Aviation
Japan 7 – US Army 1
Eight vintage airplanes fly in formation against a clear blue sky. White smoke trails add a dynamic element to the scene.
You’ll notice seven of the aircraft are painted with the symbols of WWII era Japanese aircraft. The last one (farthest right) shows the markings of a U.S. Army plane. Not sure why it made it into this group. This was part of a WWII warbird display at last year’s Sound of Speed airshow held at Rosecrans Memorial Airport in St. Joseph, Missouri.
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Gear Up
This is the “H2” variant of the Lockheed C-130H Hercules tactical airlift aircraft rising above the runway at Rosecrans Memorial Airport during the Speed of Sound Airshow in September of 2024. This is one of many aircraft of the 139th Airlift Wing (139 AW) of the Missouri Air National Guard at Rosecrans.
There is a phenomenon displayed in this image that I don’t believe I’ve photographed before. Notice the white spiral lines behind the propellers. They are tip vortices formed by the propeller. I found this description of what causes these lines on the web: “The pressure in the core of a vortex (such as that shed at the tip of an operating propeller, rotor, wing or extended flap) is reduced well below ambient pressure. The temperature is also lower than ambient because of the lowered pressure. If the temperature is lowered to the dew point, the water vapor will condense and become visible revealing the vortex core.”
I have seen the tip vortices trailing a jet’s wing tips, but I don’t recall seeing them from the propeller blade tips. I’ve learned it’s a fairly common occurrence. I didn’t notice them the day I was taking this photo, so I was surprised to see it when I viewed the photo on my computer screen.
By the way, I should have been using a slower shutter speed when capturing this image. A slower shutter speed would have given the propellers a bit of a blur, indicating movement. When the movement is frozen, as in this image, it seems odd to our brains and belies the incredible speed in which they rotate. I needed the faster shutter speed to better capture jets at this airshow, but should have had the presence of mind so reduce the shutter speed when shooting aircraft with propellers. (I guess I’ll have to keep my amateur status.)
You can get a better view of this image and the and the vortices by clicking on the photo to view a larger, more detailed version.
All of the photos I post are available for purchase. If you’d like to buy one, click on the blue “Buy this Online” bar below for a variety of print and frame options or contact me ([email protected]) for digital purchase and licensing options.
Doc’s Nose
This is a close-up of Doc’s nose. Doc is the name painted on the side of this historic aircraft; a vintage Boeing B-29 Superfortress. If you look closely, you can just barely see a painting of Doc, the character the plane is named for from Disney’s animated movie, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
This is an HDR image (three bracketed shots) that helped bring out the darker, interior of the aircraft. I find the intricate glass on the nose and metal frame a very cool design. I also like the way you can see reflections of people and surroundings in the polished stainless steel body of the aircraft. The polished metal surface and unique design elements highlight the historical significance of the airplane.
You can read about the history of this plane and the story of its restoration here: The B-29 Doc Story.
You can see a larger, more detailed version of this image by clicking on the photo.
Joined at the Hip
Four Thunderbirds F-16 fighter jets fly in a tight formation against a backdrop of blue sky and white clouds. The Thunderbirds, a flight demonstration unit of the United States Air Force, were performing at the Sound of Speed Airshow at Rosecrans Memorial Airport in St. Joseph, Missouri.
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All of the photos I post are available for purchase. If you’d like to buy one, click on the blue “Buy this Online” bar below for a variety of print and frame options or contact me ([email protected]) for digital purchase and licensing options.
Close Formation
In the air or on the ground, the United States Air Force Thunderbirds are impressive. Not only do they fly with precision, they park with precision too. (I’ll post a photo of them flying sometime soon.)
In this image the Thunderbird’s F-16 fighters are parked on the tarmac at Rosecrans Memorial Airport in St. Joseph, MO where later in the day they will be the featured performers at the Sound of Speed Airshow.
You can see a larger, wider version of this image by clicking on the photo.
All of the photos I post are available for purchase. If you’d like to buy one, click on the blue “Buy this Online” bar below for a variety of print and frame options or contact me ([email protected]) for digital purchase and licensing options.
Flipping the Light Fantastic
Talk about a wild ride! This spectacular light painting was created by a pair of acrobatic airplanes flying huge loop-the-loops in the night sky while shooting fireworks off their wings. Though this long exposure image gives the impression of a colorful chaos, it is actually very graceful and beautiful to watch. This was part of the night airshow at the EAA’s AirVenture 2019.
Because this is a long exposure shot, the people on the ground have a ghostly/blurry quality to them caused by them moving during the 26-seconds the shutter was open. The airplane on the ground didn’t move, so it remains sharp.
The night, fireworks-enhanced air show has improved over the years. You can view some long exposure shots I took at AirVenture 2013 by visiting this earlier post – Pathway to Glory.
You can view a larger, more detailed version of this image by clicking on the photo.
All of the photos I post are available for purchase. If you’d like to buy one, click on the blue “Buy this Online” bar below for a variety of print and frame options or contact me for digital purchase and licensing options.
The Flight Brothers
A beautiful historical display – these two venerated ,war birds flew together through the blue skies over Oshkosh, Wisconsin during an airshow at the EAA AirVenture 2019. The upper plane is “Quick Silver, a P-51D, Mustang. The lower plane is a Chance-Vought F4U-4 Corsair.
One of the aspects of AirVenture I appreciate most is their emphasis on honoring our veterans and the hardware our true heroes used to protect and serve. Both of these were used to protect and secure the freedom of others.
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All of the photos I post are available for purchase. If you’d like to buy one, click on the blue “Buy this Online” bar below for a variety of print and frame options or contact me for digital purchase and licensing options.
Dusting The Crop
A crop duster skillfully applied his trade to a blooming field of sunflowers in rural northeast Wisconsin.
I happened to be home mowing my lawn when I noticed a bright yellow plane buzzing my house. Well, it wasn’t really interested in my house. It was interested in the field of sunflowers across the road from our home. The sunflowers were just at the beginning of their bloom. It was fun to watch and difficult photograph. I could have done better if I had time to think and plan for this event. As it was, I just barely had time to run in the house and grab my camera and snap a few shots before the plane was off to another field.
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All of the photos I post are available for purchase. If you’d like to buy one, click on the blue “Buy this Online” bar below for a variety of print and frame options or contact me for digital purchase and licensing options.
Queen Monoplane
They don’t make them like this anymore. This is the Queen Monoplane – a part of early aviation history. As you can see by it’s markings, it was used to deliver mail. It is part of the historic aviation displays at the Experimental Aircraft Association’s (EAA) AirVenture Museum in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.
The E.A.A. museum is a very cool place to learn about the history of aviation. You’ll find historic aircraft and information from the Wright Brother’s flyer to spacecraft. They have a great Warbirds exhibit.
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All of the photos I post are available for purchase. If you’d like to buy one, click on the blue “Buy this Online” bar below for a variety of print and frame options or contact me for digital purchase and licensing options.
Flight At the Museum
The Air Racing and Aerobatics Gallery at the EAA AirVenture Museum displays an outstanding and colorful collection of classic air racers and high-flying stunt planes. The cool part is, these are the actual, history making aircraft. Many of them hang from the ceilings. Along with the planes, there are tons of trophies and memorabilia. The museum is located in Oshkosh, WI.
To view a larger, more detailed version of this image, click on the photo.
All of the photos I post are available for purchase. If you’d like to buy one, click on the blue “Buy this Online” bar below for a variety of print and frame options or contact me for digital purchase and licensing options.