N8610 c/n 2602

At Düsseldorf Intl Airport, Germany in 1966 flying military VIP's (Günter Grondstein)	On display at the 1991 Armed Forces Open House at Andrews AFB (Stephen Miller)	On final approach to Scottsdale where it was offered for sale at auction (Graham Robson)
Ferried to Marana Regional Airport in May 2003 and stored there for 13 years until being rescued by Karl Stoltzfus (RM Pettersen)	Departing Marana Regional Airport on March 21, 2016 for, what would be, an uneventful journey to Bridgewater, VA (Boneyard Safari Photo)	Safely parked at Dynamic Aviation headquarters in Bridgewater, VA in July 2016 after arriving from Arizona (RM Pettersen)
A year later in July 2017 restoration had begun and the aircraft was parked in front of Dynamic Aviation's Hangar D (RM Pettersen)	By July 2018 restoration had kicked into high gear with the aircraft having been moved inside Hangar D (RM Pettersen)	The cockpit will be fully restored and all of the aircraft's 70-year old electrical wiring will be replaced (RM Pettersen)

• Current registration - N8610
• Delivered to USAF November 1948 as C-121A 48-610
• Bailed to Lockheed Air Service for flights between MacArthur Field, NY and Keflavik, Iceland from January to November 1949
• To Lockheed, Burbank for conversion to a VC-121A in November 1949
• To 1254 ATS(SM) at Washington National Airport for VIP missions in February 1950
• Presidential aircraft "Columbine II" from November 1952 to November 1954 when replaced by VC-121E 53-7885
• Used as backup presidential aircraft until May 1955
• Operated by Pan American as N9907F "Clipper Fortuna" on special assignment to the Government of Thailand from May to June 1955
• Returned to the 1254 ATW/89 MAW and flew VIP missions for the remainder of its USAF career
• Retired by USAF and flown to Davis Monthan AFB for storage April 1968
• One of five VC-121A's sold to Christler Flying Service at DoD auction on May 5, 1970
• Registered N9463 on July 10, 1970 but never converted to an agricultural sprayer. Used as a source of spares for Christler's other four aircraft
• Stripped of all useful spare parts and derelict at Desert Air Inc by the early 1980's
• Moved to Allied Aircraft yard by January 1984 and back on nosewheel by February 1987
• Using parts from sister-ship N608AS, restored to flying condition by Mel Christler and Harry Oliver in 1989-90
• To "Columbine II Corporation" in January 1990 and made its first post-restoration flight on April 5, 1990
• Flew limited US air show circuit in 1990-91
• Stored at Santa Fe, NM until October 1998 when flown to Scottsdale, AZ and offered at auction for $1.5M
• No acceptable bids were received and aircraft returned to Santa Fe
• Flown to Avra Valley Airport near Tucson on May 4, 2003
• Advertised for sale in May 2005 for $3.2M
• Stored stored at Northwest Marana Regional Airport (Avra Valley Airport)
• Sold to Dynamic Aviation of Bridgewater, VA in May 2015
• Made airworthy and flown to Bridgewater, VA via Mt. Pleasant, TX March 21-23, 2016
• Cosmetic and interior restoration will continue at Bridgewater with owner planning to put aircraft on airshow circuit
• Restoration continues in 2018
• Registered N8610 in 2020