"Just a nice Picture...!"

F-15A Eagle 77-0100/MA from the 102nd Fighter Wing (MA ANG) stands on the flight line at Otis ANGB (MA) on a rainy day. The 77-0100 was the first of two aircraft (the other being 77-0102) to respond to the attacks on the Twin Towers in New York on 11 September 2001.

At 08:52 hrs LT that day, Major Daniel Nash took off from Otis ANGB in aircraft 77-0100 on a SCRAMBLE alert and headed for downtown Manhattan in New York. After holding in an area off of Long Island, the pair of Eagles started their Combat Air Patrol over the city at 09:25 hrs LT. Later that day, the entire 102nd FW was mobilised and a total of 21 F-15s were eventually put in the air.

The aircraft later received special markings to commemorate its mission that fateful day. In January 2008, the 102nd FW was restructured and lost its flying mission. Their F-15s stayed with the Massachusetts ANG and were reassigned to the 104th Fighter Wing at Westfield Barnes ANGB.

F-15A 77-0100 however, stayed behind at Otis ANGB (now called Joint Base Cape Cod) and is on display on the base.

Dutch aviation enthusiasts might recognise this F-15A as 77-0100 was previously the 32nd Fighter Squadron Commander Bird at Soesterberg air base (Netherlands).

Photos by Ken Middleton