ToM '22 Heritage Flight - P51 and F-16

One of my favorite events of any airshow is the Heritage Flight.  The Heritage Flight is a combination effort between an older era aircraft and a current generation aircraft.

In this case, the combination flight was the P-51D Mustang Bald Eagle and the F-16 from the Viper Demo Team.  Great colors.

As with any shot of a prop driven aircraft, slower shots are always a crap shoot and to get a few useable shots is a bonus.

This Viper Demo Team and I have crossed paths earlier this year at JB Charleston.  The post is here.  Odd fact, the most visited post of the year at 237.  That photo is one of my favorites for sure.  And one of these will be in that class as well.  That paint job is incredible.  And the Bald Eagle's paint job is pretty cool as well.

Heritage Flight P-51 and F-16 High Pass

NIKON D500 Ver.1.31/Nikkor 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6

435 mm, 1/200th sec, f/13, ISO 100

EV +0.33, Shutter Priority, Size DX

This one is going to be a favorite - fits on the monitor really well.  If I could get some snow on it, it would be in the running for this year's Christmas Card.

Heritage Flight P-51 and F-16 Show Pass

NIKON D500 Ver.1.31/Nikkor 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6

315 mm, 1/200th sec, f/16, ISO 100

EV +0.33, Shutter Priority, Size DX

WWII Air Pair - Kittyhawk and Hurricane

Nothing like a little pressure to get a good shot.  Pressure in that I never like to say once in a lifetime, I may see this pair again.  But probably not.  And pressure to get a prop driven aircraft.  It's not like an early jet flying where you can dial up the speed and almost ensure a crisp shot.  Shooting moving objects at 1/200th second or slower decreases the chance for a decent shot.  Pressure.

I'm settling in on a shutter speed of 1/200th of a second for my best chance of a WWII fighter class shot with acceptable prop blur.

The Thunder over Michigan '22 show featured some WWII fighter aircraft from the European theater.  And some others.

In the end, it doesn't matter to me as I'm happy to see whoever shows up and starts up those engines.

In this case, two Allied fighters take to the skis again.  A P-40 Kittyhawk and a Hawker Hurricane.  To me, a non-English major, this is poetry.  To me, the non-Art major, this is Art.

Kittyhawk and Hurricane Level Flight

NIKON D500 Ver.1.31/Nikkor 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6

420 mm, 1/200 sec, f/7.1, ISO 100

EV +1, Shutter Priority, Size DX

And this shot is quickly becoming a favorite as a screen background.

Kittyhawk and Hurricane Right Bank

NIKON D500 Ver.1.31/Nikkor 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6

420 mm, 1/200 sec, f/7.1, ISO 100

EV +1, Shutter Priority, Size DX

Good shots.

Super Saber F100-F Two Weekends in a Row

Last month had two airshows for me.  Both close to home.  One was a one day event, for me, and the other was a long weekend.  From what I can tell, there was only one aircraft that made both shows.  The Selfridge ANGB and Thunder over Michigan are not small shows.  I thought there would have been more crossover between the two shows within a few miles of each other.

The aircraft that made both shows was a North American Aviation F-100 Super Saber.

The Super Saber was designed/developed in the 50's, which makes it older than me.

The Super Saber was the first operational jet aircraft to exceed the speed of sound in level flight.  (Operational, not test.)  It was also the first jet fighter to cross the North Pole in 1959.  It was the first jet to enter the Viet Nam war.  The Super Saber has a place in history.

The aircraft is powered by a P&W J-57, which is where we cross paths.  This J-57 has an afterburner for extra thrust.  The J-57 I worked on used water to increase thrust on take-off.  But a J-57 is still a J-57.  It's all in the guts.

Photographically this is a tough bird to catch.  Polished scored aluminum.  On a sunny day, there is probably a hot spot somewhere.  Somehow I survived.  The first shot is from the Selfridge Open House, where the sky helped the shot a lot.  

F-100F in the air.

F-100F Inflight

NIKON D500 Ver.1.31/80.0-400.0 mm f/4.5-5.6

247 mm, 1/1250 sec, f/6.3, ISO 100

EV 0, Shutter Priority, Size DX

Another F-100F inflight shot, but this time there are two aircrew at the ToM show.  Fortunately there was heavy overcast which cut down on the sun hotspots.  The blue sky is due to heavy post processing and a RAW file format.  If I ever do another post on why I shoot RAW, this would be a test photo.

F-100F Straight and Level

NIKON D500 Ver.1.31/80.0-400.0 mm f/4.5-5.6

495 mm, 1/1250 sec, f/5.6, ISO 100

EV 0, MANUAL Mode, Size DX

I like takeoff shots, especially if there is something unique to capture.  Not that an afterburner shot is unique, but an older AB shot is interesting.  

F-100F AB Take Off

NIKON D500 Ver.1.31/80.0-400.0 mm f/4.5-5.6

540 mm, 1/1250 sec, f/5.6, ISO 800

EV +1, Shutter Priority, Size DX

I thought this last shot was a bit different.  Two in the cockpit.  For most taxi shots, there is only one.

F-100F Taxi with Two

NIKON D850 Ver.1.20/70.0-200.0 mm f/2.8

135 mm, 1/640 sec, f/5.0, ISO 64

EV 0, MANUAL Mode, Size FX

Neat aircraft to watch and listen to.  It is interesting to hear the differences between one of the early jet engines of the F-100 and the current generation of engines in modern aircraft.