REAGAN PLANE AT HOME BASE.

Byline: Eric Leach Staff Writer

Nancy Reagan smiled and waved and 1,000 people applauded Monday as the fuselage of the Boeing 707 that served as Air Force One during her husband's two terms as president of the United States rolled into a massive hangar at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library.

Escorted by Los Angeles Police Chief William Bratton, the former first lady watched as the 153-foot fuselage was eased into the giant steel frame of the library's $25 million Air Force One Pavilion. A team of experts from Boeing will attach the wings while work crews complete the 87,000-square-foot pavilion, scheduled to open in mid-2005.

``This is magnificent. Everything that President Reagan loved is here today,'' Bratton said at the start of the hourlong ceremony.

The four-engine jet, tail No. 27000, will be reassembled with its nose on a pedestal, to give the impression of takeoff.

Motorcycles and a police car from the Reagan era, donated by the Los Angeles Police Historical Society, will represent a presidential motorcade. The pavilion also will house a Marine One helicopter and presidential limousine.

``This is an absolutely magnificent location and appropriate for honoring President Reagan,'' Bratton said of the exhibit, perched on a steep hillside with a bird's-eye view of the Santa Susana Mountains. ``It's quite an honor for us to participate in this event.''

Before the ceremony, Reagan visited the grave site of her husband, who died June 5 of complications from Alzheimer's disease at age 93.

``She paused for a few moments of reflection,'' said her chief of staff, Joanne Drake.

A group of flag-waving fifth-graders from Barrel Springs Elementary School in Palmdale was part of the crowd of onlookers, and Reagan paused and shook hands with many of them.

``I adore you,'' said Bradley Johnson, 10, as she passed by the students.

``I adore you, too,'' she said.

Also known as ``The Spirit of '76,'' the Boeing 707 flew 445 missions as Air Force One. It served President Reagan from 1981-89, but also was used by Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton and both George H.W. and George W. Bush.

The dismantled plane was moved to the Reagan Library in June 2003.

``Never before has a jet airplane made it across L.A. freeways, let alone up a mountain,'' Boeing executive Rudy F. deLeon said during the ceremony.

He gave Reagan an orange to commemorate her habit of rolling an orange down the aisle of Air Force One for good luck. Guests also received an orange after the ceremony.

Mikl Davis of Columbus, Ohio, was among the guests who stopped by the president's grave site afterward.

``I'd just driven across the country and had no idea this was going on here today,'' she said. ``It was a wonderful blessing to be here.''

LAPD Capt. Greg Meyer, who heads the Valley Traffic Division, said it was an honor for the Los Angeles Police Department and the Los Angeles Police Historical Society to make a contribution.

``Those who were in the motorcades with President Reagan tell me that he had a love for police officers. It was a real pleasure to work with him.''

Motorcycle Officer Tim Wienckowski, who escorted Reagan when he visited Los Angeles, was among those who roared in on one of the historic bikes.

``If I ever had a hero in life, it would be Ronald Reagan,'' he said. ``It's exciting to be here.''

Eric Leach, [phone]

eric.leach(at)dailynews.com

CAPTION(S):

2 photos

Photo:

(1) The fuselage of Air Force One is joined by a 1980s Los Angeles Police Department car in its hangar at the Reagan Library.

(2) Nancy Reagan shakes hands with fifth-graders from Barrel Springs Elementary School in Palmdale at the ceremony to welcome Air Force One to the library.

Tina Burch/Staff Photographer