A Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter of the California Air National Guard rests on the ramp, its polished aluminum skin and bold 'CALIF. AIR GUARD' lettering catching the midday light. Derived from the B-29 Superfortress bomber lineage, the C-97's distinctive double-lobe fuselage gave it generous cargo and troop capacity, making it a workhorse for Air Guard airlift and mobilization missions from the late 1950s into the 1960s. Aircraft like this one, based with units such as the 129th Air Transport Group at Oakland Municipal Airport, ferried personnel, cargo, and visiting officials in service to California's citizen-airmen. Project: 218665