Corsairs Over Connecticut
Five World War Two era Vought F4U Corsair fighter planes gathered in Bridgeport, Connecticut in June, 2005. Many veteran pilots, maintenance engineers and former factory workers attended the reunion, which was held at the old Vought-Sikorsky factory in Bridgeport, near Stratford. The original flight test hangar used during WWII was the staging point for the aircraft. I took part in commemorating the event as a photographer, covering the show for several magazines, including Flypast, Aircraft Illustrated and Flight Journal. Larry Kelley brought his North American B-25J Mitchell bomber to act as a photo-ship. Paul Bowen and I went up for some air-to-air photography with three of the corsairs. Paul shot from the tail, and I from the starboard waist position. The photographic opportunities were amazing, and I am very proud of the shots I was able to achieve. We flew out over Long Island Sound, past one of the lighthouses and over the open sea. The sounds were amazing, and Gerry Beck brought his F4U-4 in so close that our aircraft caste a shadow across it. Sadly, Gerry was killed in a flying accident at the 2007 Airventure in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. He was a great and gentle man, and is missed by all who knew him, or even knew of him.

