alexanderseversky

The gentleman second from the left side of the frame (and to Bud Gillies' right) is "Russian-American aviation pioneer, inventor, and influential advocate of strategic air power" Alexander de Seversky. See: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_P._de_Seversky This photo was likely taken at the Hicksville Aviation County Club on Long Island.

Third from left is Col. Francis S. Gabreski, the highest scoring ace in the European Theater of WWII. His score of 28 kills were all achieved while flying the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt with the 56th Fighter Group.

Third from the right side of the frame, and next to Gabby Gabreski, is Alexander de Seversky, aviator, aviation visionary, and founder of Seversky Aircraft Corporation (forerunner of Republic Aviation). See: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_P._de_Seversky

Seversky also wrote a book in the 1960s that warned of the perils of military weakness in the face of Soviet military power. It was called "America: Too Young To Die." It was something of a success, at the time.....Barry Goldwater was running for president.

I do not think that the aircraft at the top right is a P-47. The landing gear look like a P-35 witch would make more sense because Jacqueline Cochran is standing next to the P-35 that she won the Bendix trophy in.

Yes I agree, the shape of the radial cowl is wrong in addition to the semi-exposed landing gear to be a (Jug) P-47.

Correct. And regarding the "semi-exposed" landing gear of the P-35 (and others like the Northrop BT-1), Boeing eventually won a patent in the 30's for designing a landing gear strut that would rotate 90 degrees while retracting, thereby allowing the landing gear to fully retract into the lower wing and reducing aerodynamic drag. So Curtiss (P-36 & P-40), Vought (F4U), Grumman (F6F) and others had to pay Boeing royalties to incorporate this design feature. Ironically, none of the famous Boeing designs (P-26, B-17 & B-29) used this more advanced landing gear design!