Good old “045-V”, the last TBM-3W2 in the world! Unfortunatly it went to the states, and today it is flying as a TBM-3E with the canopy of a TBM-3U. Historicly killed (executed is a better word) in the restauration. Thanks for the photo. I went to see this Avenger on December 5, 1975. when it was in Veen, in the south of Holland. I shot 2 rolls of film and not a single one was good. Tomorrow I’ll go through my slides, shall post a picture of it, the way it looks today. BW Roger

Seafuryfan, what a question have you asked me. Why do I photograph or do I chase for “the perfect shot”.

I started to take photographs of aircraft in 1969, as a 10 year old with my late grandfathers camera. In 1975, I was given a Practica SLR, and from that time on, photography started to become more serious. I found out that better gear ment “better” photo’s and soon I was photographing everything within sight. I was/am never interested in “registrations”, which ment that I took/take different photographs than most others … In stead of the reg, I went for a clean backgrounds, special effects created by telelenses, lightning, using the diafragma for blurred, or very sharp, fore/backgrounds.

For some reason this style of work caught the eye of somebody involved in the magazine branche and a week later I was paid (while being a student at the universaty) to take photographs of aircraft , fast cars and fast boats.

This is still the current situation. Aviation (or better “fast objects”) photography is a weekend and holiday job for me. It is not something I was chasing for, but it just was “given” to me and I still enjoys it. On the other side 70% of the photowork I do is without an assignment. It is to update my archive (200.000 slides (without a decent system)).

I realise that it is an obtion to buy magazines, or the occasianal photo book, but for me this isn’t working. I want to take the shot(s) myself. It is something unexplainable I’ll guess I don’t know if this answers your question. I am still as enthousiastic a photographer as I was 20 years ago, I am only bored by the high standarisation today, especially in military aviation, with eg half the world flying that (in my eyes obnoctious) F-16 all in that terrible bring livery. The variation is gone. The enclosed photo I shot in 1981 at Volel AFB in Holland, in the good old days when airshows were being flown a bit closer than today. Bw Roger

Damien, I know you are a D60 user. There are many complains on the D30 and D60 autofocus, and the Eos10D is said to be better in this field. Knowing that Eos camera’s have always had the fastest AF, I wonder how the D60 AF works for you, as I can’t believe all that negative AF “stories” everybody is telling. As the D60 colours are more “living” than the cooler D10D pics, and the CMOS is the same, I am thinking of buying a second hand D60, as prices are already going down fast here in Holland. I’ll think the AF works good for you, so that’s why I ask you the question. All my lenses are F 2.8 so are there any AF problems that I can expect to encounter with this combination, or is it nonsens? BW Roger

Untill early January I was dedicated to “wet” photography but then I bought a digital SLR and since I haven’t touched my “old” (only 8 months ago I bought two Eos-1Vs) camera’s. Digital is for sure the future. However, for aviation/action the only thing that can replace a “wet” SLR is a digital SLR. Prices are still a problem for digital, however the new generation SLRs are getting cheaper and cheaper, or better less expensive. Buying second hand is an option. There are many who only wants the newest model, and second hand digital SLR can be obtained cheap. I bought mine second hand. Its new price (in Holland) was something of 11.000 P.Sterling, and I could obtain it, including 5 battery packs, for somehing of 600 P.St. Another advantage, it makes a 500 mm out of my 300 , and a 160-600 from my 100 – 400. I should go for a second hand SLR and you will see that you won’t regret it. BW Roger

That show must have the best “background” in Europe I think. Will it be held this year, and if so, do you have the date? Another question, how are the chanches for a flying “190” on May 18?
BW Roger

If you are in general aviation, I’ll think it is worth the trip. The event is devided into two parts. In the town, a huge complex is filled with the latest in general aviation, while at the nearby airfield, all aircraft are parked, In the weekend, they are joined with additional historic aircraft. See it as a Farnborough or Le Bourget, with the small aircraft as the top priority, in stead of the “big and noisy” ones.If you want to see the “newest” GA things, it isd the place to be at this side of the ocean. Best wishes, Roger

RE: Travel To Northern Cyprus

Yes, under inches of dust, the Trident is still there. BW Roger