Pictures Of The Week

Week 31, July 2011

The Week In Pictures
The Week In Pictures
The Week In Pictures The Week In Pictures The Week In Pictures The Week In Pictures

Clockwise from top left:

  1. Getting the ball rolling this week is 'Hesja' who is somewhat of a Week in Pictures resident here on UKAR. Our Polish tog took full advantage of the conditions during the evening display of the Swiss Air Force's F/A-18C Hornet at Koksijde to capture this dramatic shot with torn air and jetwash aplenty. And if you want to know what the show was like then click here to read our report.

    Image © Slawek Krajniewski

  2. Banking in hard is how Laurie caught this Typhoon as he long-lensed it from Cad East as it begins its run through the Tal-y-Llyn pass in the Machynlleth loop. The large focal length brings us right up close to the action and provides a lesser seen image from a popular spot.

    Image © Laurie Hughes
    Nikon D300, Nikon 300mm f2.8 lens 1.4x Teleconvertor

  3. If there's one thing we love on UKAR it's "German" MiG-29s so here's a low-down wide-angle of this Cold War classic as it taxies out for a Composite Air Operation from the 22nd Tactical Air Base, Malbork. The aircraft for the sortie? 8 Vipers, 4 Fulcrums and 2 Fitters - Phwoar!

    Image © Bartosz Bera
    Canon EOS 5D MkII + Canon EF 24-105mm L lens

  4. We head to Manchester Airport now for a rather unique shot of a mature lady without her clothes on. Steady!!! The lady in question is of course an RAF Tristar which was in at MAN for a paint strip and is seen here rotating as she departs for Cambridge and a C-check, a comprehensive maintenance check.

    Image © Charles Cunliffe (Reaper Photography)
    Canon EOS 7D + Canon EF 100-400mm L IS lens

  5. At an undisclosed farm strip Rob Laker caught up with the Historic Aircraft Collection Ltd's Spitfire courtesy of a ground viewing with Go Action Stations. In this shot the Mk.Vb Spit looks out to the blue skies and fluffy clouds of the Kent countryside almost as if she yearns to take to those very skies.

    Image © Rob Laker
    Sony A350 + Sony Zeiss 16-80mm lens

  6. Prestwick is known for holding host to rare gems that stopover on delivery flights or transiting to/from North America. The gem in this case is a USAF Air National Guard C-27J and as an added bonus DJ17 shot it Air-to-Ground. Pure, Dead, Brilliant.

    Image © DJ

Pictures Of The Week

Week 30, July 2011

The Week In Pictures
The Week In Pictures The Week In Pictures
The Week In Pictures The Week In Pictures The Week In Pictures The Week In Pictures

Clockwise from top left:

  1. This weeks Pictures of The Week features three new photographers, the first being Alan Worsley. The Windermere airshow offers some stunning backdrops for photographers and Alan was in the right location to capture "The Spirit of Great Britain" Vulcan XH558 during her display there.

    Image © Alan Worsley
    Canon EOS 5D + Canon EF 400mm f5.6 L lens

  2. The Red Bull P-38 Lighting was certainly well photographed at Flying Legends recently and Andy Beaumont came away with a fine collection of photos from his visit. This photo of the P-38 was our pick of a high quality set.

    Image © Andrew Beaumont
    Canon EOS 7D + 17-40mm f4 L lens

  3. The Frecce Tricolori are perhaps the most flamboyant of the military display teams around the world. This photo by Slawek Krajniewski really caught our eye with the team silhouetted against a deep orange sky at the Air Power show held in Zeltweg.

    Image © Slawek Krajniewski

  4. Jan Jørgensen proves that it's not only modern military aircraft and war birds that make "POTW". This Tiger Moth is owned by Pär Cederqvist and is seen at the Eslöv Airshow in June this year. The beautiful colour scheme really stands out against the deep blue sky.

    Image © Jan Jørgensen (NordicAirpower)
    Nikon D300 + Nikkor 80-400mm lens

  5. Forum member "Voodoo 34" is the second on this weeks debutants. Grumman US-2B / Conair Turbo Firecat is seen at a fire bomber demonstration held in June this year.

    Image © Alexandre Buonomo
    Canon EOS 1D MkII + Canon EF 100-400mm L IS lens

  6. Weston-Super-Mare Helidays event was somewhat smaller than previous years but that didn't stop it attracting participants bigger shows would be proud of. Rick Ingham went along and bagged this image of a Mil Mi-17 and Mil Mi-24 Hind from the Czech Air Force.

    Image © Rick Ingham
    Canon EOS 400D + Canon EF 300mm f4 L IS lens

  7. The last of this week's newcomers is Michael Rushforth. Mike was at the wings and wheels event held at Breighton in June and took this shot of an A6 Harvard, which is based at Breighton, "cleaning up" shortly after take off.

    Image © Michael Rushforth
    Nikon D300s + Nikkor AF-S 300mm f4 lens

Pictures Of The Week

Week 29, July 2011

The Week In Pictures
The Week In Pictures
The Week In Pictures The Week In Pictures The Week In Pictures The Week In Pictures

Clockwise from top left:

  1. Kicking off this RIAT week special, is the superb close up of the Solo Turk F-16 display. Look closely and Peter has even managed to catch the green glow from the HUD in the cockpit. The Turkish Air Force F-16 display was a most welcome and impressive newcomer at RIAT. Pilot Maj Murat Keles went on to win the King Hussein Memorial Sword award at the show.

    Image © Peter Steehouwer

  2. The Dassault Rafale is becoming increasing popular for its noisy, energetic routines. Pete has captured a fine image of Capt Michael "Mikael" Brocard from EC01.007 taking the Rafale C into the vertical. The Armée de l'Air Rafale display also won an award at RIAT - the Paul Bowen Trophy, for the Best Solo Jet Demonstration.

    Image © Pete Fletcher
    Nikon D300 + Nikon 300mm f2.8 AF-S VR lens

  3. Keeping the British end up at RIAT was the RAF Tornado GR4 role demo. In this shot Martin has captured a trademark Tornado image, of the aircraft in full afterburner, wings swept fully back, with vapour forming, as the aircraft performed a "show of force" flyby.

    Image © Martin Eames
    Canon EOS 7D + Canon EF 500mm L lens

  4. After an eight year absence, the USAF A-10C West Coast Demo Team was a most welcome additional to the flying display at RIAT. Captain Joe "Rifle" Shetterly put the Hog through a superb routine of the aircrafts capabilities. Somewhat remarkably it was overlooked for an award. Roger took this shot from the Jubilee Garden enclosure. "Cleared in hot!"

    Image © Roger Harrison
    Canon EOS 7D + Canon EF 100-400mm L IS lens

  5. Another most welcome return and arguably the star of the static display was the Ukrainian Air Force Su-27UB Flanker. The crew were certainly lapping up the attention throughout the show days and it was unsurprising they did something special when they departed the show. Andy has caught the Flanker just prior to performing a roll on departure. Let's hope the Ukrainians can be tempted back in 2012!

    Image © Andy Evans
    Nikon D300S + Sigma 50-500mm DG OS HSM lens

  6. UKAR staff member Dan Butcher took some superb arty photos of the A-10C over the show weekend. This is possibly the pick of the bunch, with the black and white colours really bringing out the menacing appearance of the Hog. If looks could kill…

    Image © Daniel Butcher
    Canon EOS 20D + Canon EF 70-300mm IS lens

Pictures Of The Week

Week 28, July 2011

The Week In Pictures
The Week In Pictures
The Week In Pictures The Week In Pictures The Week In Pictures The Week In Pictures

Clockwise from top left:

  1. Top spot this week goes to Bartosz Nowak, whose photo of a Czech AF Hind performing at Zeltweg is an image that's a little bit of got everything; an interesting subject, textbook panning, nice lighting and a clean backdrop! The coloured smoke adds a little drama to the composition too. Brilliant!

    Image © Bartosz Nowak
    Nikon D90 + Sigma 50-500mm OS lens

  2. UKAR staff team member Trev Collins makes only his second POTW appearance with a dramatic photo of Sea King 'Whiskey Tango' at RNAS Yeovilton's Air Day last weekend. Trev described it as 'the best airshow he'd been to in some time'. The imposing backdrop comes courtesy of the pyrotechnic explosion that forms a part of the signature Commando Assault demo at the show each year.

    Image © Trev Collins
    Canon EOS 50D + Canon EF 70-200mm f2.8 L IS lens

  3. Antoine Bosboom is no stranger to the POTW pages and photos of this quality are absolutely the reason why. His photo is of a Swiss-based, tiger-marked Hunter that will be in the UK for RIAT this weekend. It was taken at Mollis airfield in the Swiss Alps, which surely has to be the most beautiful setting for an airshow in all of Europe. Don't believe us? Just take a look at the rest of the photos in Antoine's thread, and then watch these videos from our forums too!

    Image © Antoine Bosboom
    Canon EOS 7D + Canon EF 100-400mm L IS lens

  4. Darrell Thompson is the first of two debutants this week (which incidentally means we've featured new photographers in each of the last ten weeks, showing just what a talented bunch we have on UKAR) with a striking shot of the Royal Netherlands Air Force Apache solo display aircraft. Parked at RNAS Yeovilton, some careful processing has brought out plenty of detail in the clouds, and the monochrome conversion is the finishing touch.

    Image © Darrell Thompson

  5. Duxford's Flying Legends airshow was also held last weekend and the Fighter Collection's latest addition took to the skies as part of the display. The P-40F Warhawk arrived at Duxford from Australia just days before the airshow, and indeed made it's first UK flight on the Saturday morning of the show before taking a place on the flightline. Rob's shot captures the interesting desert camouflage and the beautiful shape in a dramatic pose as it was put through it's places in a tailchase routine. If you haven't done so already, have a read of our Flying Legends review.

    Image © Rob Howarth
    Nikon D3, Nikkor 500mm f4 lens + 1.4x Teleconverter

  6. Our fouth and final helicopter photograph this week is also our third from the RNAS Yeovilton Air Day and, in Dave Jeffereys, our second new photographer of the week! The Lynx is celebrating it's 40th Anniversary this year and to mark the occasion, the Royal Navy has painted up this example in "retro" markings. It flew as part of an impressive diamond-nine formation at the show, which again, was performed to mark that milestone.

    Image © Dave Jeffereys

Pictures Of The Week

Week 27, July 2011

The Week In Pictures
The Week In Pictures The Week In Pictures
The Week In Pictures The Week In Pictures The Week In Pictures The Week In Pictures

Clockwise from top left:

  1. Long-serving and popular UKARian Tony Osborne takes top spot this week with a fine example of night-time photography. Back in March he visited Patrick AFB in Florida, and bagged himself this Sikorsky HH-60G Pave Hawk of 301st Rescue Squadron on a training mission, prior to deployment to Afghanistan.

    Image © Tony Osborne

  2. Zeltweg really was a contender for show of the year, certainly in Europe and perhaps anywhere in the world. Among the countless star items was this wonderful Messerschmitt Me-262 replica. While purists would perhaps like to see the addition of more accurate markings, there's no denying that the iconic shape and spectacle of seeing a flying Schwalbe again after all these years is awesome! Joerg Stange made full use of Zeltweg's mountainous backdrop, not to mention superb lighting.

    Image © Jörg Stange
    Canon EOS 7D, Canon EF 300mm f2.8 L lens + 2x Teleconverter

  3. It was inevitable that Airpower11 at Zeltweg would take a large chunk of the "POTW" choices this week. With the second of three nominations from that event comes Mathias' superb shot of two Austrian Hueys taking part in the combat demonstration. Compostion and rotor blur go together to make this a worthy contender.

    Image © Mathias Grägel (GME-AirFoto GbR)
    Canon EOS 7D + Canon EF 100-400mm L IS lens

  4. Here's an aircraft we're looking forward to seeing in UK skies later this week, when it comes to the Royal International Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford. It's Swiss-based Hunter Mk68 HB-RVV (formerly J-4026). Again this was caught at Zeltweg - just look at that lovely, crisp, blue mountain sky! A great catch of a wonderful paintscheme - the photographer is Tim Laurence Maycock, who made the most of some splendid evening conditions.

    Image © Tim Lawrence Maycock
    Canon EOS 7D + Canon 500mm f4 L IS lens

  5. Kemble Air Day has for a number of years enjoyed flying displays by the well recognised Meteor NF.11 of Air Atlantique Classic Flight. This year, another Meteor has been brought to airworthy condition at The Cotswold Airport and although she will not stick around, Sam has done a super job of capturing the moment she returned to terra-firma.

    Image © Samuel Dodd

  6. History in the making has been captured ably by Michael here. Decades of Hercules operations at RAF Lyneham were brought to a close as the last aircraft left the Wiltshire base for RAF Brize Northon. Widely regarded as one of the best spots, at a military base, for aviation photography in the UK, will we ever see the like again?

    Image © Michael Lovering
    Canon EOS 7D + Canon EF 100-400mm L IS lens

  7. One of the stand out airshow bookings in the UK this year must surely be the USAF Demonstration Team, The Thunderbirds, at RAF Waddington. Steve has played a blinder here by capturing one of the six F-16s plugging in the burner and "pulling vapour" during their practice display before the scorching weekend at the start of July.

    Image © Steve Mackenzie
    Canon EOS 40D, Sigma 120-300mm f2.8 + 1.4x Teleconverter