Pictures Of The Week

Week 39, September 2011

Pictures of the Week
Pictures of the Week Pictures of the Week
Pictures of the Week Pictures of the Week Pictures of the Week Pictures of the Week

Clockwise from top left:

  1. One benefit of the autumn evenings drawing in is that the sunsets occur early enough to coincide with the end of a show (sometimes). This superb study of one of the Breitling Stearmans against an interesting cloudscape was captured by Andrzej Rogucki at the Sanicole show and was chosen as our Picture of the week.

    Image © Andrzej Rogucki
    Canon EOS 1D MkIII + Canon EF 100-400mm L IS lens

  2. The Airbus A380 with its massive curved wings and impressive graceful bulk is silhouetted artistically on the approach to Heathrow. Reminiscent of a J. Arthur Dixon postcard, to those that can remember that far back, Mark Kwiatkowski's image shows that sunset shots don't have to be just orangey.

    Image © Mark Kwiatkowski
    Canon EOS 350D + Sigma 50-500mm lens

  3. Yannick's photo of a Red Bull Zivko Edge 540 under a starlit sky shows what can be done with a bit of imagination on a night shoot. A long exposure would have meant the star tracks distracting from the subject but they appear pin sharp. Vito Wyprächtiger, the first Swiss pilot to take pat at the Reno air races is the usual pilot of the 'plane.

    Image © Yannick Barthe

  4. Hold the front page! One of the recent "defecting" Libyan Mirage F1s made an appearance at this years Malta Airshow at Luqa having been given new markings over the weekend. Malcolm Bezzina capture under the clear Mediterranean sky is a fine record of the historic event.

    Image © Malcolm Bezzina

  5. Right place at the right time is a term often applied to this hobby. Never more so than with this rarity of a Columbian 727 at the Fedex ramp at Fort Lauderdale by Rob Starling.

    Image © Robert Starling

  6. Peter Teichman has become a regular at Old Warden shows, this time displaying his Curtiss Warhawk. Ashley Stephenson's close up exemplifies the sort of photo achievable to visitors to this wonderful Bedfordshire 'drome.

    Image © Ashley Stephenson
    Canon EOS 7D + Canon EF 100-400mm L IS lens

  7. Tom Hill's sharp prime lens shot of the 100,000 hours Tonka pulling vapour illustrates the sort of thing people go to airshows to see. Unfortunately this sight was available only to a few fence dwellers and the RAF brass who turned up at Waddington for the Air Combat Power meet.

    Image © Tom Hill
    Nikon D3x, Nikkor 300mm f2.8 VR lens + Nikon 1.7x Teleconverter

Pictures Of The Week

Week 38, September 2011

Pictures of the Week
Pictures of the Week Pictures of the Week
Pictures of the Week Pictures of the Week Pictures of the Week Pictures of the Week

Clockwise from top left:

  1. The Netherlands Air Force puts many of the air arms of their European counterparts to shame when it comes to public airshow performances and this year's AH-64 Apache demonstration is no exception. Vincent Kok has caught the Apache at the top of its loop bathed in smoke and flares - incredible!

    Image © Vincent Kok
    Nikon D300, Nikkor 200-400mm VR f4 lens + Nikon 1.7x Teleconverter

  2. The first of two images from the Sion Airshow in our top of the crop this week. Patrick Genoud produced this very iconic image from the show's practice day, with the unmistakeable shape of a JAS-39C Gripen framed by some very typical Alpine scenery.

    Image © Patrick Genoud
    Nikon D3S, Nikkor 200-400mm VR f4 lens + Nikon 1.4x Teleconverter

  3. UKAR viewers were treated to a fabulous set of air-to-air images taken by Philippe Rey in the run up to the Breitling Sion Airshow in Switzerland. As well as the beautiful Morane-Saulnier MS.406 (actually a Swiss-built D-3801) pictured, Philippe's flight above the Bernese Alps also encountered a Yak-9 and a Catalina.

    Image © Philippe Rey
    Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f2.8 lens

  4. Richard Hall made good use of the rich smoky orange sky to produce this moody shot of a TriStar KC1 of 216 Squadron undertaking some early evening circuit training at its home base of Brize Norton. Although he missed out on any VC10 traffic, he was glad he hung about for the sunset, and with good reason!

    Image © Richard Hall
    Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm lens

  5. Rich Pittman travelled to Germany in search of Luftwaffe F-4Fs, and he was not to be disappointed. He provided us with a Phantastic Phantom Pheast after a successful trip to Wittmund to photograph some of the last active F-4s in Europe. The Phantoms of JG71 are expected to soldier on until 2012 when they will be replaced by the Eurofighter Typhoon.

    Image © Richard Pittman

  6. Thumbs-up from this Hellenic Air Force F-16 pilot, as he models the new style state-of-the-art helmet which many of NATO's air forces are introducing into service. This was one of a mouth-watering selection of images provided by Hans-Juergen Breuer from his time spent with 343 MIRA at its home base of Souda Bay on the island of Crete.

    Image © Hans-Juergen Breuer
    Canon EOS 300D + Canon EF-S 18-55mm lens

  7. Rounding off this week's selection is Keith Campbell's very poignant shot of the Red Arrows recovering to Scampton after their display at the Netherlands Air Force Airshow at Leeuwarden last weekend. The following day, the eight Hawks performed a flypast at the start of the Great North Run in Newcastle, proudly watched at the start line by Dr Emma Egging, the widow of Red 4, Flt Lt Jon Egging.

    Image © Keith Campbell
    Canon EOS 1D MkIV + Canon EF 400mm f2.8 lens

Pictures Of The Week

Week 37, September 2011

Pictures of the Week
Pictures of the Week
Pictures of the Week Pictures of the Week Pictures of the Week Pictures of the Week

Clockwise from top left:

  1. Blasting off in the the number one spot this week is UKAR staffer Mark McEwan with this shot of a 6 Squadron Typhoon FGR4, one of a four ship, launching in spectacular fashion during Leuchars' Airshow. You can find out what we thought of the show in our RAF Leuchars Airshow report.

    Image © Mark McEwan
    Canon EOS 50D + Canon 300mm f2.8 L IS lens

  2. Andrew Leonard was at Seething Charity Air Day, Norfolk the following day when he managed to capture this up-close shot of the SWIP Team in a tight formation during a left to right pass over the airfield.

    Image © Andrew Leonard
    Canon EOS 40D + Sigma 50-500mm lens

  3. UKAR takes a trip to Poland now for some continental airshow action courtesy of Andrzej Rogucki and a subject that would make most UK aviation enthusiasts weak at the knees - a Ukranian Air Force Su-25 Frogfoot!

    Image © Andrzej Rogucki
    Canon EOS 1D MkIII, Canon EF 500mm f4 L lens + 1.4x Teleconverter

  4. The recent TDY to RAF Lakenheath of Spangdahlem A-10s had many low-level photographers champing at the bit. After a three weeks of waiting Michael's patience was rewarded and he got up close with some Warthogs in the wild.

    Image © Michael Lovering
    Canon EOS 7D + Canon EF 100-400mm L IS lens

  5. At UKAR we are pleased with a broad selection of photographers from around the world, which often results in some very newsworthy pictures appearing on the forum. This shot of a Boeing P-8I 'Poseidon' taken at Boeing's Renton Facility in Washington State is a good example. The Indian Navy has a dozen of such aircraft on order and this it he first one. Well caught Keith!

    Image © Keith Draycott

  6. Shuttleworth is popular with our members cause of its fantastic photographic opportunities and Adrian shows that is nothing new, as this image is from 1967! Shuttleworth's Bristol F.2b was nearly half a century old at that time but had only been on the airshow circuit for about 15 years. She may have been built too late to join the Great War but hopefully she'll remind us of the brave airmen in this conflict for many years to come.

    Image © Adrian Balch

Pictures Of The Week

Week 36, September 2011

Pictures of the Week
Pictures of the Week Pictures of the Week
Pictures of the Week Pictures of the Week Pictures of the Week Pictures of the Week

Clockwise from top left:

  1. The grass runway at Duxford has recently been cut, so an unusual, Rolls-Royce powered leaf-blower appears to have been drafted in to tidy things up a bit… Due to Lotus/Renault having the M11 end of Duxford for Formula One testing, Brian ventured to the 'tank bank' in order to capture John Romain giving passenger Al Murray (of 'Pub Landlord' fame) a short flight around the local area in a Spitfire Mk IXT.

    Image © Brian Marshall
    Sony A35-SLT (Single Lens Translucent) + Sony 70-400mm G SSM lens

  2. Another one from Duxford, this creative shot from forum long-termer Dean West shows the BBMF enjoying the unusually pleasant weather at the September Air Show.

    Image © Dean West
    Canon EOS 550D + Canon EF 100-400mm L IS lens

  3. The 'Naughty Field' debate might still be raging, but it's not hard to see why so many head to the 'wrong' side of Duxford for the airshows when shots like this are - quite literally - presenting themselves left, right and centre. For once there was some beautiful light before the show ended, too!

    Image © Pete Fletcher
    Nikon D300 + Nikkor 300mm f2.8 AFS VR lens

  4. Concluding this weeks 'Duxford-fest' we have a powerful photo of a Lakenheath Strike Eagle as it makes it's final pass during the display last weekend. Stu pulls the sharpness, colour and lighting together here perfectly.

    Image © Stuart Freer (Touchdown Aviation)
    Canon EOS 20D + Canon EF 100-400mm L IS lens

  5. Again demonstrating his keen artistic eye, Martin snaps Keith Dennison filling the viewfinder as he brings R4118 into land at the 2011 Victory Show, Cosby.

    Image © Martin Needham
    Canon EOS 50D + Canon EF 100-400mm L IS lens

  6. If you've always wanted to have a go at air-to-air photography but you don't have any 'contacts' in the right circles, the Aviation Photocrew in Belgium run an 'Air-to-Air Academy' where - for a fee - you will experience this exciting and mysterious art for yourself! Bjorn's thread is a good example of the kind of opportunities you might get. And with the right photographer, the right aircraft, and the right light, shots like this happen!

    Image © Björn Hellenius
    Canon EOS 5D MkII + Canon EF 70-200 f4 L IS lens

  7. Here's a rare one for you! Rob took this photo in 1996, when he was amongst a group of reporters let on board the Brazilian light aircraft carrier NAeL Minas Gerais (ex HMS Vengeance). During the week-long cruise of the South Atlantic, the sea remained billiard-table smooth for days, as can be seen in the image. So smooth in fact, that apparently you could see hammerhead sharks swimming alongside the ship!

    Image © Rob Schleiffert
    Minolta 7000i