This Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter, boldly marked 'CALIF. AIR GUARD,' represents the long-range airlift capability entrusted to Air National Guard units during the Cold War. Adapted from the Boeing Stratocruiser airliner and sharing its wings and engines with the B-29/B-50 bomber lineage, the C-97 carried troops, cargo, and equipment across the country and overseas. Photographed on a home-station ramp in April 1960, the aircraft reflects the Guard's growing role in strategic transport alongside its traditional state defense missions. Project: 218665