A freshly repainted C-32A exhibits off the livery redesign lengthy favored by President Donald Trump, which can be attributable to seem on the following era of Presidential plane.
Boeing C-32A 99-0003 was lately famous by aviation fans flying from Greenville Majors Airport (KGVT), the place the fleet undergoes periodic upkeep overhauls and upgrades with L3Harris, within the new paint scheme. It’s the first C-32 seen to sport the brand new colors, which comprise a darkish blue underside, pink pinstrip, and white higher fuselage. The U.S. flag on the tail has been exchanged for a ‘waving’ variant.
C-32A (99-0003) as VADER20 touchdown at KGVT sporting the brand new livery pic.twitter.com/7cgJejavzy
— TT-33 operator (@Tt33operator) February 17, 2026
The paint scheme is predicated on the one unveiled by President Trump in 2019, throughout his first time period. It was designated underneath that administration as the brand new livery for the VC-25B plane that may sooner or later function the first ‘Air Pressure One’ plane, however this choice was later overturned by President Biden’s administration. No definitive remark had been made thus far in Trump’s second administration to say that the choice could be reversed once more, however a mannequin of the VC-25B in his favored paint scheme has held a distinguished place within the Oval Workplace all through the primary 12 months of his second time period.
After photographs of 99-0003’s new look garnered consideration on social media, White Home reporters apparently raised the subject with officers. Unnamed sources then confirmed to CBS Information that the brand new livery would certainly be used not just for the 2 VC-25Bs at the moment being transformed by Boeing but additionally on the ‘interim’ 747-8 gifted to the U.S. by Qatar. This 747-8, which can serve till the VC-25Bs are able to enter service after which, reportedly, be retired as an exhibit of Trump’s Presidential Library, is claimed to be attributable to start operational service in the summertime of this 12 months.
NEWS by way of @CBSNews: The Kennedy-era paint colours on the outside of plane within the U.S. Air Pressure govt fleet are being changed with new design in Trump’s most well-liked palette. New Trump colours will seem on donated Qatari jet and two planes Boeing is changing to function…
— Jennifer Jacobs (@JenniferJJacobs) February 17, 2026
The brand new design, no matter any subjective opinions on its aesthetic benefit, will virtually definitely show controversial in its supplanting of the long-lasting and long-lasting egg blue and white scheme that has been carried by a variety of U.S. VIP plane for the reason that Kennedy administration. Certainly, First Woman Jacqueline Kennedy had key enter into the design decisions for the livery, which was in the end penned by Raymond Loewy (who additionally had design enter on the Apollo program and for the inside of the Concorde airliner).
One of many key critiques of the brand new scheme, relationship again to its first unveiling in 2019, is its similarity to the one carried by Donald Trump’s personally owned Boeing 757. The color scheme is actually a flipped model of this livery, although utilizing blue somewhat than black, and the tail flag design is close to an identical to at least one beforehand carried by N757AF.
Former President Donald #Trump‘s Boeing 757 #N757AF was at @flyfrompti this night whereas Trump held a rally in Salem, Va. and earlier than his rally in #Greensboro, N.C. This marked the third VIP go to to Greensboro’s airport this week after JD Vance and Tim Walz. #ncpol #avgeek pic.twitter.com/BaImWoJM7E
— Joseph Navin李祖耀 (@josephanavin) November 3, 2024
Beforehand, it had been famous by U.S. Air Pressure spokespeople that the altered colors would probably have an effect on the thermal traits of among the plane’s parts. Darker paint schemes contribute to greater floor temperatures than lighter colors, and U.S. VIP plane – notably these used for Presidential transit – boast many further communications antennas, sensors, and different items of kit which must be licensed as appropriate with the livery.
This motivation is one cause why the U.S. Air Pressure’s fleet of RC-135 intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) plane nonetheless carry the identical distinctive paint schemes even after so a few years, and why the Royal Air Pressure didn’t make any adjustments to it for its personal Rivet Joints. The issue isn’t insurmountable, however it does require the testing course of to happen – which takes time in addition to cash.
Though this C-32 was the primary instance seen of an plane from the 89th Airlift Wing (AW) carrying the brand new paint scheme, not less than two plane have beforehand been delivered variants of the identical paint job to different U.S. authorities businesses. This features a Boeing 737 operated by the Division of Homeland Safety in addition to new Gulfstream G700 Lengthy Vary Command and Management Plane flown by the U.S. Coast Guard.
New livery for the G700 quickly to be delivered to the US Coast Guard, the identical as the brand new Homeland Safety MAX 8, a giant change from the earlier iconic USCG white and orange livery. pic.twitter.com/Lz5uqCTjKe
— Nick H. ✈︎ (@N214WN) January 22, 2026
Ageing C-32s
It’s not clear how lengthy the C-32 may have left within the U.S. stock, with a like-for-like 757 alternative made inconceivable by Boeing’s discontinuation of the product in 2004. This hole within the lineup has pushed many airways, even these which had been staunch Boeing prospects, into the order books of Airbus with its A321LR and A321XLR choices. For the U.S. Air Pressure this foreign-made possibility is extra difficult, particularly for a ‘flag carrying’ plane kind just like the C-32.
One of many Air Pressure’s most up-to-date plans is to accumulate not less than one Boeing 737 MAX 9, designated C-40D, to complement the prevailing C-32 and C-40 plane whereas a long run possibility is determined on. As of final 12 months, this proposal remained unfunded. With out funding for a brand new construct airframe, the USAF has extra lately investigated the supply of 737-700 plane on the used market.
The 737-700 is the bottom airframe for the remainder of the C-40 fleet. Utilizing civilian passenger configurations as a meter of the plane’s common dimension (navy configurations would differ), its most capability of 148 falls far wanting the MAX 9’s 193. As compared, the 757-200 upon which the C-32 is predicated can carry as many as 239 passengers in civilian service.
Many because of reader @Tt33operator for permitting using these photographs. It’s also possible to discover them on Instagram.
