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Steve L
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| Country: | United States  |
| City: | Sun City West |
| Registered: | October 28th, 2006 |
| Num of photos: | 718 |
| Selected as fav: | 2 |
| Photogear: | Canon S-40 then S-60, Canon D-60 now 30D. |
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Heritage Flight Practice
Posted by Steve L on April 22nd, 2009 | 1 comment | 530 views
In March I was privileged to be able to be at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, Arizona during the Heritage Flight Conference. At this time the pilots involved prepare for the summer air shows and practice formation flying with military planes from different eras. The aircraft ranged from WWII to current day models. They also had some time to practice their solo show routines.
There were P-40's, P-51's, an A-1, and an F-86, on the warbirds line. The A-1 was flying when I made this picture. It was normally the first in this line.
There were several F-4's which at this time were flown with pilots in the cockpit, although they have been wired to fly unmanned as drone targets for missile tests. From the current AF inventory there were F-15's, F-16's, A-10's, and even a pair of F-22's.
The flights took place over a three day period. On the first day they started with two ship formations and then had some three ships. Day two had three and four ship formations. They also started in very loose formations and then tightened them as they became more comfortable with the dissimilar aircraft flying together. Unfortunately, I was not able to stay for the flying on the last day, but the schedule showed a number of four and five ship formations.
The first day was overcast, windy, and cool. It was not a great day for photography and the pilots had to watch the cross winds on take off and landing. We still made a lot of pictures of the planes even with the gray sky for a backdrop.
A P-40 on the ramp.
One of several P-51's. In the background you can see some F-4's, an F-15, a C-17, and the tails of some C-130's.
A head on view of a P-51.
F-86 with F-4's in the background.
F-22 still buttoned up and not scheduled to fly for awhile.
An F-4 launches past the heritage flights "control tower."
The same F-4 seen over the P-51's.
Later the P-51 and the F-4 fly past in formation. I hated having the gray sky, but enjoyed seeing the aircraft like this.
Against a solid gray sky the F-86 leads the F-15 and F-16 across the field.
Saturday we had a nicer sky. Here is the A-1 with F-16 and F-22 on the wings.
A-1, F-16, F-22.
A P-40 leads an A-10 and an F-4 overhead.
P-40, F-4, A-10.
P-51 with F-4 and F-15 on the wings.
Trading places. The F-4 now leads the F-15 and the P-51.
An F-15 makes a solo pass in afterburner (reheat). He then banks 90 degrees for a high performance 360 degree turn.
A different group of planes with a P-51 leading an F-15 and F-16.
A short time later they pass overhead.
And the wing men break left and right.
Another overhead with the F-15 in lead.
Again the wing men break left and right.
An F-22 opens the missile/bomb bay doors during a pass.
Late in the day looking into the light as a four ship comprised of an F-22, A-1, P-51, and F-16 fly by.
Sunday morning before leaving town I went back out for some static shots. The F-86 looked better without the canvas over the canopy and with a nicer sky.
P-51 "Double Trouble Two."
A P-40 faces an A-10 across the ramp.
There were P-40's, P-51's, an A-1, and an F-86, on the warbirds line. The A-1 was flying when I made this picture. It was normally the first in this line.
There were several F-4's which at this time were flown with pilots in the cockpit, although they have been wired to fly unmanned as drone targets for missile tests. From the current AF inventory there were F-15's, F-16's, A-10's, and even a pair of F-22's.
The flights took place over a three day period. On the first day they started with two ship formations and then had some three ships. Day two had three and four ship formations. They also started in very loose formations and then tightened them as they became more comfortable with the dissimilar aircraft flying together. Unfortunately, I was not able to stay for the flying on the last day, but the schedule showed a number of four and five ship formations.
The first day was overcast, windy, and cool. It was not a great day for photography and the pilots had to watch the cross winds on take off and landing. We still made a lot of pictures of the planes even with the gray sky for a backdrop.
A P-40 on the ramp.
One of several P-51's. In the background you can see some F-4's, an F-15, a C-17, and the tails of some C-130's.
A head on view of a P-51.
F-86 with F-4's in the background.
F-22 still buttoned up and not scheduled to fly for awhile.
An F-4 launches past the heritage flights "control tower."
The same F-4 seen over the P-51's.
Later the P-51 and the F-4 fly past in formation. I hated having the gray sky, but enjoyed seeing the aircraft like this.
Against a solid gray sky the F-86 leads the F-15 and F-16 across the field.
Saturday we had a nicer sky. Here is the A-1 with F-16 and F-22 on the wings.
A-1, F-16, F-22.
A P-40 leads an A-10 and an F-4 overhead.
P-40, F-4, A-10.
P-51 with F-4 and F-15 on the wings.
Trading places. The F-4 now leads the F-15 and the P-51.
An F-15 makes a solo pass in afterburner (reheat). He then banks 90 degrees for a high performance 360 degree turn.
A different group of planes with a P-51 leading an F-15 and F-16.
A short time later they pass overhead.
And the wing men break left and right.
Another overhead with the F-15 in lead.
Again the wing men break left and right.
An F-22 opens the missile/bomb bay doors during a pass.
Late in the day looking into the light as a four ship comprised of an F-22, A-1, P-51, and F-16 fly by.
Sunday morning before leaving town I went back out for some static shots. The F-86 looked better without the canvas over the canopy and with a nicer sky.
P-51 "Double Trouble Two."
A P-40 faces an A-10 across the ramp.
Comments
# posted by Tensionhead on May 10th, 2009 11:47 pm
nice series! when i saw the bright red dot in southern arizona, i had a feeling it was you!