@ Moffett Federal Airfield, Moffett Field, CA
May 2018
Moffett Field is a regular stopover for the Collings Foundation’s annual “Wings of Freedom” tour with several of their warbirds. This B-17, “Nine-O-Nine”, was delivered in April 1945, too late for combat but she did serve in Air/Sea rescue and military transport duties. In 1952, this aircraft was subjected to three nuclear bomb explosions and allowed to cool off for 13 years before being sold for scrap. The B-17 was named “Nine-O-Nine” in honor of a 91st Bomb Group, 323rd Squadron plane of the same name which completed 140 missions without an abort or loss of a crewman. “Nine-O-Nine” was lost tragically during a landing incident on October 2, 2019. Nikon D7100 w/18-200mm.