Low-Level Flying Photography
Photographic Logs for 2017
(For all these shots I used a Canon EOS 5D Mk III and EOS 5D Mk IV 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).
|
| F-35A Lightning II (12-5097 'HL') of 34 FS using callsign 'Rude 62', May 2, 2017. |
Monday December 18, 2017 The last day of the flying year is in two days time, but today was the only sunny day forecast. It turned out to be very remarkable. Firstly, we had a pair of 2 Squadron Typhoons down from Lossiemouth at 40,000 feet just to do "five minutes at low-level", after dropping in to low-level at the "Llyn Peninsular", they Looped once before pulling up to 40,000 feet at Bala to call "RTB Lossiemouth." Next came a pair of Marham Tornados one of which was swept on their second pass.
Finally (apart from two Hawk T.2s) came 'Typhoon 101' the callsign representing a student pilot. The pilot had an American accent. When almost over the Loop at 40,000 and trailing it could be seen turning and dropping in the steepest of dives towards Bala. A few minutes later it was cruising at around 1,000 feet AGL towards Cad'. Not lined up(?) it turned back north maintaining height around to Bala to appear again descending in to Cad' and pass around the Loop more than once, getting lower each time!
Finally, with five Ramstein C-130s rumoured, to be going low-level, they pop-up on ADSB going in to Mildenhall around lunch time. Then amazingly it is reported on Sky News that an incident at Mildenhall's gates that shots were fired and a man arrested. The air base was now in lock down. Two hours later the five C-130s take off and look to be Loop bound, but then the low cloud base closes in and as the sun sets they can be heard passing over the Loop and our extraordinary day was over. |
 |
| Typhoon FGR.4 (ZK331) callsign 'Spartan 11' with 2 Squadron. |
| Left to right: Typhoon FGR.4 (ZK331) callsign 'Spartan 11' with 2 Squadron. |
| Left to right: Typhoon FGR.4 (ZJ913) callsign 'Spartan 12' with 2 Squadron. |
| Typhoon FGR.4 (ZJ913) callsign 'Spartan 12' with 2 Squadron. |
| Left to right: Typhoon FGR.4 (ZJ913) callsign 'Spartan 12' with 2 Squadron. |
| Left to right: Tornado GR.4 (ZA553 '045') callsign 'Monster 01'. |
| Tornado GR.4 (ZA553 '045') callsign 'Monster 01'. |
| Left to right: Tornado GR.4 (ZA553 '045') callsign 'Monster 01'. |
| Left to right: Tornado GR.4 (ZA553 '045') callsign 'Monster 01'. |
| Left to right: Tornado GR.4 (ZD849 '110') callsign 'Monster 02'. |
| Left to right: Tornado GR.4 (ZA553 '045') callsign 'Monster 01' swept at 67 degrees for second pass. |
| Tornado GR.4 (ZA553 '045') callsign 'Monster 01'. |
| Left to right: Tornado GR.4 (ZA553 '045') callsign 'Monster 01'. |
| Left to right: Hawk T.2 (ZK030 'U') of 4(R) Squadron. |
| Left to right: Hawk T.2 (ZK027 'R') of 4(R) Squadron. |
| Left to right: Hawk T.2 (ZK027 'R') of 4(R) Squadron. |
| Typhoon FGR.4 (ZK373) callsign 'Typhoon 101'. |
| Left to right: Typhoon FGR.4 (ZK373) callsign 'Typhoon 101'. |
| Left to right: Typhoon FGR.4 (ZK373) callsign 'Typhoon 101'. |
| Left to right: Typhoon FGR.4 (ZK373) callsign 'Typhoon 101'. |
| Left to right: Typhoon FGR.4 (ZK373) callsign 'Typhoon 101'. |
| Left to right: Typhoon FGR.4 (ZK373) callsign 'Typhoon 101'. |
Thursday November 30, 2017 Missed a Tucano and a pair of F-15Es on the climb up to only get two Tucanos during the rest of the day up in the Lakes.
Left to right: Tucano T.1 (ZF342 '342') of 72(Reserve) Squadron. |
| Left to right: Tucano T.1 (ZF239 '239') of 72(Reserve) Squadron. |
Wednesday November 8, 2017 A mostly sunny day with numerous and 'fini' flight F-15E Strike Eagle passes.
Left to right: :F-15E Strike Eagle (91-312 'LN') callsign 'Rage 11' in colours (blue fin tip) of 492 FS, 48 FW. |
| Left to right: F-15E Strike Eagle (91-312 'LN') callsign 'Rage 11' in colours (blue fin tip) of 492 FS, 48 FW. |
| Left to right: F-15E Strike Eagle (91-312 'LN') callsign 'Rage 11' in colours (blue fin tip) of 492 FS, 48 FW. |
| Left to right: F-15E Strike Eagle (91-312 'LN') callsign 'Rage 11' in colours (blue fin tip) of 492 FS, 48 FW. |
| Left to right: F-15E Strike Eagle (97-220 'LN') callsign 'Rage 12' in colours (blue fin tip) of 492 FS, 48 FW. |
| Left to right: F-15E Strike Eagle (91-312 'LN') callsign 'Rage 11' in colours (blue fin tip) of 492 FS, 48 FW. |
| Left to right: F-15E Strike Eagle (91-312 'LN') callsign 'Rage 11' in colours (blue fin tip) of 492 FS, 48 FW. |
| Left to right: F-15E Strike Eagle (97-220 'LN') callsign 'Rage 12' in colours (blue fin tip) of 492 FS, 48 FW with air brakes deploying. |
| Left to right: Hawk T.2s (ZK031 'V' and ZK036 'AA') of 4(R) Squadron. |
| Left to right: F-15E Strike Eagle (96-0205 'LN') callsign Card 51' in colours of 492 FS, 48 FW. |
| Left to right: F-15E Strike Eagle (96-0205 'LN') callsign Card 51' in colours of 492 FS, 48 FW. |
| Left to right: F-15E Strike Eagle (96-0205 'LN') callsign Card 51' in colours of 492 FS, 48 FW. |
| Left to right: C-130J Hercules C.4 (ZH868) callsign 'Jigsaw Flight ' of Brize Norton Transport Wing (24/30/47 Squadrons). |
| Left to right: C-130J Hercules C.5 (ZH883) callsign 'Jigsaw Flight 'of Brize Norton Transport Wing (24/30/47 Squadrons) in 50 year special markings. |
| Left to right: F-15E Strike Eagles (91-312 'LN' and 97-220 'LN') callsign 'Rage 11 and 12' in colours (blue fin tip) of 492 FS, 48 FW. |
| Left to right: F-15E Strike Eagle (91-312 'LN') callsign 'Rage 11' in colours (blue fin tip) of 492 FS, 48 FW. |
| Left to right: F-15E Strike Eagle (91-312 'LN') callsign 'Rage 11' in colours (blue fin tip) of 492 FS, 48 FW. |
Thursday October 12, 2017 A damp dismal day on the Spur using an ISO 500 setting.
Left to right: Hawk T.2s (ZK025 'P' and ZK012 'C') of 4(R) Squadron. |
| Left to right: Hawk T.1A (XX187 '187') of Royal Navy 736 Naval Air Squadron based at RNAS Culdrose. |
| Left to right: Chinook HC.3A (ZJ998 'AE') of Royal Navy 845 Naval Air Squadron based at RNAS Yeovilton. |
| Left to right: Tornado GR.4 (ZA459 '025') using callsign 'Marham 36'. |
| Left to right: F-15E Strike Eagle (01-2002 'LN' and 01-2003 'LN') in colours of 494 FS, 48 FW. |
| Left to right: F-15E Strike Eagle (01-2003 'LN') in colours of 494 FS, 48 FW. |
| Tornado GR.4 (ZD849 '110') using callsign 'Marham 07' on its first of two sorties (11:10 and 16:20) to the Loop. |
Thursday October 5, 2017 A great day of GR.4s with six passes from five aircraft.
Left to right: Tornado GR.4 (ZD849 '110') using callsign 'Marham 07' on first of two passes. |
| Left to right: Tornado GR.4 (ZD849 '110') using callsign 'Marham 07' on second pass. |
| Left to right: Hawk T.2 (ZK010 'A') of 4(R) Squadron and Tornado GR.4 (ZG771) 100 year special '1916-2016' using callsign 'Fang 01' pulled up opposite me before dropping back in around the corner |
| Left to right: Tornado GR.4 (ZA550 '042) using callsign 'Fang 02'. |
| Left to right: Tornado GR.4 (ZA550 '042) using callsign 'Fang 02'. |
| Left to right: Tornado GR.4 (ZD744 '092') using callsign Monster 01'. |
| Tornado GR.4 (ZD849 '110') using callsign Monster 02'. |
| Left to right: Tornado GR.4 (ZD849 '110') on its second sortie to Wales of the day this time using callsign Monster 02'. |
Tuesday October 3, 2017 A close A400M, a GR.4 and a handful of Hawks today even though six or more GR.4s recently back from an exercise and operating from Lakenheath flew low over Wales.
Left to right: Airbus A400M Atlas C.1 (ZM415) using callsign 'Ascot 431' it is with 70 (LXX) Squadron based at RAF Brize Norton. |
| Left to right: Tornado GR.4 (ZA601 '066') using callsign 'Marham 33' of 9 Squadron operating from RAF Lakenheath as Marham's runway is still being repaired. |
| Left to right: Tornado GR.4 (ZA601 '066') using callsign 'Marham 33' of 9 Squadron. |
| Left to right: Hawk T.2s (ZK012 'C', ZK036 'AA' and ZK012 'C') of 4(R) Squadron. |
Thursday September 14, 2017 A very wet day with perpetual showers, when in heavy drizzle two of our finest pilots call up using callsign 'Viking 40' south of Welshpool heading for the Loop. Five minutes later they appear through the gloom, the second aircraft swept with after burners for the first of two passes. It was mid-morning and that was that for the day.
Left to right: Tornado GR.4 (ZA607 'EB-X') using callsign 'Viking 40 of 41(TES) Test & Evaluation Squadron based at RAF Coningsby. |
| Left to right: Tornado GR.4 (ZA560 'EB-Q') using callsign 'Viking 41' of 41(TES) Test & Evaluation Squadron. |
| Tornado GR.4 (ZA560 'EB-Q') using callsign 'Viking 41' of 41(TES) Test & Evaluation Squadron, swept with burners. |
| Left to right: Tornado GR.4 (ZA560 'EB-Q') using callsign 'Viking 41' of 41(TES) Test & Evaluation Squadron. |
| Left to right: Tornado GR.4 (ZA560 'EB-Q') using callsign 'Viking 41' of 41(TES) Test & Evaluation Squadron. |
| Left to right: Tornado GR.4 (ZA607 'EB-X') using callsign 'Viking 40 of 41(TES) Test & Evaluation Squadron. |
| Tornado GR.4 (ZA560 'EB-Q') using callsign 'Viking 41' of 41(TES) Test & Evaluation Squadron, with 67 degrees swept wings |
| Left to right: Tornado GR.4 (ZA560 'EB-Q') using callsign 'Viking 41' of 41(TES) Test & Evaluation Squadron. |
Tuesday August 15, 2017 Nice location with four Tornado GR.4, a C-130 Hercules and numerous Hawk passes all at short notice here.
Left to right: Tornado GR.4 (ZA560 'EB-Q') using callsign 'Rebel 88' of 41(TES) Test & Evaluation Squadron based at RAF Coningsby. |
| Left to right: Tornado GR.4 (ZA560 'EB-Q') using callsign 'Rebel 88' of 41(TES) Test & Evaluation Squadron. |
| Left to right: Tornado GR.4 (ZA560 'EB-Q') using callsign 'Rebel 88' of 41(TES) Test & Evaluation Squadron. |
| Left to right: Tornado GR.4 (ZA560 'EB-Q') using callsign 'Rebel 88' of 41(TES) Test & Evaluation Squadron. |
| Left to right: C-130J-30 Hercules C.5 (ZH878) of the Brize Norton Transport Wing (24/30/47 Squadrons). |
| Left to right: Tornado GR.4 (ZA369 '003') using callsign 'Fang 1'. |
| Left to right: Tornado GR.4 (ZA369 '003') using callsign 'Fang 1'. |
| Left to right: Tornado GR.4 (ZA588 '056') using callsign 'Fang 2'. |
| Left to right: Tornado GR.4 (ZA588 '056') using callsign 'Fang 2'. |
| Left to right: Hawk T.2s (ZK013 'D', ZK030 'U' and ZK020 'K') of 4(R) Squadron. |
| Left to right: Hawk T.2s (ZK019 'J' and ZK035 'Z') of 4(R) Squadron. |
