Pictures Of The Week
Week 31, July 2017
Clockwise from top left:
So, who said size doesn’t matter? Well not us based on this shot taken by Peter Reoch, using a rather unique vantage point, at the RAF Cosford Air Show earlier this summer. This was the first visit of the Airbus A400M Atlas, operated by 70 Squadron to the airfield and this shot shows ZM401 carefully negotiating the northern taxiway, with only 1.5m of clearance on each side of the aircraft's main gear.
Image © Peter Reoch
The USS George H.W. Bush made an imposing sight on the Solent during its recent visit en-route to participate in Exercise Saxon Warrior and Trevor Carpenter was able to capture it from this unique angle. It looks like a handling and parking nightmare. We look forward to future shots of our own Royal Navy carrier and its F35 squadrons in due course!
Image © Trevor Carpenter
UKAR member Bestlasham captured this photo of the PZL-MI8 fighting forest fires in Corfu recently, one of a flight of 4 aircraft undertaking that role. Capable of carrying 2,500 litres of water per trip 40-year-old design is still proving to be a very capable platform for this type of work.
Image © 'Bestlasham'
The IAR 330 is the Romanian built version of the Aérospatiale SA 330 Puma and is operated by both the Romanian Air Force and Navy. This example was captured last month at BIAS 2017 (Bucharest International Air Show) by Dan Reeves.
Image © Dan Reeves
Alike but different is the theme for this striking image from Niall Grant, taken at the recent Bray Air show in Northern Ireland. Here a BAC Strikemaster MK.82 of the type supplied to the Royal Oman Air Force and BAC Jet Provost T.5A trainer fly in tandem toward Bray Head.
Image © Niall Grant
An unusual sight in the UK here, with a Norwegian Air Force SAR variant of the Merlin or AW101 Mk612 to be precise. The photo was taken by Peter Mitrovitch during crew training on Davidstow Moor last month and we are rather taken by the colour scheme that the Norwegians use.
Image © Peter Mitrovitch
Pictures Of The Week
Week 30, July 2017
Clockwise from top left:
As the Ukrainian attendance at RIAT this year proved, the Su-27 Flanker can whip many British enthusiasts up into a state of frenzy. For those that feel such a way, the Russian aviation trade show MAKS is heaven, with Su-27s - and other members of the Flanker family - galore. Peter's particularly powerful shot shows off the incredible lines that characterise the Flanker family, in this case two Su-20SMs of Russian Naval Aviation as they break apart from a pairs display. Also featuring in the MAKS lineup are the Su-34 Fullback and Su-35 - if you're a Flanker fan, this Russian air show is a must.
Image © Peter Steehouwer
Since the British Army's Attack Helicopter Display Team introduced pyrotechnics into their routine there have been a wealth of fantastic images of fiery Apaches. This shot is probably one of the best we've seen, with the aircraft perfectly framed by the fireball behind it at Middle Wallop Families Day. The brutish helicopter really shows off how fearsome it is on the battlefield when seen like this - in Afghanistan the mere sound of an Apache overhead was enough to force Taliban fighters to stay away from Coalition troops.
Image © Chris Parsons
What. A. Sight! Six - yes, six! - Romanian Air Force MiG-21 LanceRs in formation over the skies of Bucharest last month for their annual air show. Romania is one of just two European operators of the MiG-21 left, the other being Croatia, from what was once the mainstay fighter of the Warsaw Pact. While Romania will eventually replace their MiG-21s with second-hand F-16s from Portugal (deliveries have already begun), they're still wringing plenty of life out of the veteran jets, performing surprisingly well in exercises against US Air National Guard F-15s in recent years.
Image © Glyn Fuller
Another veteran jet, though one which hasn't enjoyed such a lengthy lifespan - the iconic, symbolic English Electric Lightning. Stuart caught this cracking shot at the unveiling of LPG's Lightning F3 XR713, recently done up (on one side) in this beautiful 56 Squadron ''Firebirds' scheme. This scheme was commissioned and funded by the Centre Of Aviation Photography, and, coupled with the stunning background and lineup of jets, was worth every penny! Just a shame it won't be seen in the sky...
Image © Stuart Freer
One of the real stars of RIAT this year was a CH-147F Chinook, seen here when it arrived at Park and View West. It might be unusual to see a helicopter from the other side of the Atlantic arriving under its own power to the show, but this Chinook had actually been in the UK for the better part of a week by that point - it was shipped over on a CC-117 Globemaster into Brize Norton. It was fairly busy while in the UK, training with British Chinook crews and seeing the sights, and even performed a commemorative flypast over the Canadian National Vimy Memorial in France in France.
Image © Shaun Schofield
Another star of the Air Tattoo was a USAF U-2S Dragon Lady, and here is one especially surprising angle! It's very rare to see a topside from these aircraft - they're usually very high and when they're within photography range they spend very little time in the air at all. Visitors who spent the full six days at RIAT this year were treated to no less than eight U-2 movements across the week, though some were pretty early in the morning! The static example proved to be one of the most popular on the ground across the show weekend.
Image © Dan Hamilton
Speaking of RIAT stars, this must've been one of the biggest surprises of the year. The Sunday morning's revelation that the flying programme was to feature a B-2 flypast had many rubbing their eyes in disbelief, but nonetheless the crowds were treated to, not one, but two passes by the stealth bomber. The second pass was given at such a stonking topside that even its Eagle escorts seemed surprised themselves! The event will live long in the memory for the absolute surprise factor it supplied. Though the bombers haven't been totally unknown visitors to the UK in the last few years, to get one int he flying display was a huge achievement and sealed lid on a fantastic Air Tattoo.
Image © Darrell Thompson
Pictures Of The Week
Week 29, July 2017
Clockwise from top left:
This week our first image comes from Aviano, Italy. Giorgio Varisco captured this Hellenic Air Force F-4 Phantom as it made a refuelling stop on its way to last weekend’s RIAT at Fairford. Always a great to see one of the limited number of remaining F4’s in service and on this occasion with a new livery featuring the famous Spook character.
Image © Giorgio Varisco
In Chris Low’s own words his RIAT experience this year was “…A grim, grey, wet morning, with low cloud that resulted in many acts unable to display…… But in spite of all that, I thought it was a cracking good day!” Hats off to you Chris for your positive attitude, although it’s not hard to see why you felt that way with this shot of the Ukrainian Sukhoi Su-27. Again, in Chris's own words “A vulgar display of power…..What a beast!”
Image © Chris Low
There seems to be a theme developing here! Chris Shaw describes his RIAT as “…grey and wet but a fantastic weekend and one of the best RIAT's I have ever been to”. That feeling was no doubt helped by the presence the Italian Tornado operated by 311º Flight Group, part of the Reparto Sperimentale Volo painted in a fantastic paint scheme to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the 311° Gruppo. Great shot Chris.
Image © Chris Shaw
Another contribution from RIAT is this shot of the Embraer Phenom 100 in the new RAF colour scheme it will wear to provide flight training for RAF multi-engine aircraft pilots. Captured by UKAR staffer Tom Jones during the arrivals period of the show of the Royal Air Force (RAF), we’re not sure he’s totally convinced by the eye catching ‘plumage’ that locals to RAF Cranwell will be seeing for the next few years!
Image © Tom Jones
We love this photo captured by Kevin Bell as the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) E-7A Wedgetail called into RAF Waddington after the RIAT weekend. Based on the airframe and power plants of the Boeing 737-700, the RAAF operate six of these aircraft from RAAF Base Williamtown, each with the capability to cover four million square kilometres during a single 10-hour mission.
Image © Kevin Bell
You would have to have a cold heart not to appreciate the innate beauty of this shot captured by Peter Cox at the Old Warden WWI Evening on July 15th. This RAF SE.5a was originally built and then issued to No 84 Squadron RAF in 1918. Caught in fantastic evening light its 100 years certainly haven’t dulled its presence.
Image © Peter Cox
Rob Laker visited the Headcorn Battle of Britain Show and when originally posting this image of the Messerschmitt Bf109 G-12 belonging to Hangar10, described himself as “armed with my very old Sony Kit, and being very rusty.” Well congratulations to you Rob on being our final POTW this time around. We look forward to seeing more of your shots as you as you get back up to speed!
Image © Rob Laker
Pictures Of The Week
Week 28, July 2017
Clockwise from top left:
Possibly the most dramatic airshow photograph that we'll see in 2017? An issue with 'Miss Velma' during the finale of the meant that a forced landing was necessary and the outstanding airmanship the pilot displayed was captured superbly by Pete 'tink_norfolk'. Right place & right time but hats off to him for maintaining his composure as the incident unfolded to record the sequence of events.
Image © 'tink_norfolk'
Mustangs again for our second photo this week. This time P-51B 'Berlin Express' captured by Jakub Zurek on the Saturday of the Duxford Legends Show. Unfortunately., after an epic journey across the Atlantic to get to sunny Cambridgeshire they had issues of their own and had to return to the airfield shortly after taking off to display as part of the canopy detached during a fast pass and struck the tail. Hopefully, damage is minimal and we'll see them back in the air soon
Image © Jakub Zurek
Canon EOS 7D Mark II + Canon EF 100-400mm L IS lensA hat-trick of Mustang photos is completed this week with this great shot from Dan Butcher, capturing 'The Shark', 'Frenesi' and 'Berlin Express' of the Horsemen lined-up on the ORP during their pre-flight checks. An image that does give you a feel for the noise and power being pushed through the throttles at that exact moment.
Image © Dan Butcher
Canon EOS 50D + Canon EF 70-300mm L IS lensA key attraction for many over the Legends weekend was the chance to see no less than five Hawker Hurricanes flying together as 'Hurricane Force', the late confirmation of debutant P2902/G-ROBT the icing on the cake. A technical issue first thing Saturday meant initially on four aircraft flew together but that was soon resolved to give the spectacle of five legendary Hawker aircraft flying together than many had come to see.
Image © 'Alpha Delta 210'
Our final 'Flying Legend' of this week is represented in the recently repainted Buchon, as captured by Steven Harrison-Green during the pre-show build-up on Wednesday. The aircraft has recently been repainted to represent Messerschmitt Bf109 E-7 "Black 8" of Luftwaffe Jagdgeschwader JG-27 as flown by Leutnant Werner Schroer. On the whole, a welcome addition to the circuit but the level of 'weathering effect' on the paint job still has the jury out at present. Photos like this certainly won't harm the argument for a good job well done.
Image © Steven Harrison-Green
Canon EOS 700D + Sigma 150-500mm lensI must confess to a personal bias here. As a teen growing up in North Essex in the 80s and 90s, I recall watching the RAF QRA Phantoms roar down the Wattisham runway many times, so I'm a sucker for an F-4 photo and this one is a corker from Jonathan Haylock, who captured this Hellenic Air Force F-4E Phantom II at the Tactical Weapons Meet in Belgium recently. It looks mean, broody and captured with this great light I can almost smell the exhaust fumes.
Image © Jonathan Haylock
Captured at the French Pyrenean base of Sainte-Léocadie army base our final photograph leaves you with some rotary action in the shape of a Czech Republic Mil Mi-24. This aircraft always has a brooding sense of power and threat through its design and photographer Julien Gernez has managed to capture a real sense of movement within this image thanks in part to the to the 'jelly air' effect from the engines along with the stunning forest backdrop.
Image © Julien Gernez
Pictures Of The Week
Week 27, July 2017
Clockwise from top left:
Cardington's world-famous sheds will forever be synonymous with Britain's rather chequered history of lighter-than-air flight. The hope is that the future will be rather more successful for Airlander than the past proved with the ill-fated R101 airship in 1930. Captured here, air-to-air, by local photographer Alisdair Anderson, what Airlander might lack in looks, she more than makes up for in presence. Hopefully one day soon she might hove into view just down the road at an airshow at Old Warden.
Image © Alisdair Anderson
The Hellenic Air Force inventory is among the most diverse and interesting of any western European nation, and Mark Rourke made the most of his recent trip to Tanagra to capture this glorious down-low study of the mighty Dassault Mirage 2000. We see plenty of night-time ramp shots on our forums, but it takes skill with the camera to make one stand out from the crowd quite like this one.
Image © Mark Rourke
The Shuttleworth Collection's last two airshows have been among the best anywhere this summer, and both have benefitted from conditions benign enough to enable the venerable Edwardians to take to the hallowed Bedfordshire skies. July's Military Pageant saw some trademark Collection airmanship from Chief Pilot Dodge Bailey in the Bristol Boxkite and Frank Chapman at the wheel (yes, not stick!) of the Avro Triplane, formating for some memorable passes on a late afternoon where the photographers were able to fill their boots, or rather memory cards, as clearly Shaun Schofield did here.
Image © Shaun Schofield
Next, Picture Of The Week is off to Finland, not a country we feature often. A most eclectic roster of aircraft, both rotary and fixed-wing, were assembled for the watching crowd, among them this float-equipped Cessna T206H, captured in perfect light. It takes a lot for a Cessna to impress the POTW panel, but clearly this image from Simon Schibli is made of the "right stuff"!
Image © Simon Schibli
Much has been made of the paucity of classic jet aircraft on the UK airshow scene at present. On the Continent it seems the variety is far richer, as proven by Nick Thompson at Geilenkirchen's Open Day when he was lucky enough to catch this privately-owned Hispano HA-200D Saeta. Now there's a type we'd love to see at a British airshow this summer. Organisers take note.
Image © Nick Thompson
The weather wasn't kind for Saint-Dizier's Meeting L'Air, though the line-up was of an exceptional standard. The French Couteau Delta pair of Mirage 2000s are show-stoppers wherever they appear, and Ewald Reinders picture captures this epic airshow act at their stunning best. Proof that even when the conditions aren't perfect, a talented photographer can produce the goods.
Image © Ewald Reinders
North Weald in Essex is home to the Essex and Hertfordshire Air Ambulance which has recently acquired a new helicopter. The paintwork on the shiny new AW169 is certainly eye-catching. As with all air ambulances, you tend to hope that the only time you see them is not when you require their services. A fine record shot by James rounds off a strong POTW collection for the week.
Image © 'Badger96'