I could not get to the show as my weekend was fully booked with other things, very bad planning! However I did get to Fairford for the departures. A good day marred by the overzealous security, that was frankly utterly farcical and caused long delays and frustration; the sodding about with parking and the dreadful old manky open-topped busses into the grandstand, a fine example of demonstating how terrorism has won, in that we all have to endure (and pay for, in high ticket prices) the expensive charade.
Another few days in the Mach loop produced some great action. The weather was rubbish at times, I got wet and muddy; the thunderstorm late on Tuesday afternoon was scary as hell with lightning striking fence posts around us!
A good stream of jets, more F15E's, once a real bonus catch, but currently a very common sight, I also finally got a T2 Hawk in primer paint, and some lovely passes by Coningsby Typhoons, another good trip in the hills!
There is no other show on the UK air display calendar that can compete with "Flying legends" the flightline with re-enctors in period clothing is a photographers dream, the flying is awesome; so much going on you don't know which way to look. A fabulous day out. more images here http://www.flickr.com/photos/nigelblake/sets/72157621472586619/detail/
Another fantastic day of action, a hard walk up to the top at Bwlch with the 600mm and all the other "toys", but it was well worth it when "Mugger" flight turned up.
Strike Eagles at Mildenhall while the runway at Lakenheath was being repaired... too good to miss, 3 scorching days of action and sunshine pulled in a bit of a crowd too.It wasn't just F15 Eagles, there were other tranport aircraft and the base tankers in and out all day too, far to many images to put on here but you can find them on my Flickr gallery http://www.flickr.com/photos/nigelblake/
Certainly seem to be having a lot of luck with these of late, F15Es low-level in the valleys, a sight and sound that is seriously addictive, to see these guys generating their own clouds as they speed through Cad is just astonishing! A big thanks to all the aircrews involved.
A visit to the Mach loop in the Welsh hills is always a bit of a gamble; bad weather, no planes being the risk one takes!Last week however was a week that all who do Low-fly photography will remember for a long time! Blue skies and a steady stream of front-line jets and Hercs plus a couple of real show-stoppers like the Warton GR4 and Saudi Typhoon (still in primer), mixed in with it all was a Dominie and several King-air's. A leg aching time visiting 2 different hills per day to make the best use of the lighting direction, I missed an F3 Tornado during one lunchtime cross-over. I think I saw more RAF Harriers than I have at any other time too!
