Low-Level Flying Photography
Photographic Logs for 2018
(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).
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Thursday August 16, 2018 A great day with sunny spells of fast jets, two of which hot pitted and came back later in the day. Last weeks Tucano and Typhoon re-visted the Loop. At the end of the day the 'RAF 100' painted Hercules was good to see.
Left to right: F-15E Strike Eagle (91-306 'LN') using callsign 'Sapper 51' in the colours (blue fin tip) of 492 FS, 48 FW. |
| Left to right: F-15E Strike Eagle (91-306 'LN') using callsign 'Sapper 51' in the colours (blue fin tip) of 492 FS, 48 FW. |
| Left to right: Typhoon T.3 (ZJ802) callsign 'Typhoon 26', thought to be with 3(F) Squadron. |
| Left to right: Typhoon T.3 (ZJ802) callsign 'Typhoon 26', thought to be with 3(F) Squadron. Tucano T.1 (ZF317 '317') with 72(R) Squadron based at RAF Linton-on-Ouse. |
| Left to right: Typhoon T.3 (ZJ802) callsign 'Typhoon 16', thought to be with 3(F) Squadron, on its second sortie to the Loop today. |
| Left to right: Typhoon T.3 (ZJ802) callsign 'Typhoon 16', thought to be with 3(F) Squadron. |
| Left to right: F-15E Strike Eagle (91-0307 'LN') using callsign 'Card 31' devoid of fin tip squadron markings. |
| Left to right: F-15E Strike Eagle (91-0307 'LN') using callsign 'Card 31' devoid of fin tip squadron markings. |
| Left to right: F-15E Strike Eagle (91-306 'LN') using callsign 'Card 32' in the colours (blue fin tip) of 492 FS, 48 FW. |
Left to right: F-15E Strike Eagle (91-306 'LN') using callsign 'Card 32' in the colours (blue fin tip) of 492 FS, 48 FW.
Fitted to the centreline station is the AN/ALQ-188 Electronic Attack Training Pod provides generic capability to simulate enemy threat electronic counter-measures for aircrew training and weapons evaluation. |
| Left to right: Tornado GR.4 (ZA607 'EB-X') callsign 'Primus 1' and still in its former 41(R) squadron markings. |
| Left to right: Tornado GR.4 (ZA607 'EB-X') callsign 'Primus 1' and C-130J Hercules C.5 (ZH887) of 30 Squadron with the RAF 100 'sticker on the tail. |
| Left to right: C-130J Hercules C.5 (ZH887) of 30 Squadron with RAF 100 'sticker'. |
Thursday August 9, 2018 With nothing for three hours a pair of Hawks appeared followed two or so minutes later by a pair of Tornado GR.4s. Remarkably both pairs were in the Loop at the same time as they went around the Loop twice. Oddly, both pairs switched around on the first circuit to appear next time around with the leader in second place. The GR.4s had gone low in LFA 2 (Devon and Cornwall) before air to air refuelling over the Severn estuary and then dropping low again in Wales, passing through LFA 7(T) before they went through the Loop.
Left to right: Hawk T.2s (ZK032 'W' and RAF 100 special ZK031 'V') with IV(AC) Squadron. |
| Left to right: Tornado GR.4 (ZA607 'EB-X') callsign 'Monster 1' and still in its former 41(R) squadron markings. |
| Left to right: Tornado GR.4 (ZA585 '054'') callsign 'Monster 2'. |
| Left to right: Hawk T.2 (ZK032 'W') with IV(AC) Squadron. |
| Left to right: Tornado GR.4 (ZA585 '054'') callsign 'Monster 2' leading this time after splitting up to the south. |
| Left to right: Tornado GR.4 (ZA607 'EB-X') still in its former 41(R) squadron markings. |
| Chinook HC.6 (ZK558) with 7 Squadron based at RAF Odiham. |
| Left to right: Chinook HC.6 (ZK558) with 7 Squadron based at RAF Odiham. |
| Left to right: Typhoon T.3 (ZJ802) callsign 'Typhoon 66', thought to be with 3(F) Squadron. |
| Left to right: Tucano T.1 (ZF379 '379') with 72(R) Squadron based at RAF Linton-on-Ouse. |
| Left to right: Tucano T.1 (ZF317 '317') with 72(R) Squadron based at RAF Linton-on-Ouse. |
Wednesday August 8, 2018 Today I got just one Hawk. After so many sucessive great days in the Loop, I was due a poor one.
Left to right: Hawk T.2 (ZK028 'S'). |
Wednesday August 1, 2018 Out again hoping to get the Aviano F-16s, however from this location they passed even high than yesterday. Despite 14 passes only two or three were breifly landlocked. Three Tornado GR.4s and an F-15E meant that there was yet again plenty of aircraft to shoot.
Left to right: Lockheed-Martin F-16CM Fighting Falcon (89-2046 'AV') callsign 'Dawg flight' of 510th Fighter Squadron based at Aviano AB, Italy. |
| Left to right: F-16CM Fighting Falcon (89-2057 'AV') callsign 'Dawg flight' of 510th Fighter Squadron. |
| F-16CM Fighting Falcon (89-2046 'AV') callsign 'Dawg flight' of 510th Fighter Squadron. |
| Left to right: F-16CM Fighting Falcon (89-2046 'AV') callsign 'Dawg flight' of 510th Fighter Squadron. |
| Left to right: Tornado GR.4 (ZD792 '100') callsign 'Monster 1'. |
| Left to right: Tornado GR.4 (ZA585 '054') callsign 'Monster 2'. |
| Left to right: Hawk T.2s (ZK010 'A', ZK036 'AA', ZK022 'M' and ZL036 'AA') with IV(AC) Squadron. |
| Left to right: Tornado GR.4 (ZA612 '074') callsign 'Marham 34'. |
| F-16CM Fighting Falcon (89-2018 'AV') callsign 'Bones flight' of 510th Fighter Squadron. |
| Left to right: F-16CM Fighting Falcon (89-2018 'AV') callsign 'Bones flight' of 510th Fighter Squadron. |
| Left to right: F-15E Strike Eagle (97-0221 'LN - 492FS'') using callsign Raider 71' in the colours (blue fin tip) of 492 FS, 48 FW. |
| Left to right: F-15E Strike Eagle (97-0221 'LN - 492FS'') using callsign Raider 71' in the colours (blue fin tip) of 492 FS, 48 FW. |
| F-15E Strike Eagle (01-2004 'LN') using callsign 'Stout 91' without any fin tip squadron markings. |
Tuesday July 31, 2018 Every so often the conditions in the hills are perfect for low level photography, today was one of those mornings. It was damp, really damp and the sun was shining through some small gaps in the clouds. 'Stout flight' call up on the scanner, inbound. I am on a south facing hill and the light would be tricky. Shutter speed and -1 stop exposure compensation are set. Then around the corner comes F-15E Strike Eagle (01-2004), callsign 'Stout 91'. I just had to pan perfectly and a great image should be mine. I pan really well and have a great sequence of images with changing 'cloud' formations over the wings.
This was the day the Aviano based F-16s but operating from RAF Lakenheath, could be flying the Loop and when 'Buzzard flight' reports as consisting of four F-16s, it's game on. Frustratingly they appear 'in' the Loop very high. Fortunately one or two of the jets passed just below the high hilltops in front and were captured well. Another fhree F-16s as 'Wild flight' were even higher in the afternoon. Later it was 'revealed' that pilots had left their ground proximity radar warnings set to call out if below 1,000 feet AGL which is normal for when they train in Italy.
With a Typhoon, two Tornados, a C-130 and an A400M the day was another one of those very special days, which I have been lucky to get recently.
Left to right: F-15E Strike Eagle (01-2004 'LN') using callsign 'Stout 91' without any fin tip squadron markings. |
| Left to right: F-15E Strike Eagle (01-2004 'LN') using callsign 'Stout 91'. |
| Left to right: F-15E Strike Eagle (92-364 'LN') using callsign 'Stout 92' in the colours (red fin tip) of 494 FS, 48 FW. |
| Left to right: F-15E Strike Eagle (01-2004 and 92-364 'LN') of 494 FS, 48 FW. |
| Left to right: F-15E Strike Eagle (92-364 'LN') using callsign 'Stout 92' in the colours (red fin tip) of 494 FS, 48 FW. |
| Left to right: Lockheed-Martin F-16CM Fighting Falcons (88-0516 and 89-2057 'AV') callsign 'Buzzard flight' of 510th Fighter Squadron 'Buzzards' (31 OG) based at Aviano AB, Italy. |
| F-16CM Fighting Falcon (89-2046 'AV') callsign 'Buzzard 13' of 510th Fighter Squadron. |
| Left to right: F-16CM Fighting Falcon (89-2046 'AV') callsign 'Buzzard 13' of 510th Fighter Squadron. |
| Left to right: F-16CM Fighting Falcons (88-0516 and 89-2057 'AV') callsign 'Buzzard flight' of 510th Fighter Squadron. |
| Left to right: F-16CM Fighting Falcon (89-2046 'AV') callsign 'Buzzard 13' of 510th Fighter Squadron. |
| Left to right: Typhoon T.3 (ZJ802) callsign 'Typhoon 78' appeared to be flying through slow due to a pax in the backseat. |
| Left to right: Typhoon T.3 (ZJ802) callsign 'Typhoon 78'. |
| Left to right: Tornado GR.4 (ZA585 '054') using callsign 'Marham 03'. |
| Left to right: Tornado GR.4 (ZA585 '054') using callsign 'Marham 03'. |
| Left to right: C-130J Hercules C.4 / C.6 mod (ZH866) in a 206(R) Squadron aniversary special scheme. It is with the Heavy Aircraft Test and Evaluation Squadron at MoD Boscombe Down. |
| Left to right: Tornado GR.4 (ZA612 '074') using callsign 'Monster 1'. |
| Left to right: Tornado GR.4 (ZA612 '074') using callsign 'Monster 1'. |
| Left to right: A400M Atlas C.1 (ZM419) using callsign 'Comet 453' it is with 70 (LXX) Squadron. |
| Left to right: Hawk T.2 (ZK028 'S') with IV(AC) Squadron. F-16CM Fighting Falcon (89-2026 'AV') callsign 'Wild 22' of 510th Fighter Squadron. |
| Dassault Rafale C (130 '4-GI') in a special Ad'lA scheme. |
Wednesdy July 18, 2018 A day of the French Air Force with a pair of Rafale and three Mirage 2000Ds returning to France after attending RIAT/Fairford via the Loop.
Left to right: Dassault Rafale C (130 '4-GI') in a special Ad'lA scheme. |
| Left to right: Rafale B (305 '4-EC') with Escadron de Chasse EC 01.004 'Gascogne' based at Saint Dizier/Robinson (Base aérienne 113). |
| Dassault Mirage 2000D (649 '3-XY') callsign 'FAF7181A' it is with EC 03.003 'Ardennes' with a BR44 'Sanglier assis' badge on both sides of tail. |
| Left to right: Mirage 2000D (649 '3-XY') callsign 'FAF7181A' it is with EC 03.003 'Ardennes' based at Nancy. |
| Left to right: Mirage 2000D (672 '3-XV') with EC 03.003 'Ardennes' badge on both sides of tail. |
| Mirage 2000D (672 '3-XV') with EC 03.003 'Ardennes'. |
| Left to right: Mirage 2000D (672 '3-XV') with EC 03.003 'Ardennes' markings. |
| Left to right: Mirage 2000D (624 '3-IT') in special markings. |
| Left to right: Mirage 2000D (624 '3-IT') in special markings. |
| Left to right: Tornado GR.4 (ZA588 '056') using callsign 'Monster 1' these were the last Tornados to depart RIAT/Fairford ever. |
| Left to right: Tornado GR.4 (ZA588 '056') using callsign 'Monster 1'. |
| Left to right: Tornado GR.4 (ZA543 uncoded) using callsign 'Monster 2'. |
| Left to right: Tornado GR.4 (ZA588 '056') using callsign 'Monster 1', second pass. |
| Left to right: Tornado GR.4 (ZA588 '056') using callsign 'Monster 1', second pass. |
| Left to right: Tornado GR.4 (ZA543 uncoded) using callsign 'Monster 2', second pass. |
| Left to right: Tornado GR.4 (ZA543 uncoded) using callsign 'Monster 2', second pass. |
