The Snapshots in Time Collection

Vought F4U Corsair Fighter and Pilot Portrait, Personal Album Page (Pat McAleer Collection)

Vought F4U Corsair Fighter and Pilot Portrait, Personal Album Page (Pat McAleer Collection)

Two snapshots from a naval aviator's personal photo album document a Vought F4U Corsair fighter, instantly recognizable by its inverted gull wings and powerful radial engine. One image shows the aircraft on the ramp with a pilot standing beside its nose; the other captures a flyer in leather helmet and goggles perched in the cockpit of an aircraft marked 'F104.' A handwritten note identifies a wingman named Smucker, offering a personal glimpse into the camaraderie of a Corsair squadron in the years following World War II. Project: 218187