Aviation Photography - Low level Flying

Low-Level Flying Photography
Photographic Logs for 2016
(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).

Wednesday June 8, 2016 Just a pair of Typhoons today on the dull hazy day.
Left to right: Typhoon T.3 (ZJ810 'BI') of 29(R) Squadron using 'Triplex' callsign.

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

Thursday June 2, 2016 A C-130 day with six passes some were too high including the two by a MC-130J.
Left to right: Hawk T.2s (ZK032 'W' and ZK015 'F') of 4(R) Squadron.

Left to right:C-130J Hercules C.5 (ZH887) of 30 Squadron callsign 'Oman 2'.

Left to right: Tornado GR.4 (ZA459 '025) using callsign 'Bulkhead 11' making it IX(B) Squadron from RAF Marham.

Left to right: Tornado GR.4 (ZA459 '025') using callsign 'Bulkhead 11'.

Left to right: C-130J Hercules C.5 (ZH882) of 30 Squadron.

Tuesday May 24, 2016 A slow day with just this three ship of Hawk T.2s which passed towards the end of the day.
Left to right: Hawk T.2s (ZK019 'J' and ZK034 'Y') of 4(R) Squadron.

Left to right: Hawk T.2 of 4(R) Squadron.

Tuesday April 26, 2016 This will go down in history as one of the most epic days for low-level photography by those who went to the Loop today. It was a day of extreme highs and lows, literally. With rumours abound I was not actually expecting anything out of the ordinary, how wrong I was. On my own all morning I was surprised at 10:15 by a 41(TES) Squadron Tornado GR.4 which had not been heard on my scanner prior to it racing around the corner at the end of my valley. Shortly after is passed it pulled up out of low-level calling 'Rebel 84' RTB Coningsby.

There was a rumour or rather a hope that Belgian Air Force F-16s deployed to RAF Marham and hosted by 9 Squadron might go low-level. In reality they had come over for a CAS (combat air support) exercise but poor weather on the east coast had put an end to the day's primary plans. However just after 12:30 on the scanner in a distinctly French/Belgian accent was 'Sting Flight' calling they were in the 'Lichfield Corridor'. They were requesting LFA7 'Mach Loop at 500 feet, game on! However the three-ship of F-16s appeared at 500 feet at least over the tops of the hills and they were not in the Loop's valleys at all. After a few tight circuits over my head they were soon calling RTB Marham.

The rest of the day continued with the succession of snow squalls during which each time completely closed the valley down, you could not even see across the road. As soon as they came they passed over and I was back in the sun, but it was still cold and windy. Not long a after the most severe snow storm of the day and at around 16:30 came the most extraordinary comm's on the scanner that I have heard in the Loop, when the lead pilot 48th FW Commander Col Robert Novotny using callsign 'Rage 21' was reporting their intentions with; "Rage 21 flight, we are a mixed formation of two fox one five echos, two fox twenty twos and one fox one five charlie entering Low Fly Area 7 over Bala Lake north to south for 20 minutes, 500 feet, 500 knots." 'Rage 21' and 22 were followed by 'Mongol Flight' and then 'Sweep' these are all 48 FW callsigns. I saw them pass north to south in the distance and got ready. The first F-15E Strike Eagle appeared around the corner four minutes later, nice and low (I had quickly climbed my hill to gain some advantage because they had also indicated they would by flying at 500 feet AGL). Then appeared the first F-22A Raptor, it was high, too high to be land-locked. My heart sunk but there was still one more, I turned and a second F-15 this time a single seat 'C' model, it was low and I fired off some shots but was anxious to see the second F-22A. When it appeared seconds later it was lower than the first. As I followed it I could see it would be low enough for some decent shots with the ground in the background and I started filling the camera's memory buffer. The last F-15E passed and some good shots were captured. I was on a high, I have never seen a Raptor shot taken at low-level from a hillside and no one really believed (many photographers were wishing for one though) that the 95th Fighter Squadron from Tyndall AFB in Florida, would take a break from their air combat training with 48FW at RAF Lakenheath where they have been based for the last two weeks.

The Raptors pulled out of low-level shortly after their single pass and were soon on their way home with the F-15s close behind. However the show had not ended 'Rage 23' now called up some minutes later it was flying straight and level like a bullet and not following the contours of the valley and no 'low-level' shots could be taken as it almost flew over my head.

It was not after 17:00 there was nothing on the scanner so I decided to pack up my kit very satisfied with those extraordinary shots, when flashing passed the end of the valley in the distance were two grey jets which left very little noise behind them. I unpacked my camera and waited not expecting them to return, after all they had passed the end of my valley and were gone. Then suddenly without warning one F-16 and then another turned the corner towards me. Yes they were Belgian and were nice and low. The heart was racing once again and three minutes later I was shooting the pair one more time, soon after they called 'Sting Flight' pulling out of low-level and RTB Marham.

What a day, yes there were many photographers in the Loop all with their own shots, but I was the only person at my location shooting still images and I am very happy with the unique image I have.

It transpires that 48FW planned the mixed formation for air to air photographs which now appear on their website, curiously the shots include an RAF Typhoon FGR.4 (ZJ946) which has been stripped of its squadron markings due to a recent decision for all Typhoons to follow suit. The 48FW public affairs described the trip to the Loop as; "enabling them to integrate and practice manoeuvres in an austere environment much different from their home in the 'sunshine state' [Florida]".

Above: Tornado GR.4 (ZA607 'EB-X') using callsign 'Rebel 84' of 41(TES) based at RAF Coningsby.

Left to right: Tornado GR.4 (ZA607 'EB-X') of 41(TES) using callsign 'Rebel 84'.

Left to right: F-15E Strike Eagle (91-0310 'LN') assumed to be 'Rage 21' of 494FS, 48FW, leading the mixed formation around the Loop.

Left to right: F-15E Strike Eagle (91-0310 'LN') assumed to be 'Rage 21' of 494FS, 48FW.

Left to right: F-15C Eagle (86-172 'LN') assumed to be 'Sweep' of 493FS, 48FW.

Left to right: F-15C Eagle (86-172 'LN') assumed to be calling 'Sweep' of 493FS, 48FW.

Left to right: F-22A Raptor (05-081 'TY') assumed to be calling 'Mongol Flight' of 95th FS, 325th FW from Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida currently deployed to RAF Lakenheath.

Left to right: F-22A Raptor (05-4081 'TY') assumed to be calling 'Mongol Flight' of 95th FS.

Left to right: F-15E Strike Eagle (00-3004 'LN') assumed to be 'Rage 22' of 494FS, 48FW.

Left to right: F-16AM Fighting Falcon (FA-132) of 1 Squadron Belgian Air Component based at Florennes.

Left to right: F-16AM Fighting Falcon (FA-127) of 1 Squadron Belgian Air Component based at Florennes.

F-16AM Fighting Falcon (FA-132) of 1 Squadron Belgian Air Component based at Florennes.

F-16AM Fighting Falcon (FA-127) of 1 Squadron Belgian Air Component based at Florennes.

Left to right: F-16AM Fighting Falcon (FA-127) of 1 Squadron Belgian Air Component based at Florennes.

Thursday April 21, 2016 Not much to say about today apart from it was cold and windy till I moved to the western side of the Loop missing an Apha Jet and two Hawks during the move.
Left to right: Hawk T.2s (ZK034 'Y' and ZK035 'Z') of 4(R) Squadron.

Left to right:. Hawk T.2 (ZK035 'Z') of 4(R) Squadron.

Wednesday April 20, 2016 A day of many F-15E single passes some of which were high the day ending with two passes (second very high) from an CV-22 Osprey very late in the day.
Left to right: Hawk T.1 (XX287) formally of 208(R) Squadron on a flight to RAF Shawbury for storage. Hawk T.2s (ZK010 'A' and ZK036 'AA') of 4(R) Squadron.

Left to right: Hawk T.2s (ZK036 'AA' and ZK016 'G') of 4(R) Squadron.

Left to right: F-15E Strike Eagle (91-315 'LN') 492FS, 48FW.

Left to right: F-15E Strike Eagle (91-315 'LN') callsign 'Panther 81' of 492FS, 48FW.

Left to right: F-15E Strike Eagle (00-3002 'LN') callsign 'Eagle 21' of 494FS, 48FW.

Left to right: F-15E Strike Eagle (91-0326 'LN') callsign 'Eagle 22' of 494FS, 48FW.

Left to right: Hawk T.2 (ZK018 'I') in 100 years special scheme of 4(R) Squadron.

Left to right: Hawk T.2 (ZK014 'E') of 4(R) Squadron.

Left to right: F-15E Strike Eagle (96-201 'LN') callsign 'Howler' of 494FS, 48FW.

Left to right: Bell CV-22B Osprey (11-0064) using callsign 'Knife 72' from the 7th Special Operations Squadron based at RAF Mildenhall.

Left to right: Bell CV-22B Osprey (11-0064) using callsign 'Knife 72' from the 7th Special Operations Squadron.

Thursday March 31, 2016 Two Typhoons including one flown by 3 Squadron which was very welcome after 22 Group Typhoons had been avoiding the Loop 'as per Group orders' for the previous 12 months.
Left to right: Super King Air B200 (ZK460 'U') 'Nimrod' of 45 Squadron.

Left to right: Hawk T.2 (ZK037 'AB' and ZK020 'K') of 4(R) Squadron.

Typhoon FGR.4 (ZJ935 'DJ) in 11(F) Squadron markings but using a Zenith callsign.

Left to right: Typhoon FGR.4 (ZJ935 'DJ) in 11(F) Squadron markings but using a 'Zenith' callsign, it has a very spotty port wing for some reason.

Left to right: Merlin HC.3 (ZJ125 'J') of 846 NAS, Royal Navy.

Left to right: Typhoon FGR.4 (ZJ947 'EB-L') of 41(TES) Squadron.

Tuesday March 22, 2016 A dull slow day with just two high C-130s and this Hawk T.2.
Left to right: Hawk T.2 (ZK015 'F'') of 4(R) Squadron.

Thursday March 17, 2016 A number of Tornados were about today but only the one came through here, the Hawks were plentiful though as were the Tucanos.
Left to right: Tucano T.1 (ZF377) and Hawk T.2s (ZK034 'Y' and ZK028 'S') of 4(R) Squadron.

Left to right: Hawk T.2 (ZK028 'S') of 4(R) Squadron.

Left to right: Tornado GR.4 (ZA548) using callsign 'Marham 06' of 31 Squadron inscribed '31 Sqn 100th Anniversary 1915-2015'.

Left to right: Hawk T.1 (XX287) of 208(R) Squadron and Hawk T.2s (ZK033 'X' and ZK034 'Y') of 4(R) Squadron.

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

Left to right: Hawk T.1 (XX170) of Royal Navy 736 NAS based at RNAS Culdrose.

Left to right: Hawk T.1 (XX348) of 208(R) Squadron.

Left to right: Tucano T.1s (ZF291, ZF293 and ZF243) on a NAVEX from RAF Linton-on-Ouse.

Friday March 11, 2016 Pleasant day on Cad' East numerous Hawks and five Hercules passes with a F-15C and D only doing the Loop at 1000 feet.
Left to right: Hawk T.1 (XX348, XX287 and XX239) of 208(R) Squadron.

Left to right: Hawk T.2s (ZK034 'Y' and ZK019 'J') of 4(R) Squadron.

Left to right: C-130J Hercules C.5s (ZH878 and ZH880) of Brize Norton Transport Wing.

Left to right: C-130J Hercules C.5s (ZH878 and ZH880).

Left to right: Hawk T.1 (XX239) of 208(R) Squadron and Hawk T.2 (ZK034 'Y') of 4(R) Squadron.

"LFA 20 Tango active" on NATO low-level frequency and 'Marham 32' passes over the Loch at 100 feet AGL.

Wednesday February 24, 2016 Today there were three Tactical Training Area (TTA) slots for operational low flying (OLF) showing on the timetable for low flying area LFA20(T) in the Scottish borders with times booked of; 10:15-11:00, 11:30-12:30 and 13:00-14:15. With five minutes left of the final TTA slot 'Marham 32' appeared at the end of the long valley flying a Tornado GR.4 at 100 feet above ground level (AGL). A Hawk T.2 passed through some minutes earlier at 500 feet AGL the allowed minmum when the TTA is active.
Left to right: Tornado GR.4 (ZA462 '027') using callsign 'Marham 32'.

Left to right: Tornado GR.4 (ZA462 '027').

Tornado GR.4 (ZA462 '027') callsign 'Marham 32' passes over the Loch at 100 feet AGL.

Left to right: Tornado GR.4 (ZA462 '027').

C-130J-30 Hercules C.4 (ZH875) from the Brize Norton Transport Wing.

Tuesday February 23, 2016 Today there was just one Tactical Training Area (TTA) slot for operational low flying (OLF) showing on the timetable for low flying area LFA20(T) in the Scottish borders with times booked of; 11:00-14:00. The C-130J Hercules was the only pass of the day coming through at 10:30 ahead of the TTA slot.
Left to right: C-130J-30 Hercules C.4 (ZH875) from the Brize Norton Transport Wing and operated by 24/30/47 Squadrons.

Left to right: C-130J-30 Hercules C.4 (ZH875) from the Brize Norton Transport Wing.