The Corsair was very nearly written off as a failed carrier plane. Until the pilots learned the trick of the late turn, the Corsairs were deemed too difficult to land due to the long nose, and were assigned to be flown by Marines from island airstrips.

Your photos did indeed catch one of the F4U's best angles. I saw one of these last spring, close up, at the Planes of Fame museum in Chino, but sadly it wasn't flying that day.