Biden Dumps Trump's Air Force One Livery

[ttyymmnn]

WASHINGTON, June 10 (Reuters) - The Biden administration will scrap a paint scheme for Air Force One proposed by former President Donald Trump, after the Air Force determined the design would create too much heat for the presidential aircraft, a U.S. official said on Friday.

. . . .

"The Trump paint scheme is not being considered because it could drive additional engineering, time and cost," an administration official said on condition of anonymity."

Not surprising at all, but I am pleased about this, and not for political reasons. I think the current livery is sharp, classy, and has come to represent America. It is a recognized brand. Trump's redesign would have made AF1 look like another airliner. Interesting on the "heat" claim, though. Might be a case of CYA, or there really is an issue with it. Regardless of the reason, I'm glad the livery isn't changing.

President Trump's proposed livery. It's really not that bad. I like the cheatline, and I do miss that classic element of aircraft livery that has all but disappeared today.

Raymond Loewy's masterpiece. Sure, it's not RW&B, but it still looks modern sixty years later. There is absolutely no question what plane that is. Interestingly, one of Loewy's original concepts called for a similar general design but with more red. I think he rejected this one for good reason.

[Qaaaaa]

@ttyymmnn IMO, the Loewy livery isn't appropriate. If it didn't say "United States of America" on it and have a flag on it, there would be no indication that it's the plane of the President of the United States. Honestly it'd be more appropriate for Uruguay.

This can be true while thinking the planned replacement also sucks.

[ttyymmnn]

@Qaaaaa

Well, it does have a giant US flag on the tail. But I agree with you. I would have gotten used to the Trump design if it had come into use. But I think it really is more about the brand that has been created (for good or bad) with that Loewy livery.

[Just Jeepin']

@ttyymmnn It definitely sounded like cooling was a very real concern.

[Qaaaaa]

@ttyymmnn If we changed the motto of the USA to "America: Sponsored by Kleenex" six decades ago, would you cling to that too just because it's old?

[ForSweden]

@ttyymmnn good.

Now if they could make the limousine less ugly

[KngT]

@ttyymmnn ugh! Looks like even Air Force One is not immune from the left's cancel culture woke PC pettiness. Why cant we have this on the tailfin?which was supposedly one of the first designs personally submitted by Trump?

[Qaaaaa]

@KngT Has anyone ever put mud flaps on a plane?

[ttyymmnn]

@Qaaaaa

No, but I think that's a silly analogy.

[Qaaaaa]

@ttyymmnn Why? There's nothing about that livery that screams "America" other than the fact that it's old and has been in use for decades. There's no significant symbolic meaning or iconography behind it. How is Kleenex different?

Honestly from an opsec perspective, there shouldn't even be a livery.

[KngT]

@Qaaaaa Mudflaps and more, bruh! What could have been...

[ranwhenparked]

@ttyymmnn the Trump one really wasn't bad, if that's how the planes had looked all along, we wouldn't think anything of it. But, the Loewy design has been in place for long enough to be iconic, in that it makes Air Force One instantly recognizable. Not that it has to be set in stone and forever unchangeable, but, if it's going to be changed, should probably be something with the same level of visual impact. Reagan opted to keep it when the current planes were built, probably for that reason. And he and Nancy were heavily involved in the aesthetics, they chose the Southwestern motif for the interiors, which Bush 43 toned down somewhat.

[ZHP Sparky - the 5th]

@ttyymmnn Yeah I'll admit it. The Trump design is smart, looks great. But should be so far down the list of priorities of things to get done - I'm glad this administration is at least cognizant enough to realize that much (even if it's actually stemming from other more grudge-y reasons).

[davesaddiction]

@ttyymmnn

I'm sure you can edit this with a photo of the livery without his ugly mug...

(to keep this as apolitical as possible)

[ranwhenparked]

@ZHP-Sparky-the-5th Well, it's a new plane, has to be painted something, not like it's a new item bring added to the agenda for the hell of it

[facw]

@ttyymmnn That red looks a lot to me like someone at MATS wanted to preserve as much of the of the original dayglow orange as possible:

Given that Trump's scheme was basically the '80s/'90s British Airways livery, I'm sure they could have gotten data on it if they wanted it:

It's surprisingly inoffensive given Trump's tastes, but also quite generic and nowhere near as classy as the Loewy livery. Glad we are aren't changing it up.

[Future Next Gen S2000 Owner]

@Qaaaaa There are a number of countries that have red, white, and blue for their national colors. There is symbolic meaning behind the livery. Every detail was thought through.

Per wikipedia:

He(Lowery) chose to expose the polished aluminum fuselage on the bottom side and used two blues – Steel blue   associated with the early republic and the presidency, and a more contemporary water blue   to represent an America both rooted in the past and flying inexorably into the future. The presidential seal was added to both sides of the fuselage near the nose, a large American flag was painted on the tail. Loewy's work won immediate praise from the president and the press. The cheatline suggested a sleek and horizontal image that mirrored America's jet age optimism and prosperity of the era, and today signifies its legacy and tradition

To me, Air Force One is the symbol because it doesn't project a huge 'Murica perspective. It's like being the strongest in the room, without the need to project it. That was part of the original livery, being distinctive without over bearing as the President coming is a sign of diplomatic relations not as a projection of America.

I guess that's why I like it. You see it and understand it without needing to be overtly nationalistic.

[facw]

@Qaaaaa

Kennedy chose a red-and-gold design from one of Loewy's initial concept sketches, asking him to render the design all in blue. Loewy's also drew inspiration from the first printed copy of the United States Declaration of Independence, suggesting the widely spaced and upper case "United States of America" legend in Caslon typeface. He chose to expose the polished aluminum fuselage on the bottom side and used two blues – Steel blue   associated with the early republic and the presidency, and a more contemporary water blue   to represent an America both rooted in the past and flying inexorably into the future. The presidential seal was added to both sides of the fuselage near the nose, a large American flag was painted on the tail. Loewy's work won immediate praise from the president and the press. The cheatline suggested a sleek and horizontal image that mirrored America's jet age optimism and prosperity of the era, and today signifies its legacy and tradition.

The whole design is symbolic. We don't have to paint the whole thing like a giant flag to achieve symbolism.

[Darkbrador]

@Qaaaaa Following your drift, this thing here ...

... should look like this :

Official doesn't mean covered with stars and stripes. Official calls for some understated, classy and restrained elegance, which Loewy's design addresses very well.

[ttyymmnn]

@davesaddiction said in Biden Dumps Trump's Air Force One Livery:

I'm sure you can edit this with a photo of the livery without his ugly mug...

I suppose I could...

[ttyymmnn]

@facw said in Biden Dumps Trump's Air Force One Livery:

That red looks a lot to me like someone at MATS wanted to preserve as much of the of the original dayglow orange as possible:

I had that same thought. In fact, it seems that the MATS livery had a pretty strong influence on Loewy's design.

[Future Next Gen S2000 Owner]

@Just-Jeepin I think that cooling issue is being used as a scape-goat.

"This one component would overheat! See we can justify spending a bunch of money!"

It all seems a bit suspect.

[ttyymmnn]

@Future-Next-Gen-S2000-Owner said in Biden Dumps Trump's Air Force One Livery:

To me, Air Force One is the symbol because it doesn't project a huge 'Murica perspective. It's like being the strongest in the room, without the need to project it. That was part of the original livery, being distinctive without over bearing as the President coming is a sign of diplomatic relations not as a projection of America.

Well put. Thanks.

[Future Next Gen S2000 Owner]

@facw I agree. It could have turned out a lot worse. It's not the worst livery I've ever seen.

[ttyymmnn]

@davesaddiction

Find me one and I'll change it.