A Navy fighter pilot sits in his cockpit aboard the escort carrier U.S.S. Petrof Bay (CVE-80) in April 1945, the aircraft's wing folded for deck storage as was standard practice to conserve space on the compact flight decks of these smaller carriers. Fighters such as this one flew combat air patrol and close air support missions in the Pacific during World War II, operating from escort carriers that provided vital air cover for amphibious landings and convoys. Project: 218487