Alfred Kalberer w/ Curtiss P-1B Hawk 1928 Selfridge Field Photo 6.5x10 For Sale

Alfred Kalberer w/ Curtiss P-1B Hawk 1928
Selfridge Field Photo 6.5x10
Original Air Corps Photo of the Pilot Who Led the First Ploesti RaidDESCRIPTIONThis is an original vintage photograph of a U.S. Army Air Corps second lieutenant standing beside his Curtiss P-1B Hawk pursuit fighter, tail marked CURTISS P-1-B and fuselage marked U.S. ARMY A.C. 27, photographed on a grass airfield with wood truss hangars and a large brick barracks building in the background.The reverse is inscribed in period ink with the name Alfred Kalberer, identifying the pilot as Alfred Fredrick Kalberer, who was commissioned a reserve second lieutenant in 1928 and assigned to the 1st Pursuit Group at Selfridge Field, Michigan, flying the Curtiss P-1B Hawk as his first operational fighter aircraft.Kalberer's career carried him far beyond this open cockpit. He became the lead pilot of the Halpro task force and personally led the first American bombing raid on the Ploesti oil fields on June 12, 1942, later took command of the 462nd Bombardment Group in August 1944 and led it through B-29 combat operations from India, China, and Tinian, led his group on the final heavy bombardment of the Japanese home islands on the day Japan surrendered, and retired in 1963 as a two-star Major General with 26 military decorations including the Silver Star, the Legion of Merit, and multiple awards of the Distinguished Flying Cross.This photograph captures the earliest days of that career, an unproven Air Corps lieutenant posed with the biplane fighter that started it all. High resolution 600dpi scans are available on request for provenance or condition review prior to purchase.Every effort is made toward fact checking and provenance, including background research through news and historical archives. If any listing is incorrect in any way and you're unsatisfied with the item, please connect with me and I'll make it right.Orders placed before Noon CDT ship same day via Ground Advantage with tracking. Returns accepted on all items exceeding $25 in cost. All shipments receive rigid, professional packaging, sealed and protected in acid free sleeves. Shipping is free and already built into the price, so the BIN price is exactly what you pay, no surprise shipping costs at checkout.CONDITIONThe photograph is in strong original condition for its age, with a clear, well exposed image and good contrast throughout the aircraft and background detail. It is printed on the original period photo stock with a white border, and the reverse bears the handwritten period ink inscription "Alfred Kalberer." There is light corner and edge wear consistent with a photograph kept in a personal collection for nearly a century, along with faint scattered surface toning that does not distract from the image. No significant tears or creases are visible. The photograph measures approximately 6.5 x 10 inches overall.