A USAAF fighter pilot smiles from the cockpit of his P-51 Mustang in this candid air-to-air photograph from World War II. Wearing his leather flying helmet and goggles, the airman represents the thousands of American fighter pilots who flew escort and combat missions over Europe. His name, stenciled beneath the canopy, along with a personal fuselage marking, reflects the tradition of individualizing combat aircraft that became a hallmark of wartime aviation culture. Project: 218193