HORSHAM, PA — After more than two years and thousands of volunteer hours, the Harold F. Pitcairn Wings of Freedom Aviation Museum will unveil a fully restored replica of the first helicopter used to fly a U.S. president. The dedication of the Marine One replica will take place during an invitation-only ceremony on October 21, with public viewing beginning the following day.
The aircraft, a Seabat obtained by the museum in pieces in 1988, was initially assembled and repainted in the mid-1990s. In April 2023, volunteers began a major restoration to convert it into an authentic replica of the helicopter that carried President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1957, piloted by Col. Virgil Olson and Major General Ronald Nelson.
“The project, when completed, will entail approximately 4,500 to 5,000 volunteer man hours of work,” said Wings of Freedom Board President Mark Hurwitz. He estimated the value of the effort at between $135,000 and $150,000, excluding materials and supplies.
Nelson, 94, of Lower Moreland Township, logged about 1,500 hours with the Marine Corps and co-piloted Eisenhower’s flights alongside Olson. Reflecting on that era, he recalled that the pilots had little interaction with the president. “If you notice in this helicopter the pilots are up high. The doors where the president got in are down below,” Nelson said. “Today there’s a much closer relationship.”
The museum will dedicate the restored Marine One to both Nelson and Olson, with their names displayed on the aircraft’s side. Nelson, who described his role in the historic flights as simply “part of the job,” expressed pride in the restoration team’s achievement. “What they have done is quite something,” he said. “I’m really proud of them. I think it will be good for the museum.”
The Harold F. Pitcairn Wings of Freedom Aviation Museum, located at 1155 Easton Road in Horsham, is operated by the Delaware Valley Historical Aircraft Association, a nonprofit organization preserving the region’s aviation history. The museum houses aircraft from World War I through modern conflicts and is open Wednesdays through Sundays. More information is available at wingsoffreedommuseum.org.
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