The Week In Pictures
Week 35, August 2009
Clockwise from top left:
Jian described it as "the best F/A-18 high speed pass I have ever seen!" Mixed weather at the Oregon International Airshow 2009, held at Portland-Hillsboro Airport, led to masses of vapour during the US Navy F/A-18C West Coast Demo Team display last Saturday, and produced this stunning image which is the final "Picture of the Week" for August 2009.
Image © Jian Rao. Canon EOS 1D Mark III + Canon EF 500mm L f4 IS USM
Even for those who've never been, the scenery in this shot is unmistakably that of Nellis AFB, Nevada. A Barksdale based B-52H is seen here departing on a Red Flag 09-5 mission. In temperatures approaching 110°F, this B-52 had aborted its take off once before getting airbourne second time around.
Image © Richard Digby. Canon EOS 5d Mk2 + 300mm F2.8 lens + 1.4x Teleconverter
A Royal Netherlands Air Force KDC-10 was recently tasked with an air-to-air refuelling training sortie with the F-16s of 10ELT, Polish Air Force. Working in refuelling track "Dora", which is around 20nm south of Lask Air Base in Poland, 14x Falcons were conducting "dry hook ups" with the tanker, which means no fuel was transferred. The flight also doubled as a media event for the Polish Air Force, with photographers both flying in the formation and gathered back on the ground at Lask, where they were treated to a low approach from the Dutch tanker upon completion of the programme.
Image © Fred van Horrik (Afterburner Images). Canon EOS 40D + Canon EF 70-200mm f4.0 IS lens
We get our fair share of low level shots posted on UKAR and it would be easy to get blasé about them, but no matter how many times you see it in photos, a Hercules at low level always makes for an impressive image. Martyn expertly captured this C-130J from the Transport Wing at RAF Lyneham as it navigates the Welsh hills.
Image © Martyn Coleman
One of the Ministry of Defence owned Mil Mi-8MTV (Mi-17) helicopters is seen here whilst training out on the Salisbury Plain Training area on Thursday August 27. Operated from Boscombe Down, the Empire Test Pilots School/QinetiQ have been flying two of these ex-Bulgarian Air Force "Hips" in the UK since the spring.
Image © Tony Osborne. Canon EOS 40D + 300mm lens
Althought it was posted on our forums this week, this photograph actually dates back to May 2009 and the Polish Air Force media tour. Depicting a Swidwin based Su-22 "Fitter", seing this Soviet built cold-war warrior brings back fond memories of the Polish deployment to RAF Coltishall in 2005, when four of these charismatic brutes descended upon Norfolk.
Image © Marcel Onstenk. Canon EOS 30D + EF 70-200mm f4 L IS lens
Silverstone race circuit has, over the past week or two, been home to the 25th FAI World Aerobatic Championships. Captured here on Saturday 29th August are the victorious French team.
Left to right: Kathel Boulanger (World Championships Technical Programme Female Bronze medallist), Pierre Varloteaux, Renaud Ecalle (World Champion Gold medalist in both the Technical programme and Freestyle events), Francois Le Vot (Bronze medallist in the Technical programme) and team manager Fabrice Camliti (also a multi RIAT trophy winning Mirage 2000 pilot).
Image © Phil Whalley. Pentax K10D + Tamron 18-200mm lens
The Week In Pictures
Week 34, August 2009
Clockwise from top left:
In memory of the team's Commander, Igor Tkachenko, killed in an accident in preparation for MAKS 2009, the Russian Knights closed the show streaming flares which stretched for a mile across the sky, by way of a tribute. Tim's image captures the moment brilliantly, as we're sure you'll agree. The rest of the photos in his MAKS thread come highly recommended too!
Image © Tim Laurence Maycock. Canon EOS 1D II + Sigma 50-500mm lens
Two nominations in two weeks for Richard Foorde! A super capture at Shoreham, which could easily be from 1940! A pilot "scrambles" towards his waiting Spitfire. Just shows that sometimes aviation photography doesn't have to be about the aircraft themselves. Richard tells us "It was one of those fortunate captures being in the right place at the right time.I always try to achieve something a little unusual and interesting". Top work.
Image © Richard Foord. Nikon D3 + 70-200 f2.8 VR IF ED lens
From the Land Of The Rising Sun, a terrific capture from Mike Leonard. A Mitsubishi F-2 of the JASDF, in a quite wonderful colour scheme. And it's a topside! Doesn't get much better than this!
Image © Mike Leonard. Nikon D80 + 80-400mm lens
Few national aerobatic teams are quite so photogenic as the irrepressible Frecce Tricolori. Captured here head-on by p2philip's lens, performing at a coastal show at Lignano, Italy on August 9. Note how one team member didn't quite understand "Smoke on! Go!"...
Image © Philip Preindl. Canon EOS 20D + EF 100-400mm L IS lens
Rarity is the name of the game in this shot. A seldom-seen visitor from North Africa to these shores, a C-130 Hercules of the Egyptian Air Force, photographed by another serial POTW nominee Rick Ingham at RAF Lyneham where the aircraft night-stopped.
Image © Rick Ingham
We're big fans of retro schemes here at UKAR, and Sea King HAS5 XV648 has one of the finest around. Bluelion's dramatic slow-shutter shot from Dawlish is among the best shots we've seen of her wearing this scheme. This is one Sea King definitely ruling the waves!
Image © Bluelion
Not one P-38 Lightning, but TWO Fork-Tailed Devils. A splendid catch by Mike Shreeve at the Wings Over Camarillo airshow, 50 miles west of Los Angeles. The machines are Planes Of Fame's "23 Skidoo" flown by Steve Hinton, and Jack Croul's example being piloted by Jeff Harris. With warbirds like this, show us the way to Camarillo!
Image © Mike Shreeve. Canon EOS 30D + EF 100-400mm L IS lens
The Week In Pictures
Week 33, August 2009
Clockwise from top left:
This weeks "Pic of the Week' is a blinding air-to-air capture from our Golden Oldies forum of three Victor K Mk2s from the final Media Call that was staged out of RAF Marham on 15 October 1993. Taken somewhere over the North Sea from the side door at the rear of a Hercules, this blast from the past is a great way to kick off this weeks selection of the best images uploaded to UKAR this week!
Image © Lindsay Peacock
Back in the digital era now with a stunning image of Flt Lt Scott Loughran pulling masses of vapour as he demonstrates the RAF Typhoon at Eastbourne's airshow last weekend. This image was shot from the balcony of the Wishtower cafe on the seafront, just to the left of crowd centre.
Image © John Harper. Canon EOS 1D MKIII + EF 500mm f4L lens
An image from Old Warden's evening show last Saturday, with a wonderful topside capture of Kennet Aviation's Seafire flying 'round the bend' at this picturesque venue.
Image © Ian Matthews
Back to Eastbourne for this shot of Peter Teichman's Hurricane MkIIB set against the rather unusual backdrop of the sea. After a landing incident earlier this year, it's great to finally see this unique "Hurribomber" out and about at various locations in recent weeks.
Image © Jenny Coffey
Dawlish Airshow has quickly become one of the most popular shows on the calendar with enthusiasts and photographers for it's great location and stunning scenery, but Thursday's show will be remembered for the formation that Waddington should have had as the Red Arrows joined up with the Avro Vulcan for the first time since XH558 was restored to flying condition in 2007.
Image © Richard Pittman. Canon EOS 40D + 70-200mm f4L IS lens
A German Search and Rescue UH-1D is seen here being craned onto a low loader for repair after a landing incident last week. Having dropped off some equipment at a makeshift landing site in a sports field, the aircraft made a heavy landing when returning to pick up the items and suffered damage to the skids as a result.
Image © Oliver Zarden
Golden Apple's F-86 Sabre, expertly captured making an impromptu flypast at Headcorn's Military Vehicle and Vintage fly-in en route to a display at Eastbourne. The F-86 is rumoured to be going stateside at the end of the current airshow season, so it's been great to see this charismatic aircraft at so many events so far this summer.
Image © Richard Foord. Nikon D3 + 70-200 f2.8 VR IF ED lens
The Week In Pictures
Week 32, August 2009
Clockwise from top left:
The famous 'wall of fire' at the EAA AirVenture 2009 show at Oskosh provides the backdrop as a Roush-modified Ford Mustang races along the runway at over 150mph while Mike Goulian (Castrol Extra 330) and Kirby Chambliss (Red Bull Edge 540) fly overhead.
Image © Mike Shreeve. Canon EOS 30D + EF 100-400mm L IS lens
A unique formation from the opening day of Eastbourne's "Airborne" 2009 event as the Aircraft Restoration Company's Spitfire Tr Mk IX, painted in Dutch markings, flies with the RNLAF's F-16 solo display team, who are present for all four days of the seaside show.
Image © Tim Beach
A view from the A38 showing one of the daily mass launches that was a feature of the 2009 Bristol Balloon Fiesta. Over the course of the four day event, 393 balloons took to the skies.
Image © Mike Buckle
A Swedish Air Force C-130 Hercules has this week been deployed to RAF Lyneham on an exercise to familiarise the ground crew in conducting operations away from home on unprepared strips. Seen here operating from the grass strip at Sailsbury Plain Training Area, additional sorties was also carried out in Deptford and on Welsh beaches.
Image © Rick Ingham
The French Air Force recently concluded their deployment to RAF Valley, where they were working low level sorties with the based RAF Hawk trainers.
Image © Geoff Stockle
The newest exhibit to go on public display at the RAF Museum Hendon is this Royal Aircraft Factory FE2b, representing "A6526" which flew with 148, 58 and 102 Squadrons. The original "A6526" was damaged in a forced landing after a night bombing sortie and struck off charge in October 1918. This particular example started out as an unfinished nacelle which it was loaned to the RAF Museum back in 1976, before John McKenzie began work in 1987 to construct a complete FE2 around the nacelle, incorporating an original 160 HP Beardmore engine. In April 2008 the contract for assembling, fabricing, fabrication of remaining parts and engine overhaul was undertaken by Retrotec.
Image © Rob Leigh
As the nights draw in and summer nears its end, night flying exercises will resume on a more regular basis. RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire was busy this week with based Typhoons operating into darkness.
Image © Lee Blake
