Pictures Of The Week
Week 48, November 2012
Clockwise from top left:
The Land of the Rising Sun featured heavily in the 'Modern Military' section of UKAR with a number of members visiting for events and base visits. Having previously visited Hyakuri Air Base for its airshow, Peter returned to cover the operational movements at the JASDF base and was fortunate to catch the special schemed F-4EJ Phantom 67-8388 of 302 Squadron designed to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Phantoms in Japanese service, with the title "The Origin of Samurai Phantom". The external tanks are decorated with the insignias of all nine squadrons that have operated the classic fighter.
Image © Peter Terlouw
Nikon D300s + Nikkor AF-S 300mm ƒ2.8 & 1.4x TCA Beaver in a wet location. Rarely can a scene be better set for a risqué comment, nor for a quality image - so we'll concentrate on the latter! Kenny being an airline employee gets to visit a number of night-stop destinations, and one such trip to Vancouver gave him the chance to shoot some of the floatplane operators that famously serve the rugged country inaccessible by other means. This Harbour Air DHC-2 Beaver sits patiently at its moorings, ready to be entered by its eager clients.
Image © Alan Kenny
We've had the Rising Sun, now we focus on its setting phase. The RAF's 'Heavy' base at Brize Norton has proven to be a popular location for such images due to the angle of its runway and here is Ian's offering of C-17 ZZ175 touching down at its home base. Due to the extreme wet weather conditions beforehand Ian's trip was delayed until the late afternoon - a prolonged journey which proved to be worth it in the end.
Image © Ian Finch
Canon EOS 7D + Canon EF 100-400mm L IS lensNew UKAR Staff member Peter Reoch attended the RAF Cosford Airshow launch event at which a couple of the taxiable Jaguars stretched their legs. Sadly the weather clamped down, but we did like this tightly framed shot of Granby veteran desert pink repaint GR3A XX725. During the conflict '725 gained nose-art 'Johnny Fartpants', which was replaced with a stylised 'Flying Canopeners' design for the retro repaint.
Image © Peter Reoch
Canon EOS 7D + Canon EF 70-200 ƒ4 L lensThe Fuji T-5 was developed by Fuji Heavy Industries as a replacement for the piston-engined Fuji KM-2 for a primary trainer for the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force. The KM-2 was a development of the Beechcraft T-34 Mentor, and the likeness continues through the T-5 despite its entering service in the late eighties - nearly forty years later than the Mentor. Mark's road trip around Japan took in a number of bases, including a fruitful stop at Ozuki - where this image was captured. He also caught some newer T-7 trainers at Hofu, a design which has reverted to the Mentor's seating layout, giving it a real retro look.
Image © Mark Stevens
Robert's image freezes an early morning ground operation at Fort Lauderdale, a subject rarely chosen for photography. A number of interesting details can be picked out in the low-light situation as an AirTran 737 and a Delta jet are attended to by the various ground services.
Image © Robert Starling
Pictures Of The Week
Week 47, November 2012
Clockwise from top left:
Probably the easiest choice for POTW for a few months was this jaw-dropping image of a flare-firing F-15E Strike Eagle taken at the famous Open House event at Nellis AFB. This sort of image captures everything that made us fall in love with aviation in the first place. Never mind, I'm sure we'll still get the straight-and-level 1000ft pass by four of them in loose formation at Duxford next September...
Image © Keith Meachem
Canon EOS 1D MkIV + EF 100-400mm L IS lensWith the winter months come plummeting temperatures, but also some excellent light for the non-hibernating photographer. The talented Chris Milne donned his thermals and headed off to Lossiemouth to produce a set making full use of the seasonal conditions. In a high-quality set, this golden image of a Tornado GR4 just edged it for the POTW selectors.
Image © Chris Milne
Nikon D90 + Sigma 70-200mm ƒ2.8 lensSalisbury Plain is a familiar haunt for many of the board's photographers, and Lloyd Horgan seized the opportunity to make the trip and was rewarded with glorious lighting, and a rather photogenic "Junglie" Sea King on Deptford Down. Though now approaching the veteran stage in their military lives, the venerable old Sea King remains a most appealing beast to catch in surroundings like these.
Image © Lloyd Horgan
Nikon D300s + Nikkor 70-300mm VR lensJapan's variety of types and markings means the island nation is something of a Holy Grail for the aviation photographer. Mike Leonard lives there and has long been known for bringing UKAR some terrific coverage of the weird and wonderful colourschemes worn by Japanese military types. The event he was at was the Tateyama Helicopter Festival. We're wondering what the collective noun is for this number of HueyCobras?
Image © Mike Leonard
Nikon D7000Next up, one of our own. UKAR Staffer Stuart Norris went along for the fish-chips-and-warbird event that was the Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar's nightshoot. This Spitfire, razor sharp, and with a full prop-disc, not to mention those sexy blue flames coming from the exhaust stubs, this is a splendid study of an iconic British type.
Image © Stuart Norris
Canon EOS 50D + Canon EF 28-135mm IS lensThe BHHH nightshoot was a popular event, as we move to a different photographer, and a different example of Supermarine's finest. Anthony Baines has got his level of editing just right here in this shot of the "Kent Spitfire", resulting in a moody composition against an uncluttered airfield background.
Image © Anthony Baines
Nikon D700 + 24-120mm ƒ4UKAR's reach is truly global. Wherever the show, whatever the exotica displaying, you can be 99% certain that a UKARians lens will be trained on it, and the pictures will appear on our famous forums. The Chengdu J-10 stole the show at the 2012 China Airshow at Zhuhai, and Peter Terlouw was rewarded for making the long trip east with the chance to photograph a type we in western Europe can only, for now, dream of seeing!
Image © Peter Terlouw
Nikon D300s + Nikkor AF-S 300mm ƒ2.8 lens
Pictures Of The Week
Week 46, November 2012
Clockwise from top left:
Jon Haylock's superb shot of an F-15C shows what can be achieved with the available lighting of the Lakenheath hard standing at night.The familiar atmosphere of Lakenheath is intensified by the dramatic evening skies during nigh-time operations.
Image © Jonathan Haylock
Canon EOS 40D + Canon EF 100-400mm L IS lensRichard Foord captured this amazing photo, part of a set from the recovery of a stranded Stampe biplane. Richard explains the story behind the image: "The Stampe had departed Headcorn for a local flight, after just minutes into the air heading towards Tenterden Kent the engine developed a misfire which eventually resulted in the engine stopping completely. The pilot skilfully landed the Stampe in a newly cultivated field with no harm to himself, the passenger or damage to the aeroplane - a magnificent achievement. The only way of getting the aircraft out of the field and back to Headcorn was either to dismantle and then by road or to airlift it with a helicopter. A few days later, the pilot a good friend of mine contacted me and said a decision to airlift had been made and would I go along and record the recovery process. An unfortunate incident that had a safe and happy ending and a set of images to record a quite unique and dramatic recovery. The weather was kind with beautiful light for photographing."
Image © Richard Foord
Nikon D3 + 24-70mm ƒ2.8 lensNo stranger to POTW, staffer Steve Buckby shot this Buccaneer using his trademark "Buck-O-vision" photographic technique. Helped by the evening light, Steve's shot captures the dramatic atmosphere of the Cold War in the twilight at the Bruntingthorpe LPG event.
Image © Steve Buckby
Canon EOS 40D + Canon EF 24-105mm ƒ4 L lensUKAR's most enthusiastic "Chopper" fan, Tony Osborne posted this fine study of an Aerogulf Bell 212 from his visit to Dubai. Despite the Dubai skyline being in a dusty haze the image has impact due to the colourful well lit subject.
Image © Tony Osborne
It's always nice to see photography from the Southern hemisphere during the cold winter months and Gerard Griessel's fine image of a South African Air Force Museum Puma being followed by an SAAF Oryx certainly fits the bill. The 17 squadron Oryx is based at Zwartkop Air Force Base.
Image © Gerard Griessel
Canon EOS 500D + Canon EF 100-400mm L IS lensCarl Brent brought back this superb image of a USMC AV-8B at Iwakuni from what looked like a superb visit to Japan. This colourful example is from VMA-54, the Flying Tigers on detachment from its home base Cherry Point MCAS in North Carolina.
Image © Carl Brent
Pictures Of The Week
Week 45, November 2012
Clockwise from top left:
When the days get shorter and the airshow season's over some enthusiasts put their cameras in hibernation. Hesja's equipment will not sit unused for months as he showed by braving the cold for some night-time action shooting!
Image © Slawek Krajniewski
Nikon D800 + 400mm ƒ2.8 AF-S VR lensSunset shots are always favourites for our POTW updates so here's the first for this update. Tim ventured into Marham's runway 24 approach on a long due day off and he didn't get disappointed when he was blessed with some lovely light and returned home with some stunning sunset shots.
Image © Tim Holden
Canon EOS 400D + Canon EF 100-400mm L IS lensClassic cars, and more importantly aircraft, drew Vincent to Teuge Airport, a small general aviation airfield near the Dutch city of Apeldoorn. Looking at the many different classic aircraft and the variety of angles of the presented images he made the right choice by attending.
Image © Vincent Kok
Just lovely this shot of Just Jane. On his 'first date' with Just Jane, as Chris called his topic, Chris visited Lancaster NX611's homebase at East Kirkby to capture a night taxi run and fireworks display, all for just a tenner. Money well spent indeed!
Image © Chris Albutt
Canon EOS 7D + 18-200mm lensFor some RAF fast jet action RAF Coningsby rarely fails to disappoint and when, despite predictions for poor weather, Craig took his chances on a rare weekday off he struck gold!
Image © Craig Scott
Canon EOS 400D + Canon EF 100-400mm L IS lensBravo November awaits its next sortie at Naval Air Facility El Centro. Besides deployed RAF Chinooks exercises Lynx Vortex and Merlin Vortex also took place to train for future Middle-East deployments. Lovely weather and some interesting aircraft to snap leads us to believe there are worse places to deploy to.
Image © Duane Hewitt