Pictures Of The Week
Week 9, February 2018
Clockwise from top left:
To start off this week, we have a stunning twilight photo from the recent nightshoot held at RAF Wattisham. Jonathan used a wider angle to capture the whole scene around the Phantom, which makes for a very effective image.
Image © Jonathan Hughes
Continuing with the nightshoot theme, Steven managed to capture a very evocative silhouette image at the Lightning Preservation Group event. The reenactor positioned amongst two of the three Lightnings at Bruntingthorpe against the deep orange sky certainly makes this an eye-catching photo.
Image © Steven Harrison-Green
The next image this week comes from the Malta International Airshow held in September last year. Kevin captured a Maltese Air Force AW139 just at the perfect moment!
Image © Kevin Wills
With the cold winter months coming to a close, warbirds and classic jets are slowly starting to emerge for the upcoming airshow season. Cameron was lucky enough to capture this Jet Provost after it arrived at Coventry from winter maintenance at St Athan.
Image © Cameron Sys
Another aircraft emerging from maintenance is the Fighter Collection Sea Fury T.20. A change of powerplant has seen it carry out successful engine runs and finally take to the air once more. Brian captured a very pleasing topside of this bird, showing what we can look forward to in the airshow season.
Image © Brian Marshall
Paul was lucky enough to capture the first Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) Airbus A330 MRTT at Shannon airport during his lunch break. The RSAF has 5 in total on order, to be delivered in time for the 50th Anniversary of the air force.
Image © Paul Nelhams
We finish off this week with some nostalgia. Proving that France can make very good looking aircraft, this S.O. 4050 Vautour IIN caught our eye, captured at Toul, France, in 1993. This airframe was assigned to a role as a test aircraft with the Centre d'Essais en Vol (CEV) from the mid-60s onwards, its final days in-service seen out testing the radar for the Mirage 2000. It then spent the early 90s touring French airshows, and is now preserved at Orange-Caritat Air Base in the south of France.
Image © 'BigClick67'
Pictures Of The Week
Week 8, February 2018
Clockwise from top left:
While XH558 remains a hot topic on the forums, the Vulcan still remains a firm favourite amongst many members. Jonathan Hughes captured XL426 from the Vulcan Restoration Trust at Southend at a Timeline Events shoot with a fine selection of atmospheric images after dark.
Image © Jonathan Hughes
The Lynx has featured heavily over the last few weeks and Kevin Wills captured this Super Lynx of the Brazilian Navy at Yeovil recently, one of a fleet of eight to be upgraded to Mk21B standard at the Leonardo Helicopters factory.
Image © Kevin Wills
UKAR favourite Andrzej Rogucki provided us with yet another selection of stunning images, this time looking back to MAKS 2017. With a combination of careful editing, slow shutter speeds and a lot of thought and creativity you know it's going to be a cracking set! As well as all the Russian favourites, UAE aerobatic team Al Fursan also made a colourful appearance shown here.
Image © Andrzej Rogucki
Looking back again to 2017 and we have another stunning set of images of the annual Frisian Flag exercise but this time in stark contrast to the MAKS set, a selection showcasing the best of Western hardware including these German AF Typhoons.
Image © Sebastian Hinca
Another exercise and this time, the first Red Flag of 2018. Trevor Carpenter captured an interesting mix of USAF, RAF and RAAF airframes under sublime blues skies at Nellis AFB, a unique location with surrounding mountainous terrain providing some fantastic backdrops.
Image © Trevor Carpenter
Returning to the UK and Brian Marshall provided an update on goings-on at Duxford this month where he captured this ex-US Army DHC-2 Beaver, taking its first flights after being shipped to the UK from the US in 2015 and being subsequently restored to flight.
Image © Brian Marshall
The updates for RAF Cosford Airshow 2018 continue to arrive with a number of airframes already confirmed for their static line up. Peter Reoch gave us a taste of things to come with a shot of the much-anticipated Phantom XV582 'Black Mike' which will undoubtedly be a favourite this year.
Image © Peter Reoch
Pictures Of The Week
Week 7, February 2018
Clockwise from top left:
The RAF isn't the only air arm marking a centenary this year, and to document theirs the Polish Air Force commissioned the photographic talents of the much-admired Bartosz Bera. Throughout 2017, Bartosz planned and conducted in the region of thirty photographic flights with almost every asset in the PLAF across a wide variety of scenarios. The handful of teaser images he has released so far, including this exquisite F-16, are every bit as good as you would expect and we look forward to more as they are officially released throughout the course of this anniversary year.
Image © Bartosz Bera
A Timeline Events photoshoot on the operational ramp at RAF Odiham allowed Kelvin the opportunity to capture this trio of Chinooks at rest, set against the rich colours of a winter sundown.
Image © Kelvin Sullivan
Threshold.aero also hosted photographers for a photoshoot at Spanhoe this week, concentrating their efforts on ex-military types used in airborne spotting and observation roles. The highlight of the evening was probably the engine run from the Reid and Sigrist R.S.4 Bobsleigh, which should be flying again this summer after a period of restoration.
Image © Nick Jennings
Wearing a colour scheme every bit as distinctive and recognisable as the sound it makes, this Bell 212 of the Army Air Corps was seen by Sam Whitfield operating on the Salisbury Plain Training Area last Wednesday.
Image © Sam Whitfield
Sure to be one of the rarest visitors of the year to these shores, this Erickson Air-Crane has been operating in Scotland since the start of the year, assisting with the construction of electricity pylons. Nicknamed "Goliath", Callum was fortunate to view it on a couple of occasions during it's brief visit, both hard at work hauling pylons and again arriving at the port of Montrose for onward transport back to the United States on Monday.
Image © Calum Linnen
This is another rare one! Visiting Biggin Hill this week on a medical flight was this Brazilian-registered Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI) Westwind. An unusual looking aircraft, it's certainly got a retro feel to its aesthetics.
Image © Westleigh Bushell
'BigClick67' continues to share his wealth of archive images on the forums, and this week's instalment focussed on Tornados from the type's various European operators. Pictured here, wearing rather fetching desert sand camouflage, is an Italian example from 36°Stormo, captured at Gilze-Rijen during a TLP exercise in 1995.
Image © 'BigClick67'
Pictures Of The Week
Week 6, February 2018
Clockwise from top left:
Philippe Rey enjoyed absolutely ideal conditions last summer for a visit to document the EH-101 Merlins of the Portuguese Air Force. Sat atop the cliffs and set against deep blue skies and waters, the stunning four-tone camouflage that adorns these machines makes for a vibrant and visually stimulating photograph to open this week's rotor-heavy selection.
Image © Philippe Rey
Contrast Philippe's fortunes with Peter's, as his recent visit to RAF Shawbury to spend time with the Griffin and Squirrel HT1s of the Defence Helicopter Flying School was marred by slightly less favourable weather. Regardless, his perseverance in the face of a downpour has resulted in a very atmospheric image.
Image © Peter Reoch
This Norwegian-registered Sikorsky S-92A is seen at the Aberdeen Royal Infirmary. Arriving from the Ekofisk complex in the North Sea with a casualty on-board, Callum was on-hand to photograph the departure once the patient had been handed over to the Ambulance Service.
Image © Calum Linnen
The recently retired Lynx AH.9As have featured twice in recent weeks, and Mark Russell was ready and waiting for them as the last seven in service made their final flights. Ferried into Middle Wallop, it marked an end to the "battlefield' Lynx's varied service career, where it was used by the Royal Marines and Fleet Air Arm in addition to the Army Air Corps.
Image © Mark Russell
Yet another aircraft rapidly approaching the end of it's time in service with the British Armed Forces is the iconic Tornado. The entire fleet now resides at RAF Marham, but that sadly consists of only just over 30 airframes in total, with that number reducing week by week. Rumours abound that they may not even see out this summer, so catch them while you can.
Image © Dave Jones
The Radom airshow last summer certainly produced some memorable sights for those in attandance, as Don's thread amply illustrates. Contained within are images of a low arrival from Ukrainian trio of An-26 and Su-27 pair, a Romanian MiG-21 flying display and perhaps best of all, this six-ship flypast of beautiful Su-22 Fitters. The new grey camo has certainly proliferated though, as five of the six are 'dressed' in the drab new clothes.
Image © Don Cashen
One of many smaller collections of airframes dotted around the country is the South Yorkshire Aircraft Museum, visited by Nick Jennings a few years ago. This rather fetchingly painted Whirlwind HAR1 was built in 1954 and served with the Royal Navy. It was powered by a Pratt & Whitney Wasp rather than the Bristol Siddeley Gnome fitted to later variants.
Image © Nick Jennings