The story
A 747-200 rebuilt as a flying command post for the President, the Secretary of Defense and their successors, hardened against the electromagnetic pulse of a nuclear blast. It still uses analog flight instruments because they ride out EMP better than screens. All four are based at Offutt AFB, Nebraska.
With aerial refueling, the E-4B is rated to stay airborne for more than 150 hours. Without it, about 12.
Quick answers
How do you identify a E-4B Nightwatch?
A white 747-200 with a dark blue cheatline, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA titles, and a big streamlined radome on top of the upper-deck hump (the SHF satellite antenna). Only 4 exist.
What does a E-4B Nightwatch sound like?
Four GE F103 (CF6-50) turbofans on a 747-200 — the deep, heavy roar of an early jumbo.
How fast is the E-4B Nightwatch?
Top speed is 523 kts.
How far can the E-4B Nightwatch fly?
Range is about 6,200 nmi.
How big is the E-4B Nightwatch?
It is 231 ft 4 in long and 195 ft 8 in across the wings.
When did the E-4B Nightwatch first fly?
Its first flight was in 1973.
How many E-4B Nightwatchs have been built?
4 built.
What do crews call the E-4B Nightwatch?
The Doomsday Plane.
How rare is a E-4B Nightwatch in Bogey?
LEGENDARY. The top tier. Spotters plan trips around a catch like this. Your first E-4B Nightwatch catch is worth 1,000 points.
