Pictures Of The Week
Week 13, March 2016
Clockwise from top left:
A rather sad start to this week's POTW. His threads on UKAR have inspired many over the years, and it was with great sadness we heard that Rick Ingham is hanging up his photography spurs, tying up loose ends in the most epic of ways possible. In another one of this threads that was impossible to choose a favourite, we opted for this beautifully composed shot of an aggressor F-15C at low level in Death Valley. Be sure to click on the image to see the whole thread, which is full of beautiful photography from someone we'll no-longer see any more. With that, we wish Rick a sad but very, very fond farewell, and the best wishes in his future endeavours.
Image © Rick Ingham
Kevin has had a great trip to the USA recently, and we've pricked our ears up at a number of his threads recently, including this one from Muir Army Airfield, at Fort Indiatown Gap in Pennsylvania which is home to the Eastern Army National Guard Aviation Training Site with based machines being the UH-60, UH-72 and CH-47 Chinook, as is featured here. It's not something that is often seen on our forum, and combining an excellent subject with very atmospheric backgrounds has produced a winning shot.
Image © Kevin Bell
It's been far too long since we've seen a B-1 in the UK, and we think it's about time the venerable Bones made their way to these shores again! In the meantime, however, shots like Tom's are keeping our appetites well whetted, and it's easy to see why. Caught turning on finals at Nellis, this 28th Bomb Wing "Bone" from Ellesworth AFB, we've not seen an angle like this on a B-1B for some time.
Image © Tom McGhee
We love Savvas' threads from Greece, and this is no exception. The venerable Hellenic A-7E Corsairs were retired in the back-end of 2014, marking the final flights of the type in the world. However, bringing back fond memories of that charismatic machine, Savvas provided us with a great set as a tribute, including this excellent shot showing the sweaty, dirty, "operational" machine for all it was worth and known for.
Image © Savvas Savvaidis
Given the popularity of the Northolt Nightshoots these days, it really takes something quite original and special to stand out on our boards, which is truly an indication of the standards of photography on our forums. However, Garry did just that, and produced a different and refreshing set of images. We were really taken with the composition and editing of this Royal Navy King Air 350ER "Avenger", which trains observers systems and sensor management in all weathers before streaming them onto one of the Royal Navy's maritime helicopter types.
Image © Gary Beale
Chris says he can't think of another Harvard as attractive as this one in the UK, and we're inclined to agree! G-DHHF arrived in the UK back in June last year from the Czech Republic, and is part of the DH Heritage Flights Ltd fleet, based at Compton Abbas, and offers flight experiences.
Image © Chris Parsons
Finally this week, testament to the versatility and longevity of the DC-3 airframe, is David's shot of a very, very rare DC-3-C owned by the geosience company, CGG Aviation (Canada) Ltd. This particular machine was built in 1944, and appears to have undergone "turbo" modification sometime between 2006 and 2012, alongside other cosmetic modifications. POTW is about featuring some of the best and rarest photography around, and considering the conditions, David has managed both.
Image © David Jaffray
Pictures Of The Week
Week 12, March 2016
Clockwise from top left:
RAF Coningsby's second nightshoot was well attended by UKAR members, and we saw some cracking shots come out of it. Framed by the darkness, this Tornado sits in its temporary shelter ready to be worked on. Not only does it look mysterious but it gives a great sense of what can be expected at these nightshoots, more and more of which seem to be appearing.
Image © Kurt Fairhurst
We've intimated already how desperately we're going to miss the Sea King in UK service, and the Junglie is no exception. Mark was extraordinarily lucky enough to get himself on-board a flight in one for the Farewell event, held by 848NAS. This great shot poignantly shows the King's last moments in the air before touching down, not quite for the last time at this event, but soon enough in any case.
Image © Mark Russell
A little over a month later and we have some more Junglies. This really was near to their end, and the Navy offered a welcome and very appropriate farewell formation flight around the south-west. Many lumps were raised in the throats of those who caught the flight as it made its tour, many of whom will have been seeing that most stalwart of transports in the air for the very last time. This unique angle on the flight from a well-chosen vantage point took our breath away.
Image © Rich Pittman
RAF Lakenheath's Strike Eagles are no strangers to LFA7 in Wales (known by most as the Mach loop, of course), which makes getting a shot that stands out that little more challenging. Tom's awesome close-up of this Eagle certainly qualifies! Eventually these mighty machines will no longer grace our skies but for now, we can't get enough of them.
Image © Tom Jones
Nikon D5100 + Tamron 70-300mm VC lensMarcelo produces some fantastic shots of the aircraft found in his home country of Brazil, and with South American assets being oh-so-rare over here, we lap them up! This UH-1H of the Força Aérea Brasileira is one of just 24 operated by the air arm, a type it has had since the 70s. It's amazing to see these kind of aircraft still working their trade when they're this long in the tooth.
Image © Marcelo Lobo da Silva
Switzerland's days of flying the F-5 Tiger II (easily one of our favourite fighter jets) are drawing to a close, so now is the time to make the trip out to see them if you haven't already. Sion is well known for being an outstanding shooting location as Kevin's shot so aptly demonstrates. Though no date has yet been set for their retirement, and with a replacement as yet undecided, they'll be flying for a few more years yet - but a few is all it will be, for sure.
Image © Kevin Martin
Boeing 777-300ERs are such great looking airliners, aren't they? Deceptively big, the stretched fuselage just seems to go on forever, and this is emphasised fantastically by the modern American Airlines (admittedly somewhat controversial) livery. In front of the moon, as in Rob's picture, taken on a lovely looking day at Heathrow, it appears most majestic.
Image © Rob Laker
Pictures Of The Week
Week 11, March 2016
Clockwise from top left:
Beginning this week with Richard's fantastic and vibrant shot of two of AeroSparx's Grob G109s as part of their night time display at Lee-on-Solent. As Richard's shot makes clear, the duo specialise in night-time pyrotechnic air displays, and we love this kind of photography as a refreshing change to the norm. We look forward to seeing more from AeroSparx in the 2016 season.
Image © Richard Davies
Gary certainly caught our attention this week, with a sublime set from the TICO warbird airshow, which has been hosted by the Valiant Air Command Warbird Museum for over 30 years at Titusville, Florida. This particular shot features none other than the world's only flying B-29 Superfortress, "FIFI", owned by the Commemorative Air Force at Meacham International Airport, in Texas. A regular airshow performer in the US for a number of years, it's great to see FIFI out and about once again in 2016.
Image © Gary Stray
Another nightshoot this week, this time at Bruntingthorpe, where a unique opportunity to shoot an ex-RAF VC-10, Tristar, and Victor all in one place. Stephen made great use of the opportunity, and produced this great shot of the aforementioned ex-RAF tankers. We love shots that show perspective, and it shows the diversity of design between the machines operated by the RAF over the years.
Image © Stephen Blee
Kurt was lucky enough to join a base tour of RAF Lakenheath recently, home of the 48th Fighter wing, and the 493rd Fighter Squadron with their F-15Cs and Ds. Rarer that their Strike Eagle stablemates, we were very impressed by this clean and uncluttered shot.
Image © Kurt Fairhurst
With news that Duxford's Victor is due a substantial restoration in the near future, we'd be wrong to record this sort of sight before it is soon to be changed! Announced that initial inspections will take place in April, it is anticipated that the restoration of this machine will take anywhere up to 5 years.
Image © Brian Marshall
Another week, and another one of Chris' excellent threads from Germany. Before they moved all of their training to the USA after reunification, the Luftwaffe operated an impressive fleet of Alpha Jets in the '80s and '90s, including this splendid-looking example based (at the time) at Oldenburg.
Image © 'BigClick67'
Finally this week, Turweston recently hosted a vintage aircraft fly-in, amongst a thread full of lesser-seen aircraft, we were really taken with this gorgeous Cessna 120 built in 1947, and Tony did a great job of capturing the machine with all the magic and charisma of its era.
Image © Tony Clarke
Pictures Of The Week
Week 10, March 2016
Clockwise from top left:
First off this week is Mark's splendid shot of this gorgeous Hellenic T-2 Buckeye at Kalamata Air Base. The T-2s are very long in the tooth at the moment, and the Hellenic Air Force is looking to a replacement to their lead-in jet trainers, the choices of which are between the M-346, and T-50.
Image © Mark Rourke
Once more we play host to another of Chris' shots from Germany this week! Wittmund has played host to a lot of ancillary work to the German Luftwaffe, whilst these days the place is occupied by A-4 Skyhawks, in the early '90s, the place played host to F-100F Super Sabres, sometimes equipped with some rather conspicuous targets for target towing.
Image © 'BigClick67'
Third up this week is an excellent shot of two rarely-seen Portuguese Alpha Jets at Beja AFB in southern Portugal. The base is host to three units; including 103 Sqn, "Caracóis", which flies Alpha Jets, including these, one wearing the unit's regular scheme, and the other the colours of the much-loved but defunct Asas De Portugal.
Image © Kevin Daws
Hangar 11 recently hosted a nightshoot featuring their collection of excellent warbirds. Steven was present, and came away with a truly masterful composition of Peter Teichman's Spitfire Mk.XI, and P-40 Kittyhawk. Given that Peter intends to sell his Hurribomber and Kittyhawk post the 2016 season, sights like these are soon to be gone, so it's great that Steven made full use of the opportunities at his disposal.
Image © Steven Harrison-Green
Something to look forward to this year, 27 Squadron have painted one of their Chinook HC2s to commemorate their heritage. Nicknamed "Nellie"; the scheme features the Squadron elephant, which was adopted following approval of King Edward VIII in 1936, the scheme harkens back to the Squadron's first operational aircraft, the Martinsyde G100, and Neil caught the machine beautifully recently.
Image © Neil Darby
Now, here's a rather unusual shot from Cambridge. Matt caught Virgin Atlantic's 747-400, named "Tinker Bell", which dropped into Cambridge for some cabin configuration before heading back to Gatwick with a rather sporty departure in some dramatic conditions! It's an angle we've not seen for some time!
Image © Matt Varley
Rounding us off this week, with something a little more unusual, but no less welcome, Dino produced a great set from the Kennedy Space Centre and the Space Shuttle Atlantis, which was retired in 2011 after 33 missions.
Image © Dino van Doorn