This is an update to a previous post, so a few of these images have been posted before, but I thought it went together better as a whole package. Enjoy 🙂
In July 2007 I had the pleasure of attending the Royal International Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford, England. I went for whole hog FRIAT ticket package, (nearly NZ$500) allowing me access to three Aircraft Arrivals days, Two Public Show days and a departure day. It proved invaluable in getting shots from different angles. The Park & View area afforded great positioning for Arrival and Taxiing shots. This area is the greatest picnic and BBQ on the planet for aviation enthusiasts. Pitch a tent, get a cider and a hotdog, then try and find the time to eat it as huge array of military aircraft from across the globe arrives mere meters from you. And you will have the company of few hundred fellow plane buffs…
The grandstand provided for the FRIAT members was positioned right on the front of the crowd line and right in show centre. If you want to move away from the Grandstand angle there is space a long the front for shooting from the ground. ). The facilities offered by the FRIAT package were excellent in my opinion. The prices for the food and drink was actually less than most fairgrounds or theme parks.
I found the variety of Aircraft that turned up was astounding, especially coming from New Zealand. We just don’t get much in the way of military aircraft here (which realistically is a very good thing …) as for the weather… Well that’s just life really. We were very lucky on the Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday, the rest of the time the weather just served to give the sky a ‘different look’ each day. It’s quite difficult to keep your exposures correct in rapidly changing weather conditions, but its very good practice.
Even more impressive to me than the airplanes and photography opportunities was the company and friendship I found. I have never been surrounded by so many ‘nerds’ like me before! A big Galaxy sized THANK YOU goes out to Paul from http://www.tinsnail.com who came to my aid after a post of mine on the UKAR website asking for advice to solve a travel dilemma. When a dilemma with the train timetables occurred I asked for some local advice… He ended up picking me up from my Travelodge every day, as well as inviting me to his house for an excellent dinner with his lovely lady. Their company (and whisky…) was excellent, and his professional photographic advice priceless. Thanks also go to Mike & Michelle for the lift and banter! RIAT Transport Manager Steve Oxford was very kind to help out with our parking.
The following is a selection of my some of my favorite images out of the thousands of photos I took over the week of RIAT 2007.
The gorgeous RNLAF Stripy F-16 was spectacular (Flares away!)
I have been reading about the Red Arrows since I was a kid, and to see them in the flesh was awesome. Their show is the ultimate display in accuracy, team work, timing, skill and art. On the Sunday, I put away my camera, opened up a can of Cider, and just enjoyed the spectacle with an old school friend who turned up on the last of the public days. It was mostly overcast on the Sunday, so I decided could afford to relax a little and just enjoy the spectacle.
By: Killagee - 3rd October 2007 at 21:18
Thanks Mike. Yeah its a big event alright, but to I thank you have to go at least once… I might even go next year if I am in europe. Might go to the farnborough airshow too…
By: mike currill - 30th September 2007 at 05:09
Very nice, some well timed shots. I don’t bother with RIAT these days as it is too big to take it all in in one day which is all I can manage. It is also too expensive. My other complaint about RIAT is the idea of a themed show, the last one I attended the theme was 30 years of the Hecules in service, when you’ve seen one hercules you’ve seen them all unless any of them are fitted for a special purpose as in the RAF’s “Snoopy” Meteorological survey aircraft. They also seem to work on ‘Let’s see how many aircraft we can get in’ rather than ‘Let’s see how many different types we can get’. So basically too big and too expensive for my liking.
By: Killagee - 30th September 2007 at 00:01
Many Heritage and Privately owned aircraft were on display also…
BAE Strikemasters
PBY Catalina
Aircobra
Gulfstream G5000 on arrival, followed by the RAF Tornadoes
The Static Display stretched for three miles! I spent six days at this Air show, and yet on the Sunday and Monday I kept finding new airplanes I didn’t even know were there. It was nice to see the crews hanging out informally in and around their Aircraft, especially the Brazilians who had great Latino party with people dancing and music playing inside the back of their Hercules…
The F-117 was defiantly stealthy, because I seem to have totally missed it in the Static… I also missed the Indian Hawk and the new Aermacchi M346 I think I have ‘man’ eyes…
Everynow and then these tiny Self Propelled Organic Air Vehicles would swoop in to eat dropped fries…
I spent the week surrounded by thousands of Photographers! It was great to see how everybody worked. At the start I was clicking away madly on full continuous focus and burst at every thing that moved… and Paul would click just when the time was right… Of course I was chewing through three batterys in a day four 4gig cards a day, while he used one battery and 1 4gig card. After seeing his stunning images, I realized what the vibe was and tried to relax a little. Of course sometimes I just couldn’t resist. Every time there was a ‘cross’ or Flares in the display, the FRIAT stand would erupt in a cacophony of motor drives. I have never seen so many Zoom lenses! Some people were carrying around what looked like Telescopes… 500 and 600mm lenses. But its not the (focal) length its how you use it I hope.
My old school friend trying out my baby (um… I mean camera…)
A famous visitor…
Since this was my first RIAT (and my second only ‘proper’ Air show), I am very proud of these… Though of course I would welcome even demand, your criticism and critique.
If you want to look at all the images from RIAT and a few other airshows go to
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v128/chrisgee/Aviation/
I recommend going straight to the View All button on the bottom right of each page. It actually works out faster…
I will put together a post like this for my visit to MAKS 2007 as well.
I haven’t even started trying to get them into the DB yet… Do you think I have a chance with some of these?
Cheers!
Chris Gee
By: Killagee - 30th September 2007 at 00:00
KC-10 Tanker
Northrop Grumman Predator (notice how the pilots names are still stenciled in place…)
Unfortunately I did not see the Spanish perform due to transport concerns
Team Guinot Wing Walkers using Boeing Stearman biplanes… Crazy just crazy… The girls dance on top of the wing while the Airplanes perform Formation Aerobatics.
The Czech Mi-24D was a highlight for me.
Dutch AH-64D
Dutch C-130 Hercules
Belgian Sea King performs a rescue scenario
By: Killagee - 29th September 2007 at 23:59
A-10 Warthogs
B-1B Lancer
F-117 Nighthawk
F-16C Vipers
B-52H Stratofortress
C-130 Hercules
By: Killagee - 29th September 2007 at 23:58
The RAF Gnat
GR4 Tornado
2007 was the 60th anniversary of the USAF, and the Americans were there in force this year. No B-2 bomber turned up due to prior commitments… The reality behind our ‘entertainment’ is sobering.
The Thunderbirds, the USAF Demonstration Team was also in attendance, performing a very tight display.
C-5 Galaxy (can you believe they land these things on the ice in Antarctica?)
P-51D Mustang
KittyHawk
F-15E Strike Eagle in formation with the P-51D Mustang
By: Killagee - 29th September 2007 at 23:57
The UK Army & Navy Helicopter displays were very impressive, ‘Did that Lynx just do a back-flip? No that’s not aerodynamically impossible…Can’t be… Did that Lynx just do another back-flip? What are they putting in that pilots coffee?’
The Royal Navy Black cats using the Lynx Mk8
Royal Navy Merlin MK1
Royal Army Display Team using Lynx MK9’s and Gazelles
RAF Chinook HC2
RAF Melin HC3
DHFS Griffin HT1
The FRA Team gave an example of their services to the Royal Navy
By: Killagee - 29th September 2007 at 23:56
RAF R1 Sentinel ASTOR.
RAF E-3C Sentry AWACS
RAF GR9 Harrier
The QinetQ DOD Jaguar
One the Saturday and Sunday each day was capped off with the finale supplied by the RAF. The “Role Demo” was a fictitious insertion of troops to the ground in CH-47 Chinook Helicopters with the support of an AWACS and four GR4 Tornadoes. Seeing these Aircraft in the flesh is one thing… Seeing them put to their use is different experience entirely.
By: Killagee - 29th September 2007 at 23:55
The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight was supplied an experience of the RAF’s aviation heritage
Lancaster Bomber
Supermarine Spitfire
Hurricane
Of course The RAF had a formidable presence at RIAT, although on what was essentially a reserve American Airbase.
The Typhoon F2 is an impressive machine. Displaying its ability to point in a different direction than it was traveling, and some phenomenal take-offs.
RAF MR4 Nimrod
By: Killagee - 29th September 2007 at 23:54
French Alpha Jet
Dassault Super Etendard
By: Killagee - 29th September 2007 at 23:54
Italian C-27J Spartan (this baby does loops and barrel roles with ease…)
Italian Panavia Tornadoes
The Italian Precision Display Team Frecce Tricolori: Sensational flyers… Whole formations of jets performing close cross’s with each other? Are they mad? It was nice to see them taking some Red Arrows pilots and ground crew up for a spin on the rehearsal days too…
Finnish F/A-18 Hornets
French Mirage 2000,
By: Killagee - 29th September 2007 at 23:53
Spanish CN-295M
Spanish EF-2000 Eurofighter
Danish Challenger
Hungarian SAAB Jas-39C Gripen
Saudi Arabian C-130 Hercules
Irish PC-9’s
Brazilian Embraer EMB-145 ERIEYE AEW&C
Greek A7 Corsairs
Greek C-130 Hercules
By: Killagee - 29th September 2007 at 23:52
The Royal Jordanian Falcons
German IDS and ADS Tornado’s
German F-4 Phantom
German C-160 Transall
NATO B707
By: Killagee - 29th September 2007 at 23:51
Belgian F-16 Viper
Swiss F-18 Hornet
Pilatus PC-21 and PC-12
Czech Republic AN-26
Turkish F-5’s,
By: Killagee - 29th September 2007 at 23:50
The Indian Air Force had a contingent participating in an exercise with the RAF, and made a rare appearance at RIAT 2007.
IAF Su-30MKI Flanker
A brand new BAE Hawk, yet to be delivered to the IAF
IAF Ilyusian IL-78 Midas Tanker
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September 29, 2007 at 11:50 pm