"Scoop/Spy" Shots of new/unusual aircraft

Howdy all,

here’s something a bit different…hopefully!

Something that’s puzzled me for as long as I can remember is the very low quality of the vast majority of pictures that get posted to show “exciting new design” or of a new type in service with a rarely-reported air arm. I’m sure you know the kind of thing I mean and they get posted on almost all the forums out there on the www. Tonight, for example, I came across something that mentioned Su-30s being in service with the Algerian Air Force that had a photo as “proof” that they had them in current use. Well, imagine my disappointment when….I’m sure you can all fill in the gaps!

As a little “acid test” I dug out a strip of negatives of my own that date back to 1979 and have almost faded completely, leaving very little of the image for a scanner to pick out. This wasn’t a surprise as the film probably cost me £1 and isn’t even branded. At the time I took this shot below I was 15 and using a £12 Russian Zenit E camera with a 400mm Soligor lens (about £25!) and my mate’s 2x converter giving 800mm focal length. I shot this A-10A while it was landing on the runway at RAF Woodbridge, back in the days when the ‘Hog was a brand-spanking new jet for Europe (the 81st TFW F-4Ds had only just returned to the USA).

Now, given the primitive camera, the 24 year-old faded negative and the fact it was a horrible day for taking pictures…how is it the end result looks far more presentable than the vast majority of stuff taken in recent years and posted on the net!?

I’m not trying to claim any plaudits for photographic prowess (honest!), but the point I’m trying to make is this: are the end results of a lot of these images purposely of very low quality in an attempt to have us believe they are “the new Super-Duper Fenyang J-13” or of “an Algerian Su-30 pulling 12g over my house”?

They say the camera doesn’t lie but surely that doesn’t still stand up in the 21st century….does it?

Any thoughts appreciated!

Best regards

Steve ~ Touchdown-News

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