Pictures Of The Week
Week 13, March 2014
Clockwise from top left:
UKAR loves sunset shots and MiG-29s, and POTW regular Sławek, better known as "Hesja", has once again produced both in spades. Taken at Minsk Mazowiecki on a sunlit evening, each and every shot is different and dynamic, and taking the time to look through the whole thread is thoroughly recommended.
Image © Sławek Krajniewski
Nikon D800 + Nikkor 500mm lensOn a farewell tour to Switzerland, this Mirage F1 CR was one of four that visited Payern for the last time before their retirement. Laurent caught this one taking off to do some low level work in the Alps before returning for another pass over Payern before heading back to France.
Image © Laurent Baudillon
Canon EOD 50D + Canon EF 300mm ƒ2.8 L IS lens2014 is the first year that a Typhoon Display scheme has been authorised and applied to one of the 29 Squadron jets. Whilst not a patch on its European counterparts, Gary headed to Coningsby and came away with this shot of the jet going for its first sorties after unveiling, with the light illuminating the stencilling to good effect.
Image © Gary Stedman
Canon EOS 7D + Canon EF 100-400mm L IS lensPeter took this superb shot of newly repainted Blackburn Buccaneer XX894 at Bruntingthorpe looking glorious in the March sunlight.
Image © Peter Cox
Canon EOS 7D + Canon 70-300mm L IS lensOn board a German A310 MRTT providing refuelling support to participants of the TLP Albacete course, Marcel took this lovely air-to-air shot of this Rafale C from "Normandie-Niemen" squadron based at Mont-de-Marsan.
Image © Marcel "Tigerspoon" Bartwicki
Nikon D7000 + Tamron 70-300mm VC lensJoint Warrior, taking place in Scotland, usually provides ample opportunity for some maritime exotica to be caught. This year was no exception, and Mark caught this Royal New Zeland Air Force P-3K Orion at Lossiemouth.
Image © Mark Leith
Northolt Nightshoot has become a high point of the "off-season" for many an enthusiast. Paul came away with this excellent image of a French Air Force Alpha Jet E hailing from Tours airbase under the lights.
Image © Paul Smith
Canon EOS 70D EF-S 15-85mm lens
Pictures Of The Week
Week 12, March 2014
Clockwise from top left:
First up this week is from Stuart's fantastic thread from aboard a TriStar for 216 Squadron's final operational mission. It was difficult to choose a favourite, but this fantastic shot of a Tornado and a pair of Typhoons stood out by a small margin.
Image © Stuart Freer
Anton's shots from Graf Ignatievo celebrating their 63rd anniversary open day included this brilliant shot of a rare MiG-21UM trainer with stencilling on the spine that translates as "50 Years Of Service" which was taking part in the celebrations.
Image © Anton Balakchiev
Canon EOS 7D + Canon EF 100-400mm L IS lensAfter last year, it's great to see the US military participating in airshows again, however tentatively and Keith's coverage of the MCAS Yuma Airshow is full of gems from across the pond, particularly the aggressor schemed F-5s, however it was this shot of the Marine Corps F-35B that caught our attention. Love it or hate it, we think it is time that one was sent across the pond and given a chance to prove itself.
Image © Keith Meachem
Another airworthy Spitfire is always good news. One such is the gorgeous N3200 resplendent in its 19 Squadron markings when it was based at Duxford many years earlier. After a forced landing in May 1940, it was recovered in the 80s and restored by ARCo. Brian captured this moody shot just before John Romain took her up for her first post restoration flight.
Image © Brian Marshall
Sony Alpha SLT-A57 + Tamron AF 18-270mm lensIt's not often that we get to see some South African kit on UKAR, and it is all too easy to forget just how capable their military is. Gerard rectified this though, with his coverage of the Durban Air, Land and Sea Festival. Included in the diverse spectrum of displays was this South African Air Force Puma.
Image © Gerard Griessel
President Obama recently visited Holland, amongst other world leaders, for the Nuclear Security Summit in the Hague. Niels was in the right place at the right time to catch this very smart VH-60N "Whitehawk" landing at Rotterdam, these served as Presidential transport during his visit.
Image © Niels Roman
Canon EOS 7D + Canon EF 100-400mm L IS lensUS airshows took a big hit last year, and it's great to see plenty of variety and diversity still out there. Glenn's shot of this attractive T-33 rounds things off this week, taken at the Los Angeles County Airshow 2014.
Image © Glenn Bloore
Pictures Of The Week
Week 11, March 2014
Clockwise from top left:
As far as RAF schemes go, we think this is rather special. Having recently received their upgraded Pumas, 230 Squadron wasted no time in celebrating their 95th Anniversary and Rick was on hand to catch "Black Peter" on a sortie near RAF Benson. The scheme pays tribute to a squadron Shorts Sunderland lost 70 years ago on the 28th November 1944.
Image © Rick Ingham
Canon EOS 50D + Canon EF-S 18-55mm lensSecond this week is another venerable RAF type sailing into the sunset with what has become a typically low-key retirement. Damien's superb image shows the conclusion of TriStar ZE705's final flight into Bruntingthorpe. We hope that at least one TriStar will be kept there as a ground runner, in recognition of their 30 sterling years of service.
Image © Damien Burke
Little introduction is needed for our Eastern European friends on UKAR. In keeping with his incredibly high standard, Andrezj went to Minsk Mazowiecki in Poland to catch up with the Polish MiG-29 display rehearsal and came away with this beautifully lit image of the mighty Fulcrum.
Image © Andrzej Rogucki
Canon EOS 1D MkIV + Canon EF 500mm ƒ4 L IS lensLiving near Biggin Hill certainly has its advantages for Paul. After three passes of this Ghanaian Wessex, he had plenty of warning to head over to the fence and come away with a fine study of a charismatic aircraft that many of us thought we wouldn't see in UK skies again.
Image © Paul Drabot
Canon EOS 50D + Canon EF 100-400mm L IS lensEarlier this month, Gut Zoltan was lucky enough to be able to participate in some air-to-air photography with the Hungarian Air Force. Here we have a brace of JAS 39C Gripens flying from their home base of Kecskemét, be sure to check out the rest of the thread which includes some An-26 action!
Image © Gut Zoltan
Canon EOS 300D + Canon 10-22mm lensPhilippe captured this dynamic image of a Swiss Air Force F-5F taking off on a proficiency flight from Sion. With the Gripen selected as a replacement, the clock is ticking for the F-5 variant in Swiss service.
Image © Philippe Rey
Nikon D300s + Nikkor 300mm ƒ2.8 lensMaking full use of UKAR's new 1200px format, Ralph gave us a retrospective thread back from 2009 when, celebrating its centenary, the Royal Navy used RAF Northolt as a staging point for their flypast over London. He was present nearly five (has it been that long?!) years ago to capture this striking image of the "Arctic Junglie".
Image © Ralph Lunt
Nikon D300s + Nikkor 300mm ƒ2.8 lens
Pictures Of The Week
Week 10, March 2014
Clockwise from top left:
It's great to see the USAF back to more or less full strength. Making the most of it, the Lakenheath based 494th Fighter Squadron headed to Souda AB in Crete in February this year on exercise with the Hellenic Air Force, and Savvas was present to catch this shot of a familiar Lakenheath Eagle in an unfamiliar location during an afternoon sortie.
Image © Savvas Savvaidis
Nikon D300 + Nikkor 70-200mm ƒ2.8 lensSecond this week is from another one of Anton's threads from Bulgaria. This excellent air-to-air shot of a Bulgarian Air Force Mil Mi-17 "Hip" was taken en route to the Black Sea training area.
Image © Anton Balakchiev
Canon EOS 7D + Canon EF 24-105mm ƒ4 L IS lensOn a ferry flight from Sion to its home base at Bex airfield, Philippe was lucky enough to be able to shoot some air-to-air with this rather smart Bücker Jungmann, with stunning Alpine scenery to boot!
Image © Philippe Rey
Nikon D800 + Nikkor 24-70mm lensThe Japanese really do know how to paint an aircraft, and Mike's offering from Hyakuri shows a diverse range of types and schemes out there. Catching the deployment of JASDF aggressors, it was actually a local that made it into POTW this week in the shape of this beautifully captured RF-4EJ Phantom.
Image © Mike Leonard
Nikon D7000 with a Nikkor 70-300mm lensMarking the Centenary of Military Aviation in Australia, an Airshow was held at RAAF Williams - Point Cook at the beginning of this month, and Norman took this ethereal shot of the Bristol Boxkite that is the result of hard work by the on-site museum staff who built the machine, and piloted by Squadron Leader Steve Bekker who recreated the exact moment when Lieutenant Eric Harrison flew a Boxkite there on the same day one hundred years previously.
Image © Norman Long
Nikon D800e + Nikon 200-400mm lensSadly, the ETPS don't get out and about from their home base of Boscombe Down much, but Chris managed to come away from his visit to RAF Linton-on-Ouse with this great shot of one such rare outing of an ETPS bird, showing the infamous "Raspberry Ripple" scheme to good effect.
Image © Chris Procter
Canon EOS 40D + Canon EF 70-200mm ƒ2.8 L IS lens & Canon 1.4x TCRounding off this week's POTW is UKAR Staffer Andy, with this rather different shot of a USAF Aggressor F-15 preparing for a night launch taken during Red Flag 13-2 last year.
Image © Andy Evans
Nikon D300s + Nikkor 18-70mm AF-S lens
Pictures Of The Week
Week 9, March 2014
Clockwise from top left:
Kicking off the March POTWs is Rick's photo of Mid Air Squadron's recently restored Canberra on a test flight in the hands of David Piper. 2014 marks it's first full display season and judging by Rick's thread, it's an attractive display indeed.
Image © Rick Ingham
Canon EOS 50D + Canon EF 400mm ƒ5.6 L lensCelebrating their 50th anniversary this year, the Reds have adorned their tails with a rather special scheme. Air-to-air regular Paul, who posts many intriguing shots from RAF Valley, was on board with Red 5 as they practised over RAF Linconshire.
Image © Paul Heasman
Canon EO S7D + Sigma 10-20mm ƒ3.5 lensTo South Africa next where, sadly, this stunning Mirage III has now been retired. Believed to be the oldest original Mirage III still flying (at the time) Gerard captured it performing a touch and go during it's penultimate display at Virginia Airport in Durban.
Image © Gerard Griessel
Gary caught this great topside of this Geilenkirchen NATO E-3 sentry doing a particularly tight circuit at RAF Mildenhall.
Image © Gary Stedman
Canon EOS 7D + Canon EF 100-400mm L IS lensBack in 2012 at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Alaska at the bi-annual Arctic Thunder Airshow, Keith snapped this U.S. Army Chinook looking unusual compared to its RAF counterparts by wearing skis.
Image © Kieth Draycott
Canon EOS 7D + Canon EF 100-400mm L IS lensTaking us back to Mildenhall is Matt's shot of this rather attractive Turkish C-130E. As per its livery, it provides support for the Turkish Stars Display Team in the summer months when they deploy to foreign shows.
Image © Matt Varley
Canon EOS 550D + Canon EF 28-135mm IS lensKev's shot of the Hampshire Air Ambulance EC135 popping into Stokes Bay to pick up an injured Sunday League player really caught our attention this week.
Image © Kev Shaw
Canon EOS 500D + Canon EF 75-300mm lens