Pictures Of The Week

Week 8, February 2013

Pictures of the Week
Pictures of the Week Pictures of the Week
Pictures of the Week Pictures of the Week Pictures of the Week Pictures of the Week

Clockwise from top left:

  1. Starting our selection this week is a stunning capture from UKAR staff member Steve Buckby of what could be one of the best looking British aircraft ever produced, the English Electric Lightning. This aircraft – XS904 - is one of two aircraft in running order operated by the Lightning Preservation Group at Bruntingthorpe and is seen here on display outside the authentic QRA hangars as part of the recent nightshoot.

    Image © Steve Buckby

  2. Next up is another image taken at night, but something a little bit larger! This Boeing 747-436 is one of fifty-two in the British Airways fleet and is seen here parked on one of Terminal 5's remote piers awaiting passengers. Shooting through dirty glass at airports is hard enough in the day, so here Charles should be commended for achieving such a shot at night!

    Image © Charles Cunliffe

  3. While some photographers are patiently waiting for the airshow season to begin, there are plenty of others out there capitalising on the gorgeous winter light. Heathrow regular Darryl Morrell stuck gold one evening in late February, and used the light to great effect on this British Airways "Dove" A319.

    Image © Darryl Morrell

  4. Moving away from the UK for the next few shots, starting with this very clean looking Mil-17 helicopter. Operated by the Romanian Internal Affairs Ministry, this helicopter is part of the Special Aviation Unit and is in a VIP transport fit internally. The aircraft was one of many rare types from on display at the Black Sea Defence & Aerospace show.

    Image © Bogdan Movileanu

  5. Switzerland is a favourite here at UKAR for the photographic opportunities available and with the news that the Patrouille Suisse are scheduled to be disbanded in 2015, Philippe's images of the team's F-5 aircraft was very welcome, but if you look closely you will see all is not what it seems! The aircraft is actually carrying an aerial target towing pod showing how the Swiss Air Force use their display assets to good operational use during the winter.

    Image © Philippe Rey

  6. Mick Balter has become a POTW regular with his work capturing many types in the German military inventory. Recently he was lucky enough to go flying with the German Army as part of their BO-105 and CH-53 deployment to the Alps to practice mountain flying training. Our favourite was this cockpit image, showing the BO-105 pilot focused on his winter surroundings.

    Image © Michael Balter

  7. Our 'Golden Oldies' section of the forum always seems to contain a wide selection of excellent images from years gone by, and Nick's collection from RIAT 1994 is no exception. Taken in what seems to be classic Air Tattoo weather, this Comet from Boscombe Down is seen kicking up buckets of water spray as she lands.

    Image © Nick Challoner

Pictures Of The Week

Week 7, February 2013

Pictures of the Week
Pictures of the Week Pictures of the Week
Pictures of the Week Pictures of the Week Pictures of the Week Pictures of the Week

Clockwise from top left:

  1. I feel the need.. the need for speed! Stuart Freer certainly spoilt us with his selection of Tomcat shots from the 2006 NAS Oceana Air Show, the last public event that the iconic type could be seen at before retiring from 36 years of US Navy service. The aircraft, from VF-31, are seen in the air as part of the US Navy fleet fly-by.

    Image © Stuart Freer
    Canon EOS 20D + Canon EF 100-400mm L IS lens

  2. Last year Philippe Rey joined the Swiss Air Force's Team PC-7 as they displayed at the Vertigo paragliding competition. It was great to see such a varied selection of images from his flight, but our pick of the bunch was this awesome shot taken during the 'mini arrow waltz' manoeuver over the beautiful Swiss landscape. We look forward to seeing Team PC-7 at the Royal International air Tattoo this summer!

    Image © Philippe Rey
    Nikon D700 + Nikkor 16mm Fisheye lens

  3. Brize Norton provides some impressive viewpoints and UKAR newcomer Tom Gratton made full use of this, getting up close to the RAF's newest heavylift cargo aircraft C-17 ZZ178. We look forward to seeing more of Tom's shots on the forum in the future!

    Image © Tom Gratton
    Canon EOS 1100D + Canon EF 10mm-22mm lens

  4. Lloyd described his low level trip as "a ruddy awful day with the camera", but we disagreed! Mr Horgan always posts images of the highest quality and this was no exception, with this RAF C-130J image captured on one of three passes it made down in the weeds that day. That must have been quite a sight!

    Image © Lloyd Horgan

  5. Kevin Bell was at RAF Waddington to capture two of the RAF's camera shy types. Both the BAE 146 C3s were present at the Lincolnshire base performing trial work before their delivery to 32 Squadron, with ZE707 photographed here shortly before lining up to depart Waddo on runway 02.

    Image © Kevin Bell
    Canon EOS 50D + Canon EF 70-200mm ƒ2.8 L IS lens

  6. This is the second week on the bounce that Bartosz Bera has featured in UKAR's picture of the week! Following on from his hugely popular MiG-29 images, Bartosz has shared with us a stunning set of photographs of Polish Hinds and Hips. We selected his air-to-air snap of a Polish Mi-8, shot at an eye-wateringly impressive 1/15 of a second!

    Image © Bartosz Bera
    Canon EOS 5D MkII + Canon EF 70-200mm ƒ4 L IS lens

  7. During these cold, dark airshow-less months it's always a pleasure to look back on the previous season's events. Shaun Schofield posted an impressive run down of his 2012 season, with our pick of the images being this great composition from Duxford's Flying Legends show.

    Image © Shaun Schofield
    Canon EOS 40D + Canon EF 24-70mm ƒ2.8 lens

Pictures Of The Week

Week 6, February 2013

Pictures of the Week
Pictures of the Week Pictures of the Week
Pictures of the Week Pictures of the Week Pictures of the Week Pictures of the Week

Clockwise from top left:

  1. Some say he has a camera implanted in his eye, others say he has built in image stabilisation, but the UKAR community this week declared this set of Polish Air Force Mig-29s by Bartosz Bera as the best photos ever to appear on our forums! Taken over Lithuania from the back of a C-27J, these two Mig-29s were part of the NATO Baltic Air Policing mission and kindly formated with the photo ship to produce this stunning image.

    Image © Bartosz Bera
    Canon EOS 5D MkII + Canon EF 70-200mm ƒ4 L IS lens

  2. Considered the aviation photography holy grail, Matthew Clements was lucky enough to find himself on board the USS Enterprise on its final cruise. Flying out of Souda Bay, Greece in a C-2A Greyhound, Matt joined the 'Big E' for a few days and took this stunning image of an E-2C Hawkeye operated by VAW-123 "Screwtops" running on the deck with its wings folded.

    Image © Matthew Clements
    Canon EOS 7D + Canon EF 70-200mm ƒ2.8 L IS lens

  3. "Ambassador you are spoiling us" is what we would say if Mick Balter was actually an ambassador! It is the second week in a row that Mick has appeared in UKAR's week in pictures, this time with this great capture of a BAE System A-4 Skyhawk getting airborne from Wittmund, Germany. Used for target towing duties, these aircraft are very rarely seen outside Germany and like the F-4 Phantom are a dying breed.

    Image © Image © Mick Balter (MBAviationImages)
    Canon EOS 1D MkIII + Canon EF 100-400mm L IS lens

  4. A little bit of an exclusive here! This moody black and white close up taken in Bucharest at the Romanian National Aviation Museum by Bogdan Movileanu captured their newest exhibit being made ready for public display. Namely Mig-21US bort 3910.

    Image © Bogdan Movileanu
    Canon EOS 7D + Canon EF 100-400mm L IS lens

  5. When you first see this image, you think the photographer has a major problem keeping the camera still, then you realise he is photographing a hill! Not any hill though, this hill is called South Slopes at Gilze Rijen air base and is used by the Dutch military to train Helicopter pilots. Niels Roman caught this CH-47 practicing slope landings, it was so unusual we just had to share it!

    Image © Niels Roman
    Canon EOS 7D + Canon EF 100-400mm L IS lens

  6. We thought Alan Kenny was a big guy, but we didn't think he was this big! Taken from above a British Airway 747 on Tuesday 12th February, this not very often seen angle was managed by not being very tall but gaining a rare visit to the Control Tower at Heathrow. I'm sure Alan would love to be that tall though, no need for ladders at airfields then!

    Image © Alan Kenny
    Canon EOS 50D + Canon EF-S 18-55mm lens

  7. Nigel Blake is a regular feature on Week in Pictures with stunning images of military aircraft. It isn't too often we feature his civilian shots though. Nigel caught this Learjet departing Luton airport in the dark and in awful conditions. What made us want to show you this picture? It was taken hand-held at 1/10th second shutter using a 600mm lens with the image stabilisation turned off, truly mind blowing photographic skills!

    Image © Nigel Blake
    Canon EOS 1Ds MkIII + Canon EF 600mm f4 L IS lens

Pictures Of The Week

Week 5, February 2013

Pictures of the Week
Pictures of the Week Pictures of the Week
Pictures of the Week Pictures of the Week Pictures of the Week Pictures of the Week

Clockwise from top left:

  1. Blimey, we're so gonna miss these lovely old smoky beauties. As Germany prepares to bid the legendary F-4 "Pharewell", regular UKAR correspondent Mick Balter was on hand at Manching to grab this striking shot of F-4F Phantom II 38+13 performing a splendid "buzzing" of the tower. Mick tells us this was "a "phantastic" sight and sound." And it's hard to argue with that!

    Image © Mick Balter (MBAviationImages)
    Canon EOS 1D MkIII + Canon EF 100-400mm L IS lens

  2. Jack Goward is next on this week's POTW roll-call, with a shot from the distant, balmy days of summer - and a most atmospheric static shot of a Corsair at rest, basking in the glow of the early evening sun at Duxford's Autumn Air Show in October. Static photography requires a real eye for the creative, and Jack demonstrates that here - heck, it even makes us think twice about using the Naughty Field!

    Image © Jack Goward
    Canon EOS 7D + Canon EF 24-105mm ƒ4 L IS lens

  3. Long-time UKAR moderator, Canadian Rod McDonough is next up, with a magnificent capture from Red Flag 13-2. Your caption-writing scribe would find it hard to tear himself away from the nearby fleshpots of the original Sin City, Las Vegas, but with photographic opportunities like this to be had, namely a flaring F-15 Eagle about to touch down, what a mistake that would be!

    Image © Rod McDonough
    Pentax K20D + Sigma 50-500mm lens

  4. OK, singing in a very bad Italian accent here, "Just-a one-a Hor-netto!" Well, actually make that two. Recent UKAR Staff addition Andy Evans enjoyed his January trip to NAS El Centro, and was rewarded with a very busy day's flying, with no fewer than SIX visiting units, among them the Royal Canadian Air Force, and the ubiquitous US Navy Blue Angels demonstation team. We did consider a pun based on "giving us the Horn" but thought better of it.

    Image © Andy Evans
    Nikon D300s + Sigma 50-500mm OS lens

  5. Another familiar name to POTW is Mark Russell, with this latest image from his local RNAS Yeovilton haunt. The Wildcat's looks might not be to everyone's tastes, but this fine study of the "Lynx GTI" certainly pushes all the right buttons for us.

    Image © Mark Russell
    Canon EOS 50D + Canon EF 100-400mm L IS lens

  6. Recently there was something of an "incident" on our forums when someone questioned the quality, and variety of photographs being produced from our members visits to Warton. Well, for the naysayers, here's conclusive proof that, with a little thought, and a side-serving of talent, it is more than possible to come back from Warton with some very presentable photographs, as Brian Hare's fine capture of a "twin-stick" Saudi Typhoon illustrates.

    Image © Brian Hare

  7. It's not often the Cotswolds reverberate to the Samba beat, but this visit of a Brazilian Air Force Boeing KC-137 to Brize Norton was one such occasion. In light that wouldn't have looked out of place shining on the Copacabana itself (though possibly many, many degrees colder), Charles Cunliffe was able to bag himself quite a catch - something Brazil's goalkeeper failed to manage at Wembley during the week!

    Image © Charles Cunliffe
    Canon EOS 7D + Canon EF 70-200mm ƒ2.8 L lens