Photographic Portfolio of 2021
Images and photographic notes of my successes for the year |
| Each year I like to produce a collection of my best and favourite images. Most have been published in books and magazines and possibly in conjunction with features and as such were chosen by the editor in question. I hope you like this snapshot of my best work from 2021, however it was another Covid-19 affected year with travel abroad greatly restricted. |
Low-level portfolio - click here for more images and reports.
This is my real passion. Finding a steep sided valley and waiting for some fast jet action is very relaxing. You might only get one or two jets in a day, but who cares? The scenery is often stunning and when you are alone it gives you a good chance to unwind from the pressures of life. The anticipation of a jet flying up your valley is exciting. The thrill of capturing a jet with the ground as a backdrop is more than you can imagine. |
| Left to right: Nikos Delhanidis - MonoGraphix produced a 2021 planner and calendar to commemorate the (1821-2021) bicentennial of Greek independence from the Ottomans. Sample pages, Nick used four of my images for this publication. |
| Left to right: MonoGraphix 2021 calendar - my images. |
Duke Hawkins - Aircraft in Detail - Dassault/Dornier Alpha Jet. The 18th book in the Duke Hawkins series, it is an 114 page book, showing the aircraft both in action and in detail.
My contribution included Armée de l'Air Alpha Jets at low level in the United Kingdom and at their home base at Tours, France. |
Left to right: Alpha Jet (ZJ645 '45') in a 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 in June 2009.
Alpha Jet E (E104 '705-TG') Armée de l'Air through Mach' Loop in June 2010. |
Left to right: Alpha Jet E (E22 '705-LS') Armée de l'Air through Mach' Loop in June 2010.
Alpha Jet E (E45 '705-TF' and E17 '705-AA') at Tours in October 2011. |
Duke Hawkins - Aircraft in Detail - A400M Atlas. The 19th book in the Duke Hawkins series, a 140 page book on Europe's newest military transport aircraft, the Airbus A-400M Atlas. This book includes every detail of the aircraft, from the fuselage, wings and tails to the landing gear, engines and propellers. A number of my images taken from the hills of the Atlas C.1 flying at low level.
Left to right: A400M Atlas C.1 (ZM409) using callsign 'Ascot 452' it is with 70 (LXX) Squadron flying low in the Mach' Loop in April 2017.
A400M Atlas C.1 (ZM416) using callsign 'Comet 452' of 24 Squadron during three hours of paradrop training on Salisbury Plain during which there were two drops and countless low runs in and passes in March 2018. |
| A400M Atlas C.1 flying low through LFA17 in 2016. |
| Left to right: A400M Atlas C.1s flying low through LFA7 between 2017 and 2018. |
Left to right: A400M Atlas C.1 (ZM408) with 70 (LXX) Squadron at RAF coningsby in October 2018.
A400M Atlas C.1 (ZM417) using callsign 'Comet 451' with 206 Squadron. This was the first container delivery system (CDS) drop since the record breaking drop in November 2018, when 24 x 1 tonne containers were dropped in a single pass in March 2020.
A400M Atlas C.1 (ZM416) landing on Pembrey Sands as part of Natural Surface Operations in September 2020. |
United States Air Forces Directory 2021/22, by Ian Carroll for Mach III Publishing Books.
McDonnell Douglas F/A-18D Hornet (164263 '46') using callsign 'Ambush 24' it is with the Fighter Squadron Composite Twelve (VFC-12) 'Fighting Omars' a United States Navy Reserve fighter squadron based at NAS Oceana, Virginia.
McDonnell Douglas F-15C Eagle (84-004) with the 144th Fighter Wing of the California Air National Guard based at Fresno, California. It is specially painted for the 194th Fighter Squadron's 75th Anniversary. |
| On air base and exercises portfolio - I visited just a few air bases in 2021, click here for more images and reports. |
| Duke Hawkins - Aircraft in Detail - Sukhoi Su-25 Frogfoot. The 17th book in the Duke Hawkins series, it is an 114 page book, showing the aircraft both in action and in detail. |
| Su-25K 'Frogfoot' (246) at Bezmer in 2009. |
| Left to right: Bulgaria Air Force (Bulgarski Voennovazdyshini Sili) Sukhoi Su-25 Frogfoot at Bezmer Forward Operating Base (22.ShtAB) in June 2009. |
European Air Forces Directory 2021/22, by Ian Carroll for Mach III Publishing Books.
Embraer Phenom T.1 (ZM334) using callsign 'Cranwell 31' with 45(Reserve) Squadron based at RAF Cranwell passing low through Cumbria in Low Flying Area 7 (LFA7).
Beech Shadow R.1+ (ZZ419) with 14 Squadron it is operating from its home base of RAF Waddington during exercise Cobra Warrior 2019 in the ISTAR (intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance) role.
Swedish Air Force Saab JAS 39C Gripen (39258 '258') operating in near arctic conditions with F21 Wing at Luleå air base in February 2020. |
| Air shows, Museums and Classic Aircraft portfolio - I did not attend any air shows but visited a few museums in 2021, click here or here for more images and reports. |
| DH.60G Gipsy Moth (G-ABDX) at the 'Gathering of Moths' event at Old Warden in September 2021. |
