Aircraft of Carrier Air Group 18 (CVG-18) warm up their engines before launching from the U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS <i>Leyte</i> (CV-32). CVG-18 was assigned to the <i>Leyte</i> for her shakedown cruise to the Caribbean from 16 September to 12 December 1946. Visible are six Grumman F8F-1 <i>Bearcat</i>s from Fighting Squadron 18 (VF-18) and/or from Bombing Fighting Squadron 18 (VBF-18) "Bearcats", eight Curtiss SB2C-5 <i>Helldiver</i>s from Bombing Squadron 18 (VB-18) "Sunday Punchers", and eight Grumman TBM-3E <i>Avenger</i>s from Torpedo Squadron 18 (VT-18) "Carrier Clowns".
U.S. Navy
U.S. Navy photo <a rel="nofollow" class="external autonumber" href="http://www.navysite.de/cruisebooks/cv32-46/080.htm">[1]</a> from the <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.navysite.de/cruisebooks/cv32-46/index_009.htm">USS <i>Leyte</i> (CV-32) 1946 cruise book</a> available at <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://navysite.de/cruisebooks/index.html">Navysite.de</a>