ground troops but I admired both leaders equally. Their home was a Chateau, their limo was a black Mercedes, their were 2 helicopters and a train always on standby and they had beautiful offices. But from my point their stress level was greater than their perks.

29 September 1975

Photographer: Paul Hooper
Notes: Photographed at Maastricht, The Netherlands.

From 1977 to 1978

Albert Kane comments (December 2014): I was stationed at Chievres AB in 1977 and 1978 and I flew many times on this aircraft with General Haig.

11 May 1977

Photographer: Phillip Dawe
Notes: 53-3303 - VC-118A Liftmaster - US Air Force / HQ SHAPE - RAF Northolt - 11-May-1977

August 1977

Transferred to the Military Aircraft Storage and Disposal Center (MASDC) with inventory number CG086.

Scrapped.
At Davis Monthan.