The Week In Pictures
Week 8, February 2010
Clockwise from top left:
If there's any event that hardcore aviation enthusiasts have to see before they die it's Axalp, the Swiss air power demonstration. Those willing and able to ascend into the mountains are rewarded with some of the best photographic opportunities in the world. This excellent shot from UKAR newcomer Hesja shows the raw power and heat from a pair of F/A-18s manoevering hard in the skies above the Bernese Oberland.
Image © Slawek Krajniewski (Hesja). Nikon D300 + Nikkor AF-S VR 500mm f4G lens
Mildenhall is a popular location to see American hardware but rarely at night. This USAF E-3 is pin sharp with some great colour. Kevin admits it's one of his first attempts at night photography. I don't think anyone could argue that he hasn't got the knack of it already!
Image © Kevin Bell. Canon EOS 450D + Canon EF 70-200mm F2.8 L IS lens
It's not often we see former Easten Bloc aircraft these days so this photo of a Slovak Su-25K Frogfoot is most welcome. Frank Noort originally captured this beast on slide film (remember that?). This particlar Frogfoot, based at Malacky, is preparing for flight into a cloudless blue sky.
Image © Frank Noort. Canon EOS 5, Canon EF 70-200mm 2.8 L lens + Fuji Sensia Film
A C-17, a moody sky and a clear view down the runway. It could only be home of the RAF's heavies, Brize Norton. A great capture of a winter scene by Mark Rouse. Note how the aircraft's wheels are just inches from touching down.
Image © Mark Rouse. Canon EOS 1D MkII + Canon EF 70-200mm F2.8 L IS lens
Anyone who regularly photographs aircraft knows that sometimes you have to put a bit of effort in to get the shot you want. Mike Hopwood had a bit of a trek to get this view of a Hellenic C-27J Spartan making a rare visit to Manchester.
Image © Mike Hopwood. Nikon D90 + Nikon AF-S VR 70-300mm lens
Real dedication to get these Gazelles in their natural habitat. Dodging snow showers Michael Hind managed to get these test aircraft on Salisbury Plain.
Image © Michael Hind
John Hume captured this B-2 Spirit doing a top-side pass at the 2009 Edwards AFB Open House despite the difficult into sun shooting conditions.
Image © John Hume. Canon EOS 30D + Sigma 50-500 lens
The Week In Pictures
Week 7, February 2010
Clockwise from top left:
Fuelled up Chinook ZD574 departs the Forward Refuelling Point (FRP) in the Salisbury Plain Training Area during exercise "Pashtun Rat".Neil Jones Braved the elements to capture this atmospheric shot. The MRX (Mission Rehearsal Exercise) was held for two weeks earlier this month for units about to deploy to Afghanistan.
Image © Neil Jones. Canon EOS 50D + Canon EF 70-200mm f4 IS lens
UKAR's resident "Bird-man" Nigel Blake's "golden oldie" photo shows a Lakenheath F-111F set against a golden Suffolk sky. Taken around 1989, Nigel used a macro set up on his DSLR to photograph his slides rather than use a dedicated slide scanner.
Image © Nigel Blake. Canon T90, Tamron adaptall 300mm f2.8 lens + Kodachrome 64 film
Daniel Rychik's fine study of a Mirage 2000 taken at the superbly organised 2009 NATO Tiger Meet at Kleine Brogel in Belgium.As Daniel says:- " Apart from the photo opportunities, one thing I loved about it was the "operational" feeling - an impression that you're right in the middle of a military exercise, not just a public event."
Image © Daniel Rychcik. Canon EOS 1D + 500mm IS lens
Another Winter subject from exercise "Pashtun Rat" this time by Rick Ingham on base at Netheravon is this moody image of an AAC Apache. Minutes later the scene was engulfed by a snowstorm. Hardly surprising looking at that sky!
Image © Rick Ingham
Three ex-Bulgarian Mi-17s are currently being employed to train prospective pilots for the Afghan Theatre by QinetiQ at Boscombe Down. Paul's vibrant image of a "raspberry ripple" marked "Hip" was captured in the superb winter's light on the Salisbury Plain Training Area.
Image © Paul Cameron. Canon EOS 50D + Canon EF 300mm f2.8 lens
Another Chinook, this time photographed by an anonymous photographer somewhere over the shifting sands of a far flung unknown "sand-pit". Nothing more to add really (no really!) other than it's a great image of a Chinook at work. Would it benefit from a more effective camouflage or is it meant to be Hi-Viz?
Image via James Lucas
F-16AM of the Portuguese Air Force, shot earlier this month during exercise "Real Thaw 2010" by Jorge Ruivo. The exercise took place between January 25 and February 4 at Monte Real and Covilhã in Portugal. Involving over 50 aircraft, this international exercise was focused on Close Air Support (CAS)and modern air combat operations representative of operations in Afghanistan.
Image © Jorge Ruivo
The Week In Pictures
Week 6, February 2010
Clockwise from top left:
"Chute-Out!" Krzysztof Zielinski nicely captures the moment this F-16C's brake parachute deploys whilst touching down at a very snowy 32nd Tactical Air Base at Lask in central Poland. Operated by 10 ELT (Tactical Aviation Squadron), it is one of thirty-six examples of the single-seat Block 52 Viper to enter service with the Polish Air Force as part of a major modernisation and restructuring programme.
Image © Krzysztof Zielinski. Canon EOS 50D + Canon EF 70-200mm f/4 L IS lens
Jonathon "Flapjack" Whaley's Hunter F.58A G-PSST, otherwise known as the inimitable Miss Demeanour, was the subject of Frank Dely's stunning air-to-air shot taken during the recent Al Ain Airshow in Abu Dhabi. The shifting desert sands form a remarkable contrasting backdrop for the world's most flamboyant Hunter.
Image © Frans Dely (via Jonathon Whaley)
The halcyon days of the Luftwaffe's F-4 Phantom operations are depicted here in Fred Martin's lovely old shot of a JG72 aircraft wearing the distinctive "Norm 72" camouflage scheme, adorned with large colourful squadron markings and huge serial numbers. Whilst the Phantom still lingers on in Luftwaffe service with JG71 at Wittmundhaven, its days are sadly numbered.
Image © Fred Martin
Boeing's latest and biggest development of the 747, the 747-8 Intercontinental took to the air for the first time this week, and Keith Draycott was lucky enough to record its departure from Boeing's Everett Plant in Washington State for its maiden flight. It is hoped that 747-8 Freighter launch customers, Cargolux and Nippon Cargo Airlines, will take delivery of their first aircraft later this year, whilst the first passenger-carrying Intercontinental will be delivered to Lufthansa in 2011.
Image © Keith Draycott
This week, Rich Pittman has been mostly photographing helicopters. He brought us a superb selection of shots from a Forward Refuel Point, somewhere in the southwest of England, and its customers including this pristine Merlin HC3 from 28 Squadron, based at RAF Benson. The Ministry of Defence recently announced that the RAF's entire fleet of Merlin's would be transferred to the Royal Navy to replace the ageing Commando Sea King HC4s.
Image © Richard Pittman. Canon EOS 7D + Canon EF 70-200mm f/4 L IS lens
Fox Field, California was the setting for Matt Dunsby's offering of a rather exotic platter of fire bombers from a visit there in 2003. This gorgeous Douglas DC-7 operated by Butler Aircraft Services, was one of several types operating out of Fox in October of that year, helping to control the wild fires which were ravaging parts of the State.
Image © Matt Dunsby. Minolta 700Si + Sigma 70-200mm EX lens
The Week In Pictures
Week 5, February 2010
Clockwise from top left:
Braving the cold, Rich Pittman travelled to Austria for Exercise Dadalaus. Rich managed to capture this beautiful winter shot at Zeltweg from where the Typhoons of the Österreichse Luftstreitkräfte flew their missions in support of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. For their air defence missions the Typhoons were armed with the IRIS-T short range air to air missile while Pilatus PC-7s used gunpods to intercept suspect slow moving aircraft.
Image © Richard Pittman. Canon EOS 7D + Canon EF 70-200mm f4 IS lens
A second shot from Zeltweg in Austria comes from Daniel Rychcik. Daniel visited the Airpower 09 airshow last June. The Harvard duo of the Eichhorn team, flown by father and son Walter and Toni, always put on an impressive show. While the team specializes in tight formation work there are other spectacular elements in the show like this cross-over and Daniel's shot manages to illustrate it brilliantly.
Image © Daniel Rychcik. Canon EOS 1DMk3 + 500mm lens
Glenn got an opportunity most of us could only dream of; aboard a lifeguard boat he was fortunate to capture an Air Station Los Angeles MH-65C Dolphin during a training exercise. The MH-65C is the latest incarnation of the US Coast Guard's venerable Dolphin and has a 40 percent more powerful Turbomeca Arriel 2C2CG engine, updated avionics, as well as provision for a 7.62mm and .50 machineguns for the armed interdiction role. Future updates to the airframes are already planned after which the aircraft will be redesignated MH-65D.
Image © Glenn Bloore. Nikon D3 + Nikkor 70-300mm VR lens
Enjoy it while you can! That's what Glenn must have thought when he travelled to Cottesmore to capture some Harriers before they move to nearby Wittering, where the photographic opportunities are appalling in comparison. This Harrier T.12 wears the markings of 20 [R] squadron, which is the sole flying unit at RAF Wittering right now but that won't be for long.
Image © Glenn Beasley. Canon EOS 1D MkIII + Canon EF 200mm f2.8 lens
Back to the cold war when military aircraft and deployments were abundant! During May of 1985 a number of (very smokey!) B-52G's with their supporting KC-135's arrived at Fairford for exercise Busy Brewer. Richard Digby visited Fairford twice to capture these magnificent beasts but was unfortunate to have his lens fall apart during his first visit. Richard didn't give up however, and on his second go he was rewarded with beautiful blue skies which soon turned black momentarily after a Stratofortress' departure!
Image © Richard Digby. Miranda Sensomat, 200mm lens + Kodak negative film
All Tver-Migolovo's based aircraft types in one single picture! The massive Antonov 22 dwarfs its smaller brethren in this impressive line up Kieron was priviledged to photograph during a privately arranged visit. The sole camouflaged example was requested for this photoshoot but unfortunately it was undergoing maintenance. Despite this minor setback we can conclude that Kieron certainly didn't 'Cock' this opportunity up!
Image © Kieron Pilbeam. Canon EOS 1D MkIII + Canon EF 28-105mm lens
The F-111 unfortunately won't last much longer and looking at our RIAT forum it is probably the most wished for visitor for the 2010 edition of the RIAT. Stuart Freer has been fortunate to capture a number of these impressive beasts over the years with this particular shot having been taken at the 1993 Air Tattoo at Fairford.
Image © Stuart Freer
