A Grand Day (or 3) Out – Day 1, VAS Photocall

Day 1 – 14th August 2008

Dear Diary

Was up at stupid o’clock this morning for a 05.00 pick up by my brother, from my parent’s house near Finningley, for a 390 odd mile round trip to RAF Valley for the Valley Aviation Society Photocall. Isn’t it dark that early in the morning. At 07.00, having negotiated the outskirts Manchester and Chester, we had a pit stop and breakfast at a Little Chef overlooking the River Dee estuary just inside Wales. Tide was out. Another pit stop at Tesco in Bangor for petrol and food and then onwards over the Britannia Bridge onto Anglesey arriving at the VAS Car Park at Valley in good time for the bag check and coach trip to the viewing area before proceedings started.

Was well impressed with what I saw and here was me stupidly thinking that a Photocall was just aircraft arriving at the start of the day, being photographed and then departing late afternoon. This instead was a mini airshow although I think the constant sunshine may have confused a lot of people who are more used to rain at these events. Well done to the Valley Aviation Society for a good selection of aircraft and for keeping the punters happy. Still think the Belgian Herc/F-16 combo should have been allowed down to 200ft for their flypast instead of 600 as the tower insisted.

First real good use of my new Sony Alpha 350 and the lighting conditions varied from hazy seaside sunshine to blue sky and sharp shadows.

‘My other aeroplane is a Tornado’

More Piccies Here

Brian

(Day 2, 15th Aug – Newark Air Museum)