Low-Level Flying Photography
Photographic Logs for 2009
(For all these shots, I used a Canon EOS 40D and 7D with x1.6 sensors.
The lenses attached were a Canon EF 300mm f2.8 L with and without a x1.4 extender and a Canon EF 70-200mm f2.8 L).
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Monday July 20, 2009 11 passes today with some very exciting movements. The Tornado F.3 with the 111 Squadron special tail markings generously made two passes on its way back to Leuchars after appearing at RIAT at Fairford. The other star movement, again on its way from RIAT, was a single Red Arrow Hawk which gave us no notice due to its tight line through the valley. I just managed to fire off a few shots, this was the first image and is uncropped. A pair of Naval Strike Wing Harriers completed a very enjoyable day.
Left to right: Hawk T.1s (XX231 and XX349) of 208(R) and 19(R) Squadron.
Red Arrow Hawk T.1A (XX253) callsign 'Red 11' on its way from RIAT at Fairford to RAF Valley before continuing to its home base at RAF Scampton. |
| Left to right: Tornado F.3 (ZE734 'JU') in 111 Squadron special colours. |
| Left to right: Tornado F.3 (ZE734 'JU') on its second pass. |
| Left to right: Tornado F.3 (ZE734 'JU'). |
Left to right: Harrier GR.7A (ZD411 '40A') using callsign 'Spider 2' of the Naval Strike Wing.
Harrier pair using callsigns 'Spider 1' and 'Spider 2'' were GR.9A (ZD327 '08A') and GR.7A (ZD411 '40A') of the Naval Strike Wing. They were returning from displaying at RIAT at Fariford over the previous weekend and were on their way back to Cottesmore. |
| Left to right: Harrier GR.9A (ZD327 '08A') callsign 'Spider 1' of the Naval Strike Wing. |
Thursday July 16, 2009 A misty day with the threat of rain showers which materialised at 13:30 after the last movement of the day and only six passes in total.
Left to right: Hawk T.1s (XX263, XX187, XX175 and XX185) all of 208(R) Squadron. |
| Left to right: Typhoon T.1 (ZJ810 'BI') of 29(R) Squadron. |
Monday July 13, 2009 Most of the action was in an exciting 25 miniute period with multiple passes from a pair of F-15E Strike Eagles followed by two pairs of Harriers in trail returning to Cottesmore after their appearance at the Yeovilton air show over the weekend. 18 passes for the day, the last at 14:40 when the weather started to close in with some heavy showers.
Left to right: F-15E Strike Eagle (91-0313 'LN') of 494th Fighter Squadron, 48th Fighter Wing at RAF Lakenheath. |
| Left to right: F-15E Strike Eagle (00-3001 'LN') of 494 FS, 48 FW. |
Four Naval Strike Wing Harriers returning to Cottesmore from the weekend at the Yeovilton air show.
Left to right: Harrier GR.9As (ZD348 '15' and ZG504 '75A') with Harrier GR.9 (ZD438 '50'). |
| Left to right: Harrier GR.9 (ZD463 '53') which acquired a black and white chequered fin tip during its visit to RNAS Yeovilton, it was unmarked (see below) on June 24. |
| Left to right: Hawk T.1s (XX189 and XX176) of 19(R) Squadron and Hawk T.1 (XX263) of 208(R) Squadron. |
| Wednesday June 24, 2009 With cloudless skies forecast it was a day not to be missed in Wales. Eleven movements for the day, including a Harrier and Alpha Jet which both flew a sortie in the morning and afternoon. If I had stayed till 18:20 then I would have been rewarded with a pair of Hercules. An F-15E was high and a pair of Typhoons and Tornados crossed over the valley in the day. |
| Left to right: Unmarked Harrier GR.9 (ZD463 '53'). |
| Left to right: Alpha Jet (ZJ645 '45') with QinetiQ's Fast Jet Test Squadron (FJTS) which has been flying most days in the last week or two. |
| Left to right: Hawk T.1s (XX283 x2) of 19(R) Squadron and Hawk T.1 (XX325 x2) of 208(R) Squadron. |
| Left to right: Hawk T.1W (XX195 x2) and Hawk T.1W (XX231 x2) both of 208(R) Squadron. |
| Left to right: Harrier GR.9 (ZD463 '53') on its second sortie of the day. DSLR x1.6 sensor + Canon EF 300mm f2.8L 1/800 at f.7.1 ISO 200 with -1 stop exposure compensation. |
| Left to right: Alpha Jet (ZJ645 '45') on its second sortie. |
Tuesday June 16, 2009 A really entertaining day in Wales. The risky move up the valley at mid-day to keep the sun behind me, found a convenient 45 minute gap in the fly-bys, I did not miss anything despite it being one of the busiest days ever. The day totalled 36 passes, including; the QinetiQ Alpha Jet, an F-15E Strike Eagle, four Tornado GR.4s, two King Air 200s, two Harriers and numerous Hawks.
Left to right: Alpha Jet (ZJ645 '45') in the new black and white scheme, it is operated by QinetiQ's Fast Jet Test Squadron (FJTS) at the Aircraft Test and Evaluation Centre (ATEC) at Boscombe Down. |
| Left to right: Hawk T.1A (XX201) and Hawk T.1 (XX231 x2) both of 208(R) Squadron. |
| F-15E Strike Eagle (96-0205 'LN') of the 492 FS, 48 FW. |
| Left to right: F-15E Strike Eagle (96-0205 'LN') of the 492 FS, 48 FW based at Lakenheath. |
| Left to right: Hawk T.1W (XX195) of 208(R) Squadron. |
| Left to right: Two King Air B200s (G-RAFP and ZK451 'K') of 45(R) Squadron 15 minutes apart. |
| Left to right: First of a pair of Tornado GR.4 (possibly coded '018') unmarked. |
| Left to right: Second of pair Tornado GR.4 (ZA370 '004') unmarked but was last noted with 31 Squadron. The Tornado GR.4 pair diving in to the valley before a left turn before the lake. |
| Left to right: Hawk T.1W (XX195), Hawk T.1A (XX335) and Hawk T.1 (XX???) of 208(R) Squadron. |
| Left to right: Unmarked Hawk T.1 (XX244) the pilot is using the Hawks air-brake during one of the passes. |
| Unmarked Harrier GR.9 (ZD375 '23'). |
| Left to right: Unmarked Harrier GR.9 (ZD375 '23') callsign was either 'Wittering 41' (20(R) Squadron) or 'Poison 4' (4 Squadron) as both were in the area. |
| Left to right: Harrier GR.9 (ZD375 '23'). |
| Left to right: Unmarked Harrier GR.9 (ZD468 '58') callsign was either 'Wittering 41' (20(R) Squadron) or 'Poison 4' (4 Squadron) as both were in the area. |
| Left to right: Harrier GR.9 (ZD468 '58') diving in to the valley. |
| Left to right: Unmarked Tornado GR.4 (ZG777 '135') and last reported as with 13 Squadron it was with BAE Systems in December 2010. Three Tornados were in Wales according to radio communications, 'Tribal 2' (13 Squadron), 'Marham 66' and 'Chieftain 1' (2(AC) Squadron). |
| Left to right: Tornado GR.4 (ZG777 '135') on its second pass followed a little later by unmarked Tornado GR.4 (ZA461 '026'). |
Thursday April 2, 2009 The weather was not as advertised with low cloud in the morning however it burnt off to give a sunny afternoon. Only trainers today with seven Hawks and three Tucanos which were from a variety of bases and squadrons.
Left to right: Tucano T.1 (ZF510) operated by QinetiQ based at Boscombe Down. |
| Left to right: Hawk T.1s (XX327 and XX162) of the RAF Centre of Aviation Medicine based at RAF Henlow, their aircraft operate from Boscombe Down. |
| Left to right: Tucano T.1 (ZF374) using callsign 'Linton 13' was continuing on to RAF Shawbury. |
| Left to right: Tucano T.1 (ZF142) using callsign 'Linton 17' was five minutes behind 'Linton 13' and also going on to RAF Shawbury. |
| Left to right: Hawk's (T.1W XX224 and T.1 XX156) of 208(R) Squadron. |
Wednesday March 18, 2009 A bright day in Wales and expecting the usual Hawk T.1s I got just the one followed by two of the new Hawk T.2s which are being test flown by 19(R) instructors. Two Hercules (one twice but both too high for photographs), a Super King Air (I was high enough for a change to capture it) and a Harrier completed the interesting day.
Left to right: Hawk T.1 (XX165) of 208(R) Squadron and C-130J Hercules C.5 (ZH884) of 30 Squadron, Lyneham Transport Wing. |
| Left to right: Hawk T.2 (ZK018) of BAE Systems during a low-level training flight for a 19(R) instructor in preparation for the Hawk T.2 to enter service with the RAF at Valley. |
| Left to right: Beechcraft Super King Air B200 (ZK450 'J' also G-RAFJ) of 45(R) Squadron, 3 FTS based at RAF Cranwell. |
| Left to right: Harrier GR.9 (ZD468 '58') of 20(R) Squadron based at RAF Wittering. |
| C-130K Hercules C.3A (XV303). |
Tuesday February 10, 2009 With snow still on the ground and the prospect was some more 'snow shots' I made my way to Wales where despite being covered in low cloud was still bright. Unfortunately occasional snow showers reduced visibilty down to less than a mile at times, which appeared to put off several pairs of F-15Es. The day produced ten passes, five Hawks, a Typhoon, two from a Hercules and a pair of Tucano's during a snow shower.
Left to right: Typhoon F.2 (ZJ929 'DL') in 11(F) Squadron markings (formally 'QO-A' with 3(F) Squadron) came through in poor weather and assumed to be using callsign 'Typhoon 72'. |
| Left to right: C-130K Hercules C.3A (XV303) made two passes the second higher then the first. |
| Left to right: Hawk T.1W (XX231) in 208(R) markings. |
| Left to right: Hawk T.1 (XX159) unmarked possibly with the Royal Navy who no longer apply Royal Navy markings. Hawk T.1A (XX256) in 19(R) markings. Tucano T.1s (ZF170 'MP-A' 'The Black Prince' 76(R) Squadron and ZF142) which came though as a pair during a snow storm. |
Wednesday February 4, 2009 Wales was engulfed in snow making for some interesting images. With a southerly wind low cloud was forming below the mountain tops, necessitating a decision to move from my first choice of location, due to very low cloud at the first. As with most of the week only a handful of Hawks were seen at low-level. At my location only a single Hawk made three passes during the day, the first two with just a pilot and the final pass with an instructor and pilot.
Left to right: Hawk T.1 (XX245) of 208(R) Squadron. |
| Left to right: Hawk T.1 (XX245) of 208(R) Squadron. |
