Aviation Photography - Low level Flying

Low-Level Flying Photography
Photographic Logs for 2014
(For all these shots I used a Canon EOS 5D Mk III with the following lenses;
Canon EF 400mm f2.8 L IS Mk II, Canon EF 300mm f2.8 L with and without a x1.4 extender Mk III and a Canon EF 70-200mm f2.8 L IS).

Tornado GR.4 (ZA606 '069') at 550 mph in 'combat mode'.

Left to right: Tornado GR.4 (ZA606 '069') following a series of trials with QinetiQ at West Freugh from September to November this jet was delivered to Leeming by road to be reduced to produce.

Left to right: Tornado GR.4 (ZA606 '069').

Wednesday December 3, 2014 A nice very sunny day at the 'Exit' was the scene of numerous F-15E Strike Eagles of the 494th FS, 48th FW a few of which made some low and not quite so low passes.
Above: F-15E Strike Eagle (96-204 'LN') using callsign 'Roar 41' of the 494FS, 48FW at RAF Lakenheath.

Left to right: F-15E Strike Eagle (96-204 'LN') using callsign 'Roar 41' of the 494FS, 48FW at RAF Lakenheath.

Left to right: F-15E Strike Eagle (96-204 'LN') of the 494FS, 48FW at RAF Lakenheath.

Left to right: F-15E Strike Eagle (91-311 'LN') of the 494FS, 48FW at RAF Lakenheath.

Tuesday December 2, 2014 A bright and very windy day at the 'Exit' with many there hoping for the rumoured Saudi Tornado and the possibility of the last 7th SOS MC-130H Combat Talon II flight before their retirement from their base at Mildenhall. In the end only the MC-130H made it with two passes. Later a Merlin hugging the ground also came through and a couple of Hawks completed the slow and short day.
Above: Lockheed MC-130H Combat Talon II (88-1803) of 352nd Special Operations Group, 7th Special Operations Squadron using callsign 'Talon 71'.

Left to right: MC-130H Combat Talon II (88-1803) of 352nd Special Operations Group, 7th Special Operations Squadron using callsign 'Talon 71'. Hawk T.1 (XX303) of 208(R) Squadron cut in before the second MC-130H pass and explains the 1/250th shutter speed used.

Left to right: MC-130H Combat Talon II (88-1803) of 352nd Special Operations Group, 7th Special Operations Squadron using callsign 'Talon 71'.

Left to right: Westland Merlin HC.3A (ZJ998 'AE') still with 28(AC) Squadron at RAF Benson at just 50 feet AGL.

Typhoon FGR.4 (ZK327 'FR') using callsign 'Rampage 1' is in 1(F) Squadron markings

Thursday November 27, 2014 A dull day at the 'Exit' saw a pair of Typhoons passing through twice followed much later by a Tornado GR.4 from Marham. A handful of Hawks completed the day.
Left to right: Typhoon FGR.4 (ZK327 'FR') using callsign 'Rampage 1'.

Left to right: Typhoon FGR.4 (ZK327 'FR') using callsign 'Rampage 1'.

Left to right: Typhoon FGR.4 (ZJ933 'DF') using callsign 'Rampage 2' and in 11(F) Squadron colours.

Left to right: Tornado GR.4 (ZD709 '078') in 31 Squadron colours and using callsign 'Marham 63'.

Sunday September 21, 2014 Filming the Lancaster flypast through the Derwent Valley was this Puma.
Left to right: Puma HC.2 (ZA936) of 33/230 Squadron based at RAF Benson.

Tuesday September 16, 2014 A good day struck down by low cloud that broke in to a bright but very hazy day.
Left to right: C-130J Hercules C.5 (ZH881) of 30 Squadron of the Brize Norton Transport Wing.

Left to right: Tornado GR.4 (ZD737 '087') callsign 'Monster 1'

Left to right: Tornado GR.4A (ZG714 '124') callsign 'Monster 2'

Left to right: Tornado GR.4 (ZG714 '124') callsign 'Monster 2'

Left to right: C-130J Hercules C.5 (ZH884) of 30 Squadron of the Brize Norton Transport Wing.

Left to right: Two passes by Hawk T.2 ( ZK011 'B') of 4(R) Squadron.

Wednesday July 9, 2014 Chasing the light and rumours caused me to spend time on three hills today. The first switch was pointless however and I missed a high Tucano and Hawk during the swap-over to the west side and 15:00. The second switch was 16:30 was for the rumoured CV-22 Osprey but I was 'carparked' by it. However a dash up the north side paid off with a late Tornado at 18:30. Leaving at 19:00 meant that I missed the second Osprey at 20:45. A regular flow of Tucanos and two Tornados was a fair reward for the effort put in to the day.
Left to right: Tucano T.1 (ZF293) of 207(R) Squadron and Tucano T.1 (ZF338 'MP-W') named 'Whizzo' of 76(R) Squadron.

Left to right: Tornado GR.4 (ZG779 '136').

Left to right: Hawk T.2s (ZK037 'AB' and ZK011 'B') of 4(R) Squadron, two passes from each of them.

Left to right: Tucano T.1 (ZF378)

Left to right: Tucano T.1 (ZF485)

Left to right: Tucano T.1 (ZF378) second pass after six minutes.

Left to right: Tucano T.1 (ZF210)

Left to right: Tucano T.1 (ZF293) of 207(R) Squadron on its second sortie of the day over three hours after the first.

Left to right: Hawk T.2 (ZK034 'Y') of 4(R) Squadron.

Tornado GR.4 (ZA543 '036') late in the day at 18:30

Left to right: Tornado GR.4 (ZA543 '036').

Tornado GR.4 (ZA453 '022') with a AN/AAQ-28 Litening III Targeting pod.

Wednesday July 2, 2014 At the start of the day the light on the east side was bright for the Tornado but after moving to the west side of the valley it clouded over. On the switch over I only just caught the first of three Typhoon passes.
Left to right: Tornado GR.4 (ZA453 '022')

Left to right: Tornado GR.4 (ZA453 '022')

Left to right: Hawk T.2 (ZK034 'Y') of 4(R) Squadron. Typhoon T.3 (ZJ803 'BA') using callsign 'Warlord 71' of 29(R) Squadron.

Left to right: Typhoon FGR.4 (ZJ927 'BO') using callsign 'Warlord 72' of 29(R) Squadron.

Left to right: Typhoon FGR.4 (ZJ927 'BO') of 29(R) Squadron.

Left to right: Hawk T.2 (ZK022 'M') of 4(R) Squadron.

F-15E Strike Eagle (91-0332 'LN') using callsign 'Panther 11'

Wednesday June 24, 2014 One of the better days out with a double pass of Eagles followed later by a Typhoon. Then as I was about to make the change over to the other side of the valley two more Eagles passed by twice. Up the valley on the west side and it was time for the Tornado GR.4 to show off its power.
Left to right: F-15E Strike Eagle (91-0332 'LN') with blue fin tips it is inscribed '492 FS' and using callsign 'Panther 11 and 12'.

Left to right: F-15E Strike Eagle (91-0332 'LN').

Left to right: F-15E Strike Eagle (01-2002 'LN') with red fin tips it is with 494 FS, 48 FW at RAF Lakenheath.

Left to right: F-15E Strike Eagle (01-2002 'LN').

Left to right: Typhoon T.3 (ZJ805 'BD') with callsign 'Typhoon 17' of 29(R) Squadron.

Left to right: F-15E Strike Eagle (97-222 'LN') with blue fin tips it is with 492 FS, 48 FW at RAF Lakenheath.

Left to right: F-15E Strike Eagle (00-3000 'LN') with red fin tips it is with 494 FS, 48 FW at RAF Lakenheath.

Left to right: Two passes from Tornado GR.4 (ZA453 '022') pilot's callsign was 'Marham 57'.

Left to right: Tornado GR.4 (ZA453 '022').

Tornado GR.4 (ZA395) in 12(B) Squadron colours

Wednesday April 16, 2014 On the lower slopes of Bluebell which proved to be a poor choice when the French Air Force Mirage F.1s missed the turning and only descended for the Bwlch. The remaining days passes almost made up for my F1 blunders, the highlight being the 12(B) Squadron special tail Tornado GR.4 which came down from Lossiemouth on it's final flight to Leeming for scrapping or return to produce (RTP).
Left to right: Mirage F.1CR (654 '118-NC') on it's farewell flight passed the many photog's on the Bwlch. The Mirage F.1 retires from French AF service on July 14.

Left to right: Hawk T.2 (ZK032 'W') with 4(R) Squadron.

Left to right: Tornado GR.4 (ZA395) with 12(B) Squadron special tail applied for their disbandment on March 31, 2014. It is inscribed 'Leads the Field, 1915 - 2014' and was flying down from Lossiemouth as 'Lossie 09' on it's final flight to Leeming where it will be 'reduced to produce' (RTP). Note it was also flying clean with no drop tanks or other stores.

Left to right: Tornado GR.4 (ZA395) in 12(B) Squadron colours.

Hawk T.2 (ZK032 'W')

Left to right: Hawk T.2 (ZK032 'W') with 4(R) Squadron.

Left to right: Hawk T.2 (ZK011 'B') with 4(R) Squadron.

Left to right: Hawk T.2s (ZK028 'S' and ZK035 'Z') with 4(R) Squadron.

Left to right: Hawk T.2 (ZK028 'S').

Left to right: Tornado GR.4 (ZD849 '110') still in the former 617 Squadron markings but flying with 9 Squadron using callsign 'Fang 1'.

Left to right: Tornado GR.4 (ZD849 '110').

Left to right: Tornado GR.4 (ZA606 '69') with 9 Squadron calling 'Fang 2'.

F-15E Strike Eagle (98-0131 'LN') of 492 FS, 48 FW callsign 'Corvette 51'

Wednesday March 12, 2014 At Bluebell and a very welcome 20+ passes from F-15Es (Corvette and Shark Flights) and MC-130 on its way to Stuttgart, a Typhoon and numerous Hawks T.2s and a single Hawk T.1.
Left to right: F-15E Strike Eagle (98-0131 'LN') of 492 FS, 48 FW.

F-15E Strike Eagle (98-0133 'LN') of 492 FS, 48 FW callsign 'Corvette 52'

Left to right: F-15E Strike Eagle (98-0133 'LN') of 492 FS, 48 FW.

Left to right: F-15E Strike Eagle (91-0605 'LN') of 492 FS, 48 FW, probably callsign 'Corvette 53'.

Left to right: F-15E Strike Eagle (91-0605 'LN') of 492 FS, 48 FW.

Left to right: F-15E Strike Eagle (91-316 'LN') of 492 FS, 48 FW presumed to be callsign 'Shark 13' the second F-15E of 'Shark Flight' came through high followed by one of the earlier jets from 'Corvette Flight'.

Left to right: F-15E Strike Eagle (91-0605 'LN') of 492 FS, 48 FW, probably callsign 'Corvette 53'.

Left to right: Lockheed MC-130H Hercules Combat Talon II (88-0195) using callsign 'Jingo 31', 7th Special Operations Squadron, 352nd Special Operations Group, RAF Mildenhall.