Pictures Of The Week
Week 13, March 2015
Clockwise from top left:
The mighty CVN-71 USS Theodore Roosevelt paid a visit to the UK recently, and the event was well-covered on UKAR. Lucky enough to go aboard the mighty US aircraft carrier, Mark presented to us this fantastically composed shot of the crowded deck. A shot like this we haven't seen for some time and though it's a far cry from the diverse number of types that used to operate of US carriers, it's more than we have in the UK at the moment...
Image © Mark Rourke
Canon EOS 7D MkII + Canon EF 24-105mm f4 L IS lensLloyd's talents as a photographer are well-documented, and in keeping with his incredibly high standards was his recent thread from the Mach Loop. Lloyd's argument that the top shelf of the Bwlch is the best for dynamic shot is certainly not without substance judging by his photo of this Lakenheath F-15E.
Image © Lloyd Horgan
Nikon D7100 + Nikkor 300mm f4 AF-S lensLIMA 2015, the Malaysian trade-show has recently taken place as ever at Langkawi, and posting a mouth-wateringly exotic thread full of Malaysian hardware, we just had to pick this exception shot of two Su-30MKM on the break above the airfield in some pretty splendid conditions. Malaysia has just 18 of these jets in service, all of which hail from the Royal Malaysian Air Force base at Gong Kedak, and are all operated by 11th Sqn.
Image © Arnold ten Pas
Speaking of exotic 'frames, a very rare WC-135W "Constant Phoenix" dropped into RAF Mildenhall recently, and Ben was on hand to capture the moment. Designed to test and analyse the atmospheric samples, including for the purposes of detecting and identifying nuclear explosions, this is a mightily interesting bird, too. Arriving with the callsign "Cobra 67", the airframe is believed to be on temporary duty away from it's home at Offutt AFB, Nebraska.
Image © Ben Luck
Sometimes, it's the things we take for granted that can create the most aesthetic photos. On a visit to RAF Coningsby, Marek stayed on the off chance of some golden hour lighting conditions, and with this simple yet powerful shot of the BBMF Dakota in the dying light of the day, we'd say he was bang on the money.
Image © Marek Gembka
Nikon D700 + Nikkor 300mm f4 AF-S lensPosting yet more quality shots from what looks like a fantastic trip to the USA, POTW-regular Rich stunned us yet again, this time with a thread full of glorious F-5s, there was little not to like. These particular machines fly as part of VFC-13 "Saints", and undertake the aggressor training role for the US Navy, flying out of NAS Fallon, Nevada, with some of the more beautifully-schemed machines you can find these days in the US.
Image © Rich Pittman
Another POTW-regular concludes things this week. The A-10 tour of Europe has been well-covered, especially given their visit to Lakenheath towards the end of March. Carrying on with their tour, the "Hawgs" also visited Powdiz Air Base in Poland for four days, and Bartosz came away with a stunning set of images, including this fine study of a type we didn't think we would see back in Europe following the sad retirement of the Spangdahlem-based 81st Fighter Squadron.
Image © Bartosz Bera
Canon EOS 5D MkIII + Canon EF 100-400mm L IS lens
Pictures Of The Week
Week 12, March 2015
Clockwise from top left:
Harking back to a sad occasion some 9 years ago is Kevin Wills' capture of a trio of much-missed Royal Navy Sea Harrier FA2s, taken during the disbandment service of 800 NAS in March 2006 at RNAS Yeovilton, which saw the type being fully withdrawn from service with a parade and flypast. The Sea Harrier always had a particular sense of character, which is much in evidence in Kevin's excellent low-angled shot.
Image © Kevin Wills
Canon EOS 10D + Canon EF 28-135mm IS lensOne of the most talked about visits in recent months has to be March's brief stopover of the gargantuan USS Theodore Roosevelt anchored off the South Coast. Richard Davies was lucky enough to take a flight from Lee-on-Solent Airfield on a sunny Sunday afternoon to overfly the carrier, and what a wonderful set of shots he posted on the forum capturing this rare visit. As can be seen, the deck is packed with United States Navy F/A-18 Hornets and EA-18 Growlers, alongside a number of E-2 Hawkeyes and SH-60 Seahawks.
Image © Richard Davies
Canon EOS 6D + Canon EF 100-400mm L IS lensIs it a boat or an aeroplane? Marc Brouyère is the man responsible for this imposing image of a Japanese Navy ShinMaywa US-2 on approach to MCAS Iwakuni that was taken in November. Not only does this brilliant picture show the size of this humongous flying machine, it is also significant because just a small handful of these STOL amphibians have been built since the type's first flight in 2003, making this picture all the more rare.
Image © Marc Brouyère
Canon EOS 500D + Sigma 50-500mm lensAnother view from above comes from Lloyd Horgan who photographed this remarkable topside of an Army Air Corps WAH-64D Apache in a steep banked turn as it transited through the Mach Loop in Wales en route to RAF Valley. He told UKAR the pass was 'dynamic' and its easy to see what he means. This remarkably sharp picture captures the finer details of this formidable attack helicopter which is looking a little beaten up, no doubt after some service in Afghanistan.
Image © Lloyd Horgan
Nikon D7100 + Nikkor 300mm f4 AF-S lensWe turn to a striking head-on image of a United States Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II, caught during the deployment of a number of Davis-Monthan based examples to RAF Lakenheath. Weather thwarted many of the 'Hog's planned flights, however Jonathan Haylock's patience paid off when he captured this A-10 following a sortie. He says himself that whilst he was pleased the sun came out in time, he thinks the fog adds much atmosphere to the shot. Well Jonathan, UKAR agrees!
Image © Jonathan Haylock
Canon EOS 7D Mk.II + Canon EF 100-400mm L IS Mk.II lensIt was a sad farewell this month to the quartet of RAF HS125s operated by 32 (TR) Squadron at RAF Northolt - a type which has served the RAF for 44 years. Always one for helping enthusiasts, Northolt's Phil Dawe kindly arranged an 'End of an Era' photoshoot giving many the opportunity to see the jets up close one last time. Our very own Paul Osborne was in attendance, where he photographed this rare sight with a simple and emotive shot of the last lineup.
Image © Paul Osborne
Canon EOS 7D Mk.II + Sigma 18-200mm OS lensIt is hard not to be impressed by the smart colour scheme on this American Airlines Boeing 787 - this airframe being the first Dreamliner delivered to the airline in January of this year. UKAR member 'Bestlasham' caught the aircraft arriving at Heathrow Airport in a well-timed moment of sun! What makes this image stand out is the contrast between the bright American livery and the rather dull, cloudy background.
Image © 'Bestlasham'
Pictures Of The Week
Week 11, March 2015
Clockwise from top left:
It's not very often we see Chinese hardware on this (or any) forum, let alone some hardware as rare and interesting as this. We cant imagine that it was easy, shooting these Xian H-6 bombers, themselves derivatives of the Soviet Tupolev Tu-16, but it's the rare and exotic stuff like this that we love on UKAR, and there are few better ways for us to compliment this set of images than by featuring one in the top spot of this week's POTW.
Image © Ivan Voukadinov
Canon EOS 5D Mk.II + Canon EF 100-400mm L IS lensPhil, of Northolt Nightshoot fame, has allowed some of his exceptional images to be posted on the forum recently. It was nigh on impossible to pick a favourite out of such a varied and interesting set. This RF-101B Voodoo, along with the rest of the ""Graf Zeppelin Collection", as it's called, is a testament to the richness and diversity of both types and operators over the years, and is well worth a peruse.
Image © Philip Dawe
Łukasz hasn't been on the forum for long, but we already look forward to his posts. With further outstanding coverage, this time from the 22 Tactical Air Base at Malbork and of the fantastic MiG-29s that call the place home. Shooting in grim conditions is never easy, yet Łukasz has managed not only to overcome the elements, but also use them to outstanding effect in this beautifully-composed head-on shot of a based "Fulcrum".
Image © Łukasz Wiśniewski
The deliveries of Airbus A400Ms are beginning to pick-up pace now as European Air Arms start accepting the "Grizzly" into their inventories. The Turks, in particular, have wasted no time in getting theirs out and about, having made a couple of visits to the UK with the type already. POTW-regular Chris was on hand, as ever, to capture one passing through RAF Mildenhall on its way from the USA back to Turkey.
Image © Chris Heal
Canon 1D Mk.IV + Canon EF 500mm f4 L IS lensThe weather is (slowly) picking up, the days are stretching out and the sun is just that little bit warmer every day. As such, the numbersof enthusiasts visiting the Mach Loop is steadily increasing again. Making his first visit in a number of years, Ian caught this RAF Tornado making a pass in some utterly superb lighting conditions. We feel that its shadow adds to the shot, and encapsulates the thrill of low level photography.
Image © Ian Garfield
Canon EOS 5D Mk.III + Canon EF 300mm & 1.4x TCWe've seen a couple of shots of the Yorkshire Air Museum's Halifax by night recently, but perhaps somewhat overlooked is their excellent Dakota, KN353. Seen here, also by night, with engines, if you'll permit a cliché, turning and quite literally burning (the latter caused by a slight engine malfunction). This was superbly captured with a four-second shutter speed.
Image © Alisdair Anderson
Canon EOS 7D Mk.II + Canon EF 24-70mm L lensRounding this week off is a very interesting shot of a rather overlooked type. This R22 was undergoing some night-training, and Wallace made excellent use of the opportunity and come away with a rather interesting, and some would say unique, image - and one that we feel is worthy of concluding this week's top seven.
Image © Wallace Shackleton
Pictures Of The Week
Week 10, March 2015
Clockwise from top left:
With spring just around the corner and the days, hopefully, getting warmer it's refreshing to see images from slightly colder and snowier climates. Kicking off this addition of POTW is this stunning image from Exercise Clockwork, an operation taking place at Royal Norwegian Air Force base Bardufoss, Norway. 846 Naval Air Squadron supplied several Merlin HC3s, their first exercise since being transferred from 28 Squadron of the Royal Air Force to the Fleet Air Arm. Air-to-air photos don't often come with a backdrop like this!
Image © Simon Galloway
Nikon D3s + Nikkor 70-200mm f2.8 lensWe have seen several amazing retrospective sets over the past couple months on UKAR, but Shaun has done an excellent job in capturing some of the UK's scintillating acts from 2014. Arguably his best image is this action-packed shot of the Solo Türk from Waddington during a practice display on the Friday. We certainly look forward to the Turkish Air Force attending Bournemouth Air Festival later this year.
Image © Shaun Schofield
Canon EOS 7D + Canon EF 400mm f5.6 L lensNortholt never fails to disappoint with its well-organised nightshoots, and the 23rd addition was also the 10th anniversary of the event was no exception. UKAR's very own Brian Marshall was in attendance & managed this exquisite image of a rather familiar shape; the Cessna C182 Skylane. Operated by the Belgian Federal Police & sporting a very tasteful colour scheme, it's an airframe that has never been seen on UK shores & Phil Dawe must be applauded for securing such a rare item.
Image © Brian Marshall
Perhaps perceived as the world's most expensive firework dispenser to the unwary, the C-130J-30 Hercules of the Royal Danish Air Force certainly does a fantastic job in fulfilling this role. Captured climbing at the end of its display at the Karup Airshow in Denmark, it's certainly amazing to see the capabilities of the Super Hercules & the defence mechanisms available to the aircraft in the eventuality of incoming missiles. Hats off to "st24" for providing this explosive image.
Image © Geoff Stockle
Nikon D300 + Nikkor 70-200mm lens & 1.7x TCWith the start of the UK airshow season just a month away the number of practice displays certainly proves that we don't have too long to wait. Over the past couple of weeks the Eurofighter Typhoon Display Team, once again provided by 29(R) Squadron, have been ramping up the pre-season displays above RAF Coningsby. Taking what is now last year's display aircraft for a flight, Flt Lt Jonny Dowen engages the 'burners as the aircraft rips up the crisp Lincolnshire air. Take a look on the forum to see the new display aircraft's brilliant colour scheme.
Image © Chris Heal
Canon EOS 1D Mk.IV + Canon EF 500mm f4 L IS lens & Canon 1.4x TCThe charismatic & unmistakable lines of the Corsair II are sorely missed after the types service within Europe came to an end with the Hellenic Air Force. Luckily, Geoff Spinks was on hand to capture the "SLUFF's" last days in service at Araxos AFB in October. The majority of the remaining airworthy fleet was sent into the air during the type's last days, showcasing a sight and sound that will sadly never appear again. Here a pair of TA-7C Corsairs are seen resting prior to one last flight.
Image © Geoff Spinks
Canon EOS 1D Mk.III + Canon EF 100-400mm L IS lensRounding off yet another superb selection of images is this interesting shot of the Frecce Tricolori diving towards terra firma at RIAT 2014, with each aircraft pulling some impressive vortices as they position for the next manoeuvre. It's very rare to capture vortices from this perspective, so Andy should be commended for his efforts.
Image © Andy Kenyon
Pictures Of The Week
Week 9, March 2015
Clockwise from top left:
Probably the best shot we've ever seen from Death Valley marks the start of this week's top seven. We always look forward to Tim's incredible sets on UKAR, and this proved no exception. The perfectly composed shot is further enhanced by perfect editing of this E/A-18G Super Hornet from VX-9 "The Vampires" Test and Evaluation Squadron hailing from China Lake.
Image © Tim Lawrence
Canon EOS 5D Mk.III + Canon EF 500mm f4 L IS lensWe're always pleased to see some of the more unique and thoughtfully-composed shots on the forum. As is often the case, Laurie has made the simple and quite common subject of an RAF C-130 look rather interesting with the inspired use of a fisheye lens.
Image © Laurie Hughes
Nikon D7100 + Nikon 10.5mm fisheye lensUKAR's own Scott Perry has been cleaning his summer drawers recently, and produced a fine shot of Peter Teichman's "Hurribomber" affectionately known as "Pegs". As one of the more celebrated display pilot/warbird owner on the UK circuit, Teichman appears to be living up to his reputation, and making excellent use of the brilliant weather conditions.
Image © Scott Perry
Sony A-77V + Sigma 150-500mm lensPOTW regular Rich is much famed for producing some rather interesting subjects on the forum, and there is no finer example than his thread from the US. It was incredibly difficult to choose a favourite from his rather extensive offering, but we had to settle with this S-58, which started out as a UH-34D for the USMC. Significant upgrates later, the S-58DT affectionately known as "Screaming Mimi" is operated on behalf of Summit Helicopters Inc.
Image © Rich Pittman
Canon EOS 6D + Canon EF 70-300mm L IS lensA lesson, if there ever was one, of how to compose and shoot back-lit subjects. Taken at the Krzesiny TAB Open Day in Poland, Lezsek has beautifully composed this TS-11 Iskra from the similarly named "Team Iskry" of the Polish Air Force based at Dęblin.
Image © Lezsek Kujawski
Canon EOS 5D Mk.III + Canon EF 200-400mm f4 L IS lensThe RAF are celebrating several more squadron centenary anniversaries this year. Making an early departure out of the block was this XV(R) Sqn Tornado adorned with one of the better special tail schemes we have seen form the RAF for some time. Tom's shot is further enhanced by the, as he says "hot 'n' cold" contrast as the jet takes off in typical Scottish weather.
Image © Tom Sunley
Canon EOS 5D Mk.II + Canon EF 300mm f2.8 L IS lens & Canon 1.4x TCBringing up the rear for this week's top seven, Mark managed to photograph the goings on at RNAS Yeovilton on the south side. This included photography from the tower, presenting unique angles on some of the based machine, including this 736NAS Hawk. As if it's been six years since those special tails were painted...
Image © Mark Russell
Canon EOS 40D + Canon EF 28-135mm IS lens