1959 Mystery Airshow Snaps…

However there’s something a bit suspicious about the Javelins shot. They are remarkably consistent in being all at exactly the same angle and proportions – rather like a multiple print of a single aircraft. I thought I was being unreasonably suspicious, but if you compare it to the Hunter formation, you can note that there every aircraft is slightly different, from the unblurred nearest one to the slightly blurred far Hunter. The rest all look perfectly unmanipulated otherwise, but…

Hmmm… Well, I must admit to being stunned that somebody would think that it was some how manipulated, especially you JDK…

If it was a photo of a new star formation depicting the face of the second coming, or a fleet of UFO’s flying in formation, taken by Princess Margaret on a Official visit to Bournemouth in the late 50’s, I could well imagine someone querying it!

But why would anyone want to spend that much effort in making a picture of Javelins flying in formation…

To much looking and thinking can also have a negative effect… Perhaps a short holiday would be in order?

I’m only joshing, so please don’t take offence… But really…

Best Regards

Mr BlueSky

Well, since your request for an apology disappeared before I even knew it was here, I could hardly have replied to it, now could I?

You were online long after the following post were made, but no matter, I appreciate the apology, thank you.

3. I do not apologize for getting upset at the number of people who, when presented with a photo that might, maybe, with considerable effort, have possibly been faked… immediately make that accusation.

We can each only answer for our own behaviour. For other people’s views, I don’t know; but both content and presentation of those is considered. As a magazine and book editor, as I said later, I’m perhaps a little more suspicious than most and qualified to be so. I didn’t use the word ‘faked’ – you did.

That said, I agree with the comments that point to it being unmanipulated; and I was only wondering anyway.

Time to move on.

Well, since your request for an apology disappeared before I even knew it was here, I could hardly have replied to it, now could I?

Or are you under the impression that I am psychic enough to have caught your thoughts as you typed it?

1. I apologize for the profanity in my post before I edited it.

2. I apologize for calling you what I did.

3. I do not apologize for getting upset at the number of people who, when presented with a photo that might, maybe, with considerable effort, have possibly been faked… immediately make that accusation.

I work as a photo tech and in my opinion it’s not photoshopped.

I never suggested it was PhotoShopped. It would be possible to come up with a print like that in a darkroom, as Steve P’s spotted I meant.

To repeat the same aircraft in a similar manner is easy; done it myself. To make them at slightly different angles is a lot more tricky but can be done by careful angling of the paper etc. That said, it’s highly unlikely, to end up with as convincing a result, and I think my suspicion is that of an editor who has a low trust in human nature! 😀

Mark12’s photos do support that it’s really some very good flying…

I note that Badger1968’s (reasonable) correction wrapped up in personal invective and my request for an apology have gone – no apology from him though. Poor.

Firebird’s point’s a good one, and if you draw a line across the straight trailing edges, you get a single vanishing point, so the perspective ‘works’.

Great little glimpse into a different era.

Fascinating stuff. Great set of pics.

However there’s something a bit suspicious about the Javelins shot. They are remarkably consistent in being all at exactly the same angle and proportions – rather like a multiple print of a single aircraft. I thought I was being unreasonably suspicious, but if you compare it to the Hunter formation, you can note that there every aircraft is slightly different, from the unblurred nearest one to the slightly blurred far Hunter. The rest all look perfectly unmanipulated otherwise, but…

As Neil says, the angles are all different in the line of the fin leading edge to horiz stab line.
Look at the far left Jav….the line of the leading edge of the fin goes ‘straight’ into the stab leading edge line. Go across to the far right lead Jav and there is a distinct change in angle between these are you move across the photo as the perspective changes.

I don’t think the photo is faked. I work as a photo tech and in my opinion it’s not photoshopped. Take look at the way the horizontal stab and fin are on each aircraft. All are slightly different. Not a cut and paste job. The greying of the image from the top down also suggests a fogged negative. Just my two cents worth.
Neil

Err, faking photographs is practically as old as photography itself. I think that JDK is suggesting that the same single image of the aircraft has been printed several times onto one sheet of paper. Dead simple if you have a wet darkroom…

Best wishes
Steve P

Javelins

I don’t think the photo is faked. I work as a photo tech and in my opinion it’s not photoshopped. Take look at the way the horizontal stab and fin are on each aircraft. All are slightly different. Not a cut and paste job. The greying of the image from the top down also suggests a fogged negative. Just my two cents worth.
Neil

JDK,

Fake – a legitimate question.

However these shots look remarkably similar to my own lesser quality shots of the time taken circa 1959 at Farnborough and BoB Biggin Hill.

Mark

Fascinating stuff. Great set of pics.

However there’s something a bit suspicious about the Javelins shot. They are remarkably consistent in being all at exactly the same angle and proportions – rather like a multiple print of a single aircraft. I thought I was being unreasonably suspicious, but if you compare it to the Hunter formation, you can note that there every aircraft is slightly different, from the unblurred nearest one to the slightly blurred far Hunter. The rest all look perfectly unmanipulated otherwise, but…

USAF ‘Skyblazers’ aerobatic team.
European tour.
Mark

If I’m not mistaken,
the “Skyblazers” were the USAFE air demonstration team…
(as opposed to the “Thunderbirds” based in the U.S.).

Love the 3 V’s. I know we’ll never see all 3 flying together again, but to see the 3 at Cosford is special. Those photo’s are a great reminder of when we had a country and not just an island off the coast of Europe. :rolleyes:

beautiful stuff! the first one is the USAFE ‘Skyblazers’ (F-100Cs – 36th FBW Bitburg)

First shot. F-100 Super-sabres.

USAF ‘Skyblazers’ aerobatic team.

European tour.

http://www.f-100.org/hun114.shtml

Mark