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Pictures Of The Week
Week 13, March 2011
Clockwise from top left:
One might say that Switzerland has it all in terms of Aviation Photography, and at UKAR we are lucky that we see images posted from this country so often. Fast jets, absolutely stunning scenery, and bases that usually afford good access. Kevin shot this fantastic image of an F/A-18D as it launched from Sion on a mission during the base's yearly Repitition Course.
Image © Kevin Martin
Canon EOS 7D + Canon EF 100-400mm L IS lensWittmund is well known for the Luftwaffe F-4Fs that are based there but also - and perhaps equally as tempting for the aviation snapper - there are the A-4 Skyhawks of BAE Systems. These are unofficially known as 713 Dartziel Staffel and the unit provides aerial target services for the Luftwaffe and other NATO air forces. Mathias used a 1.5 second shutter speed for his excellent night shot, coupled with additional flash.
Image © Mathias Grägel (GME-AirFoto GbR)
Canon EOS 50D + Canon EF 24-105mm L lensNight shoots are very much the in thing, it seems. Martin's very well excecuted photgraph of the Gnat during an engine run was taken at the North Weald event, organised by The Gnat Display Team and held on Sunday 27th March.
Image © Martin Needham.
Canon EOS 50D + Canon EF 75-300mm lensA Bulgarian Su-25 Frogfoot isn't exactly an everyday sight! Anton treated us to a thread full of these brutish looking machines, shot back in 2009 during exercise Thracian Spring which was held at Bezmer Air Base. The image we chose is a great head on angle of the jet starting up - with a dirty looking cloud behind and the ground crewman just about to remove the wheel chocks.
Image © Anton Balakchiev
One thing UKAR is very lucky to boast is that the images posted in our Modern Military photography section are very newsworthy. As the sad withdrawal of the Tornado F.3 force from the RAF had a perceived lack of coverage on the television media channels, we were spoiled with fantastic images from the last few days of "The Fin". Ian, a regular at RAF Coningsby, had some beautiful conditions in which to capture the flight of 4 F.3s from 111 Sqn as they flew their farewell across the country's former Tornado bases.
Image © Ian Scaife
Nikon D3 + Nikon 200-400mm f4 lensThe Golden Oldies section of the forum often features images that remind us of happier times for the UK military aviation enthusiast. Henk's thread one such example, strongly featuring Tornados in their classic green and grey camouflage and bold squadron markings. We felt this particular shot of the 17 squadron aircraft at RAFG Bruggen from the late 80s was especially worthy of a mention.
Image © Henk de Ridder
It has already been 8 years since the British Airway Concorde G-BOAF made its last flight, drawing to a close the career of an aviation icon. Fred Martin's thread gave us a superb reminder of her, where she belongs - in the air. The shot we chose was of one of the early variations of the British Airways livery - as G-BOAC got airborne at RAF Finningley in September 1981.
Image © Fred Martin
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Pictures Of The Week
Week 12, March 2011
Clockwise from top left:
Antoine Bosboom caught this KDC-10 as it was taxiing out for take-off at Eindhoven Air Base in the Netherlands. A clean, punchy image of the classic tri-jet design with its lineage dating back to the DC-10 which first flew in 1970, and still going strong.
Image © Antoine Bosboom
Canon EOS 30D + Canon EF 100-400mm L IS lensIt's pleasing to see some extremely fine images being captured of the 'Air Defence Variant' of the Panavia 'swing-wing' design, as the axe hovers over this protector of UK skies. Gill's set from the 111(F) Squadron Disbandment Press Day included the special tailed 'Juliet Uniform'.
Image © Gill Howie
The brutish and purposeful-looking NH90 in Alex's photograph, in contrast, is a new airframe coming into service with the Royal Netherlands Navy to replace the Lynx on board its ships. Alex caught this one at the Slopes at Gilze-Rijen in perfect conditions, as the crews begin training up on the new type.
Image © Alex van Noye
Canon EOS 30D + Canon EF 100-400mm L IS lensAn image seemingly illustrating the end of the Cold War, these rows of Polish built MiG-15 and -17s are apparently part of a private collection in their home country. Mirroring a scene common in many Eastern Bloc countries, these old relics are dripping with history as time takes its toll on their sad looking exteriors - as perfectly symbolised in Michal's images.
Image © Michal Wajnchold
Back to the present day, and representing the modern 'policing' conflicts that have replaced the old Cold War stand-offs, Mark McGrath recorded the Canadian deployment heading out to Italy to take part in enforcing the no-fly zone over Libya, under UN resolution 1973. A number of Hornets from 425 Squadron, 3 Wing based at Bagotville Air Base, with C-17 support, transited through Prestwick, where Mark caught this contingent of Task Force Libeccio - Canada's codename for the deployment.
Image © Mark McGrath
Canon EOS 7D, Canon EF 300mm f2.8 L IS lens + Canon 1.4x TeleconverterIn addition to the extra movements and operational flights associated with the action in Libya, the UK's 'spotters' also had the chance to catch some other rare airframes passing through the country when eight Seymour Johnson based F-15Es stopped at Lakenheath on their way home from Spain. The old E models had seen recent action in Afghanistan, and were caught here by Robert Starling upon their arrival.
Image © Robert Starling
Nikon D3X, Nikon 400mm f2.8 lens + 1.7x Teleconverter
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Pictures Of The Week
Week 11, March 2011
Clockwise from top left:
As far as compositions go, you'll go a long way to bettering this. Brandon Farris is the photographer, and he captured the US Navy Blue Angels display team at NAS El Centro against a clear blue sky, and the moon. Brandon says he wishes the aircraft were a little sharper, but even so, this was a sure-fire candidate for POTW the moment the UKAR team set eyes on it.
Image © Brandon Farris
Canon EOS Rebel T2i + Canon EF 100-400mm L IS lensThe USAF Aggressor jets are a photographer's dream in these days of uniform grey blandness.Reinold makes his POTW debut with a cracking capture, again against a pure blue background. This particular F-16 was captured at the photographer's Mecca that is Red Flag at Nellis.
Image © Reinold Kalsbeek
How many of us have cursed at a BAe 146 when out shooting? Common as muck at regional airports up and down the country, it would take some skill to turn one into a POTW contender. Michael Lovering's managed just that, with a splendid sunset capture in the spring sunshine at Liverpool John Lennon airport. The tremendous colouring in the sky really makes this image stand out.
Image © Michael Lovering
Canon EOS 7D + Canon EF 100-400mm L IS lensRed sky at night? Photographer's delight - Nigel Blake certainly thought so at RAF Marham, bagging himself this Typhoon on short finals. He tells us he'd really only gone to bag himself the visiting Belgian Air Component F-16. Another photograph to really make the most of the superb early spring conditions we've enjoyed in the UK recently.
Image © Nigel Blake
Canon EOS 1Ds MkIII + Canon EF 600mm lensOur next photograph takes us back nearly 20 years to 1992 and the break-up of the Soviet bloc. Jan Jorgensen of Nordic Airpower found himself at Chojna in Poland in May of that year, and caught these red-starred Sukhoi Su-27 Flankers. He was lucky to do so, as the very next day the regiment relocated back to Russia!
Image © Jan Jørgensen (Nordic Airpower)
Keeping the Russian theme, Philip Priendl caught this dramatic shot of an Aeroflot Airbus A320 departing Innsbruck airport in Austria on its way home to Moscow. Clearly when runway 26 is in use, the Nordkette mountains and cliffs afford the photographer some superb opportunities!
Image © Philip Preindl
Canon EOS 40D + Canon EF 100-400mm L IS lensPretty soon the warbirds will be back in the air after their winter hibernation. To get us in the mood, Andrew Beaumont posted some terrific pictures from last year's September "Battle of Britain" airshow at Duxford. In an outstanding set, this Spitfire in silhouette really got our juices flowing.
Image © Andrew Beaumont
Canon EOS 7D + Canon EF 400mm L lens
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Pictures Of The Week
Week 10, March 2011
Clockwise from top left:
This wonderful study of three of Saab's finest fighter aircraft was taken by Anders Nylén of Nordic Airpower and was chosen as our "Picture of the Week". The photo' was shot from the open ramp of a Flygvapnet TP84, as the Lockheed Hercules is known in Swedish service, sometime during the late 1990's on a photo-shoot for Saab.
Image © Anders Nylén (Nordic Airpower)
Gilze Rijen in Holland is known for its great photo opportunities for the "off base" photographer. Alex van Noye's patience at the end of Runway 28 was rewarded by the capture of this superb image of a pair of Apaches against the setting evening sun.
Image © Alex van Noye
Canon EOS 50D + Canon EF 100-400mm L IS lensSunset images are always a favourite so there's no surprise that Waldemar Piela's image of an Airbus A320 at Krakow International Airport was selected as one of the stand out subjects this week.
Image © Waldemar Piela
Krzysztof Baranowski graced us with this fine take off shot of a Polish F-16. Kris's shot benefitted from the wintery sun reflected from the snowy landscape at its home airfield, the 31st Tactical Air base at Krzesiny in Poland. A large lens went some way to help create the close cropped image.
Image © Krzysztof Baranowski
Nikon D300s + Nikkor AF-S 500mm f4 VR lensAnother air-to-air shot, this time from Rob Laker. Conditions were far from ideal but what a great way to celebrate the 75th Birthday of one of the most iconic aircraft ever over England's most easily recognised piece of coastline.
Image © Rob Laker
Sony A350 + Sony Zeiss 16-80mm lensMark Jayne's creative viewpoint made for an unusual image of a very familiar aircraft. The image conveys the bulbous canopy and pilot's all round visibility well and also caught the eye of the POTW selectors.
Image © Mark Jayne
Nikon D3, Nikon 14-24mm f2.8 lens + Nikon SB-800 flashIt's unlikely a Commonweath Aircraft Corporation Boomerang will ever grace the UK Airshow circuit so we are were pleased to see Richard Ennis's fine study taken at the Australian International Airshow at Avalon, Victoria. The aircraft is operated by the Temora Aviation Museum & was the first aircraft to take off in a formation consisting of the Boomerang a Spitfire, Kittyhawk & Sea Fury.
Image © Richard Ennis
Canon EOS 7D + Canon EF 100-400mm L IS lens
