The Snapshots in Time 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