Pictures Of The Week
Week 35, August 2017
Clockwise from top left:
The Reds Arrows are renowned for their precision aerobatics, but their rigour extends to all aspects of their operations. Seen here arriving at Norwich Airport prior to displaying at Clacton, Keith's photo shows every aircraft following the taxiway line perfectly.
Image © Keith Newsome
We stick with the Reds for the next image. Captured during their performance at the Herne Bay airshow in contrasting light against dark brooding skies, it's a great example of exactly why display teams make such enduring photographic subjects.
Image © Barry Price
Staff member Dan Butcher was on hand at North Weald to capture the based aircraft movements associated with the Clacton and Dunsfold airshows. This fine capture of the Norwegian Historical Squadron's MiG-15 shortly after lift-off stood out for us.
Image © Dan Butcher
The B-52H has almost been around for the same number of years as it's operator. Well into its 62nd year of service, this example was a well-received static exhibit at RIAT 2017. Simon captured this superb image of the 'BUFF'.
Image © Simon Schibli
What's better than one P-63 Kingcobra? Well a pair, obviously! Ivan Voukadinov was at the world-famous EAA event at Oshkosh, and managed to capture this pair including the newly restored and recently unveiled example sporting a NACA 'Test' colour scheme.
Image © Ivan Voukadinov
Wallace Shackleton took a gamble and it paid off when a pair of Army Air Corps WAH-64D Apaches popped into Scone. The evening light and cloudy skies really did add something special to this helicopter as it departed.
Image © Wallace Shackleton
Rich Goodwin's displays in his Muscle Pitts really do pack a punch, and Martin Eames captured this splendid image of one of Rich's signature manoeuvres at the Dunsfold Wings and Wheels event.
Image © Martin Eames
Pictures Of The Week
Week 34, August 2017
Clockwise from top left:
Stuart Freer starts us off this week with a reminder of great summer evening light that already seems like a distant memory although we're only in early September. Here the evening light beautifully compliments one of the 48th Fighter Wing's F-15E fighters on its returns back to its Lakenheath base.
Image © Stuart Freer
This cracking shot of a Lockheed Martin MC-130J Commando II by Mark Rourke just yells Special Ops. This aircraft is part of the 67th SOS (Special Operations Squadron) based at RAF Mildenhall. It has quite a pedigree with this latest incarnation including an Enhanced Cargo Handling System, Universal Aerial Refueling Receptacle, more powerful electrical generators, electro-optical/infrared sensors, provisions for Infrared Countermeasures System and airframe and crew area armor. Certainly kitted out for a specific set of roles it seems!
Image © Mark Rourke
The variety of through traffic at Prestwick is legendary and on the right day, you can expect to see almost anything that may ever need to transit either way across from the Atlantic to or from Europe. Here Douglas Connery has captured a RCAF CF-188 Hornet that has stopped of en-route as part of a deployment.
Image © Douglas Connery
We don't get too many submissions from Southend Airport so this is a welcome addition. Even better is the rarity of the aircraft caught stopping off there by Westleigh Bussell. This PZL M28 Skytruck of the Royal Jordanian Air Force is an infrequent visitor to these shores, so much kudos for a great capture.
Image © Westleigh Bushell
Chris Milne tells us that every other year, in between the years the Danish Air force run the main air show, a smaller event is held at a smaller location. 2017 saw this take place at Roskilde Airport, a small civil airport about 30 minutes from Copenhagen. It seems to have been well worth the trip as this beautifully exposed photograph of a Danish MH-60R beating through the air illustrates. Nice one Chris.
Image © Chris Milne
There is something very compelling about images of big aircraft flying at low level and this photo from Ian Garfield is a perfect illustration of that. The dramatic angle of this Airbus A400M as it fly's through the loop really emphasises the opportunities available at this location.
Image © Ian Garfield
Finally this week a change of pace as we move to an image taken at the Shuttleworth Flying Proms earlier in the summer. Even with an overcast sky, that great evening light is obvious in the subtle orange shades reflected on this classic 1950s RAF trainer the Piston Provost.
Image © John Buckingham
Pictures Of The Week
Week 33, August 2017
Clockwise from top left:
We start this week with a bit of a twist on a classic airframe. Captured at Coventry by Cameron Sys, this Douglas DC-3 Dakota of the Indian Air Force Historic was airborne for flight testing before it makes its way back to India. Certainly a different colour scheme to that we see most on most Dakotas in the UK.
Image © Cameron Sys
Just like London buses really! You wait for ages to a see a Red T.1A Hawk crossing Wales at low level and then ten turn up at once! Luckily Jack Williams had the foresight to halfway up Tryfan, to catch the Red Arrows transiting from Bournemouth to Aldergrove via Brecon and the Ogwen Valley. In Jack's own words"What a sight, something I will never forget".
Image © Jack Williams
Tom Williams has also been out and about on the Welsh hills and caught this great shot of the mighty RAF Atlas (A400M) at low level. It broke his duck for catching one of this type flying low level and definitely a pretty impressive way to notch it up Tom.
Image © Tom Williams
An afternoon out on the Salisbury Plain Training Area (SPTA) paid dividends for Shaun Schofield recently. In between Yeovilton and RIAT he caught this great shot of the RAF Bell 412EP Griffin going through its paces.
Image © Shaun Schofield
From more exotic shores this Kuwait C-17 was caught at Luqa Airport in Malta by Kevin Wills. Again it's patience that's pays of as no sooner had one arrived, it was we are told closely followed by a second of the type. It's defiantly a ‘marmite' colour scheme (you love it or loathe it) but you certainly can't miss it.
Image © Kevin Wills
A relatively rare visitor to UK shores next in the shape of the C-2A Grumman Greyhound. This example was photographed by Ian Tate and one of two C-2As deployed to RAF Mildenhall during the visit of the USS George H W Bush to UK waters for Exercise Saxon Warrior and the chance for the staff of the Royal Navy's Carrier Strike Group to start training before the into service dates our own carrier assets.
Image © Ian Tate
Finally, we visit Compton Abbas for this fine shot of a positively pristine looking SNJ-5 Texan caught by Chris Parsons. Not a bad looking aircraft for something that was originally built in 1946.
Image © Chris Parsons
Pictures Of The Week
Week 32, August 2017
Clockwise from top left:
Blown by the Bone. Oshkosh in the US has a reputation for producing some stunning sights, and it has met expectations again in 2017. This dusk pass by a B-1B must've warmed the cockles (and possibly hurt the ears) of everyone present with those four enormous reheat streams. There's no doubting the power of this Mach 1.25 capable bomber in this shot - check out the whole set for some cracking shots of it pulling vapour as it turns away.
Image © Ivan Voukadinov
We love Old Warden, for so many reasons - the atmosphere, the intimacy, the setting. It's also a perfect location for photography, as Alisdair's shot shows. Seeing a (replica) Sopwith Snipe at low level curving round Old Warden's famous bend, looking almost like a toy aeroplane is a fantastic experience. It's not for nothing that we keep going back to this tiny venue.
Image © Alisdair Anderson
Another Old Warden shot and another replica Sopwith - this time a Sopwith Dove. Built in 1990 this beautiful baby blue biplane give us just another example of how wonderful it is to see these pieces of aviation history in the air, utterly in their natural environment. Taken at Shuttleworth's Edwardian Pageant, it looks fully at home at the 20's airfield.
Image © Ian Winfield
One of 2017's highlights has been seeing the BBMF's Lancaster retake to the air after a lengthy ground-based spell away from the circuit for refurbishment and maintenance - and a new paintjob. Affectionately known as "Leader" after the aircraft's new moniker, PA474 has brought many a lump to throat this past month as many realised how much they had missed the old lady. This stunning, golden shot from Michael helps.
Image © Michael Hallam
Ian had a superb time in the Mach loop recently, catching some real corkers going through in some top weather. We loved his shots of the Pink Tornado known as "Granby" but it was the Belgian Air Force 1 Sqn "Stingers" Anniversary jet topside that really got us going - the Belgians are relatively frequent visitors to the loop, but it's always nice seeing a special scheme go through.
Image © Ian Garfield
Ron's in town! Well, Australia to be specific. CVN 76, the USS Ronald Reagan, visited Brisbane port after taking part in Exercise Talisman Sabre down under for some welcome shore leave. Richard has taken plenty of shots from the exercise with some interesting aircraft to be seen, but we really liked this sunset photo - it captures something restful about the carrier not at operations.
Image © Richard Ennis
What a shot! It takes something special to make a photo of such a familiar and well-documented team like the Red Arrows stand out these days, but Jakub's got it. Looking more like a Wilf hardy poster than a real photo, it's oozing with dynamism and energy - which is rare for a photograph with a runway in it! Jakub mentions how popular their departure was - suffice to say he wasn't alone!
Image © Jakub Zurek