ISnAP September 2018

Kevin Hong

WELCOME TO THE SEPTEMBER 2018 ISSUE OF ISnAP! It’s Definitely All About The Show - AirVenture 2018 Larry Grace, Geremy Kornreich, Brent Blue, Caroline Sheen, Craig Swancy, Dave Swartz, Graham Wesbury, Greg Drawbaugh, Jim Froneberger, Jim Koepnick, Jo Hunter, John Ford, John Freedman, Marc Farb, Matt McVicker, Michael Bellinger, Nick Moore, Peter Keller, Scott Slingsby, Vincent Trelut 24 Hours On The USS John C Stennis Brent Blue The D-Day Squadron Mission Scott Slingsby Yanks Air Museum Boneyard Hayman Tam How I Got The Shot!

Jim Sugar How I Got The Shot!

Joe Pulcinella Royal International Air Tattoo 2018 Review Su Khoo Shooting History Jay Miller Meet Our Members Rick Charles

FRONT COVER PHOTO: Jim Koepnick Lancair Evolution and Lancair IV over EAA AirVenture at Oshkosh BACK COVER: Larry Grace Saturday Fireworks Display at 2018 EAA AirVenture ISAP’s goal is to bring together our members who share a love of aviation, and want to preserve its history through their images. Through our organization, members can seek to enhance their artistic quality, advance technical knowledge, and improve safety for all areas of aviation photography while fostering professionalism, high ethical standards, and camaraderie.

ISAP continues to help our members to better their photography skills, workflow, and set up resources to help with business questions that our members have. Updates are being made to the ISAP website and member portfolio section, and we are showcasing ISAP members’ images and accomplishments on our social media pages.

In this issue we are continuing to highlight ISAP members. I’m sure you will enjoy learning how your fellow ISAP members got started, as well as seeing some of their images and learning some tips. Remember that ISnAP is your publication to share your images, stories and tips with other members and the public. We look forward to each member sharing his or her stories with all of us.

Enjoy this issue of ISnAP! Sincerely, Larry Grace, President Kevin Hong, ISnAP Editor International Society for Aviation Photography www.aviationphoto.org • www.facebook.com/ISAPorg isnap@aviationphoto.org

Kevin Hong

w e l c o m e

n e w

a n d

r e t u r n i n g

i s a p

m e m b e r s

Frederic Charles

Ian Kreidich

Rodman Reilly

Kelly Tarala

Paul Csizmadia

David LaCombe

John Ringquist

Robert Talarczyk

Robert “Bob” Driver

Robert Lionel

Adrian Romang

Dennis Biela

Ed Faith

Thomas P. McManus

Andres Magai Seibt

Sean Bravener

Jose Fernandez

Milan Ovecka

Erik Simonsen

Peter Keller

Justin De Reuck

David M Swartz

The ISnAP is a periodic publication of the International Society for Aviation Photography and is used to communicate news, functions, convention information, and other information of interest on the local, regional, and national scenes. The views and opinions expressed in this magazine are those of the authors and should not be construed as the views or opinions of the International Society for Aviation Photography.

Larry Grace • ISAP President

IT’S DEFINITELY ALL ABOUT

THE SHOW!

Every year the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA), an international organization based in Oshkosh hosts the largest general aviation event in the world. EAA AirVenture Oshkosh (formerly the EAA Annual Convention and Fly-In) is an annual gathering of aviation enthusiasts held each summer at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.

During the gathering, the airport’s control tower is the busiest in the world.

The show lasts a week around the beginning of the last Monday in July.

See the 2018 EAA AirVenture through the lenses of ISAP members attending the daily events and airshow throughout the week.

EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2018 Facts and Figures Comment from EAA Chairman Jack Pelton: “A ‘perfect’ event may be unattainable, but AirVenture 2018 came about as close as one could imagine. The combination of outstanding programs, aircraft variety, a robust economy, and good weather combined to complement the efforts of our staff and 5,000 volunteers throughout the grounds. The week was upbeat, exciting, and filled with many ‘Only at Oshkosh’ moments.”

Attendance: Approximately 601,000, nearly two percent above of 2017’s record total.

Comment from Pelton: “EAA members and aviation enthusiasts attended in large numbers, even without the presence of a military jet team as we had in 2017. Our efforts to create unique attractions and aviation highlights across the grounds were incredibly successful. Attendance on opening day was the best in our history, as the vast majority of our guests came to Oshkosh early and stayed throughout the week.”

Total aircraft: More than 10,000 aircraft arrived at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh and other airports in east-central Wisconsin. At Wittman alone, there were 19,588 aircraft operations in the 11-day period from July 20-30, which is an average of approximately 134 takeoffs/landings per hour.

Total show planes: 2,979 (second straight year over 2,900): 1,160 homebuilt aircraft (5 percent increase), 1,094 vintage airplanes, 377 warbirds (7 percent increase), 185 ultralights and light-sport aircraft, 75 seaplanes, 22 rotorcraft, 52 aerobatic aircraft, and 14 hot air balloons.

Camping: More than 12,300 sites in aircraft and drive-in camping accounted for an estimated 40,000 visitors.

Commercial exhibitors: 867.

Forums, Workshops, and Presentations: A total of 1,500 sessions attended by more than 75,000 people.

EAA aircraft flights: 2,800 people flew aboard EAA’s Ford Tri-Motors, while 3,032 people flew aboard EAA’s Bell 47 helicopters and 680 flew aboard EAA’s B-17 Aluminum Overcast.

Social Media, Internet and Mobile: More than 12 million people were reached by EAA’s social media channels during AirVenture, including 5.5 million via Facebook videos; EAA’s website had more than 1.7 million page views; EAA video clips during the event were viewed 2.2 million times; and EAA’s 2,400 photo uploads were viewed more than 12.4 million times. Additionally, EAA web streams were accessed nearly 800,000 times by viewers in more than 200 countries, who watched more than 170,000 hours of activities from the AirVenture grounds. The AirVenture app was downloaded and used by nearly 50,000 attendees.

Guests registered at International Visitors Tent: A record 2,714 visitors registered from 87 nations, also a record total. (Actual counts may be higher since international visitor registration is voluntary.) Top countries represented by registered visitors: Canada (538 visitors), Australia (386), and South Africa (277).

Media: 976 media representatives on-site, from six continents.

Economic impact*: $170 million for the five counties in the Oshkosh region (Winnebago, Outagamie, Fond du Lac, Calumet, and Brown).* - based on 2017 University of Wisconsin Oshkosh economic impact study.

What’s ahead for EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2019 (July 22-28, 2019) Comment from Pelton: “We are celebrating our 50th consecutive year in Oshkosh during 2019, so we’ll be looking back on a half-century of unforgettable highlights at Wittman Regional Airport, and planning activities that involve EAA’s hometown and its unique place in aviation history. While 2018 is barely in the record books, we’re talking to many groups and individuals with intriguing new ideas for aircraft, innovations, exhibits, and events. We’re already planning for 2019 and are looking forward to announcing features and attractions very soon.”

EAA AirVenture relies heavily on volunteers, who arrive in the weeks leading up to the air show.

The tasks they perform range from parking cars and airplanes, to painting buildings, to helping set up and tear down concerts and shows presented by the EAA..

Larry Grace

Larry Grace

EAA AirVenture relies heavily on volunteers, who arrive in the weeks leading up to the air show. The tasks they perform range from parking cars and airplanes, to painting buildings, to helping set up and tear down concerts and shows presented by the EAA..

DenisGrace Larry Rouleau

DenisGrace Larry Rouleau

Larry Grace

Larry Grace

Larry Grace

Larry Grace

Geremy Kornreich

Nathan K. Hammond of GhostWriter Airshows launches copious fireworks from his 1956 de Havilland Super Chipmunk in the rescheduled night airshow on Thursday evening at EAA AirVenture 2018.

Geremy Kornreich

Greg McNeely readies his North American T-6G “Texan” for flight during the Thursday afternoon airshow at EAA AirVenture 2018.

Pilot Jeff Boerboon hurtles his one-of-a-kind Yak 110, created by combining two Yak-55 aerobatic airplanes with an additional jet engine, through the skies during the Thursday afternoon airshow at EAA AirVenture 2018.

Long-time airshow veteran and continuing crowd dazzler Sean D. Tucker thrills the spectators in his highly modified Pitts Special during the Thursday afternoon airshow at EAA AirVenture 2018.

The FLS Microjet was flown by Justin “Shmed� Lewis during the Thursday afternoon airshow at EAA AirVenture 2018. The tiny jet is a rare sight, even in airshow skies.

Geremy Kornreich

Kent Beckham, Dave Hewitt, Marco Rusconi, and Pete Spencer comprise the Canadian Harvard Aerobatic Team, flying the Harvard, an international version of the T-6 Texan. They performed this tongue-in-cheek but complex maneuver during the Thursday afternoon airshow at EAA AirVenture 2018.

Kirby Chambliss and his Edge 540 fly close, non-parallel formation with an M600 from sponsor Piper during the Thursday afternoon airshow at EAA AirVenture 2018.

Four Aero L-39 Albatros jets perform on Thursday during the afternoon airshow at EAA AirVenture 2018. The former Czech trainer aircraft have become a mainstay for aerobatic, racing, and high-performance jet flyers in the United States.

Military and Civilian onlookers share an aviation moment as a USAF Boeing C-17 Globemaster II flies over them and a pair of rare Grumman F7F Tigercats during the Thursday afternoon airshow at EAA AirVenture 2018.

Brent Blue

Denis Blue Brent Rouleau

Denis Blue Brent Rouleau

Brent Blue

Caroline Sheen

Grove of trees where I camped.

One Shot Sheen’s 3 day Oshkosh walkabout 20 years of going to AirVenture, I camped for the first time! BUT --it was memorable because it was in the Vintage area with some veteran pilots and volunteers who come every year. The camaraderie was terrific! But as a rookie camping at Oshkosh, I wasn’t prepared for the Wednesday night storm! Oshkosh weather has it all from stifling heat to cold fronts with wild winds. Only Cabela tents from now on!

In 3 days (usually come for a full week) tried to get a snapshot view from one end of the flight light -Warbirds ---to the other point--Seaplane Base (my favorite).

What is it about the Oshkosh journey many of us like to make every year?

For me, every year has been different. Enjoy seeing colleagues again within the aviation circle, and meeting new friends, the variety of aircraft, the experts who speak, and the serendipity of coming across stories that can only be found here.

Caroline Sheen

AirCam at dusk at Seaplane port.

Curious young pilot in the making checks out the underside of a 1945 Grumman FM-2.

Kermit Weeks WWI aircraft on display with a daily airshow.

It always helps to have a Vintage 1950 Cessna 190 to hang your towels.

Caroline Sheen

It’s always fun to fly with the Phillips 66 Aerostars.

International visitors come from all over the world to attend this event.

The Aeroshell Aerobatic Team takes the time to sign some autographs.

Glenn Peck from Creve Coeur is a very eccentric but one of the best at Restorations and wins awards all the time.

He’s standing in front of his 1932 Curtiss- Wright Air Sedan. It originally started life as a Travel Air.

Caroline Sheen

Thumbs up from Sean D. Tucker with the new National Air & Space Museum Director, Ellen Stofan. Sean D. Tucker’s Oracle Challenger III high-performance aircraft will hang in the future We All Fly exhibition at NASM. This will be Sean Tucker’s last year performing at EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh.

Craig Swancy

The Museum at EAA Oshkosh is truly one of the best air museums in the U.S. The variety of aircraft are well displayed and maintained.

The museum staff have worked hard to properly light and display originals, replicas, and restored famous aircraft from our country and abroad. Sadly I put off visiting this museum for years until recently.

A mistake I admit freely.

I would urge all EAA members as well ISAP members to set aside at least a half day to visit and take in the quality of aircraft on display.

Famous relics are ready for some creative photography if you bring a camera and tripod. From a replica of the Wright Flyer to the very first P-51 prototype. A wide variety of civilian and military aircraft. From old to new with a nice variety of one-off airplanes.

Pick a day and take the family. Food and drinks are available. This one is worth the time to share with the family.

Craig Swancy

Craig Swancy

Craig Swancy

Well after several years of attending EAA AirVenture I finally made it down to the Ultralights and found a great place to photograph touch and go’s along with takeoffs and landings. These folks are having fun and improving their skills.

Everyone had a big smile on their face as they flew the pattern and practiced touch and go’s. You could see the pride in their aircraft as all were neatly washed, cleaned, or freshly painted. The Air Operations at Ultralights was working on safety as the pilots seemed to be in tune.

I would highly recommend spending a few hours photographing these aircraft and this makes great practice on trying to catch the larger and faster aircraft on the main runways.

Craig Swancy

Dave Swartz

This year was my golden opportunity to attend an entire week of AirVenture. My hope was to see as many displays and areas as time allowed. The warbird section was interesting and historical commentary…fascinating. My goal however for the week overall was to photograph as much variety as possible, especially the air shows.

The events did not disappoint.

Each day I would get to the flight line early to reserve a spot without obstructions. I was fortunate to secure front line positioning most days.

Some days were long and tiring riding the bus to the main entrance then walking as it seemed for miles and miles, then anxiously waiting for the daytime airshows. There were always aircraft overhead from sky typing to F-16’s to T-6’s to the occasional Cessna. AirVenture is a photographer’s dream.

The incredible skill and precision the pilots demonstrated was amazing as they performed flawlessly. I’m still trying to count how many colors are on Bill Stein’s airplane. Gene Soucy’s showcase was one of my favorites as well as Matt Younkin’s Twin Beech. Team Aeroshell provided delightful lines and symmetry and Sean Tucker’s ability was a thing of awe. The night shows were breathtaking.

There were countless, inspiring moments and performers that space does not allow for here. Talking with a few of the paratroopers, all 60+ in age was inspiring. Seeing the Blue Angels start the program was a highlight itself. Returning home with gigabytes of imagery tells the full story of my experience at AirVenture in 2018. The following images tell a little of that story and I am pleased to share my vision.

Dave Swartz

Dave Swartz

Dave Swartz

Gary Daniels

One special aspect about AirVenture is the genuinely friendly people you meet throughout the day. No matter where you are, you can’t help but strike up a conversation. Whether standing under the wing of a warbird, sharing a table during lunch, sitting on the show line during one of the airshows…you are never talking to a stranger.

happening every day of the event. Eighteen-hour days can be the norm when you figure in all the planning, travel, shooting and processing to have imagery ready for the start of the next day. This hectic pace starts a few days before the gates open and continues until after the last aviation nut has left more than a week later!

On one of these occasions, I was talking to an older gentleman who was a Wisconsin local. He was wearing a floppy hat festooned with many pins from past AirVentures. He told me that this was his 44th time at Oshkosh! This was only my fourth time, and he’s been coming since the 70’s! I completely understand the strong connection that keeps him and countless others coming year after year. I have been hooked ever since I first arrived in a friend’s Bonanza in 2010. And that connection to Oshkosh led me to accept an invitation.

I had to be honest with myself when considering the invitation.

The distance from one end of Wittman Regional to the other is significant and, even though my mind tells me I am 25, my feet remind me that I am not a young whippersnapper. If you don’t have a golf-cart then you have to hoof it to your assignments. The thought of long days and miles of terra firma to cover caused me to compromise. Since I would be at the event for only five days, I told Connor I would volunteer the first four days of AirVenture and leave the last day of my visit to explore on my own…that was a good call on my part.

This past February, I received an email from Connor Madison, EAA staff photographer, inviting me to volunteer with the photo/video team during the 2018 AirVenture. Now, it’s no secret that the EAA photographers and videographers are burned down to the ground during the week of AirVenture. The scope of the event is massive, and so much is

I arrived Friday evening with fellow ISAPers Gary Edwards and Craig Swancy and we set up camp in Scholler at RV site N388. I picked up my media credentials and checked in at the EAA photo building on Sunday. Connor and several members of the team greeted me

warmly. They explained their processes, showed me how to upload to their impressive archives, and gave me assignments for the next three days. They were very organized. I was also given a “hi-vis” vest with large EAA PHOTO 25 on the back. I was official…now get out there and take pictures!

Over the next few days, I covered special events, took detailed static shots of various aircraft to supplement the air-to-air imagery taken by other photographers of the same aircraft, and roamed my assigned area to take general imagery to ‘capture the spirit’ of AirVenture.

My evenings were spent culling and processing images to have them ready to upload at the start of the next day. I popped into the photo building a couple of times each day, and it was always a cheerful beehive of activity.

On Wednesday, I turned in my vest and said my goodbyes. My take away: I was very impressed with the fun attitude of the team and the great imagery being captured. Although, I was glad to be ‘off the clock,’ I was thankful to have been a small part of the huge effort.

By the way, 56 staff, contract and volunteer photographers and videographers worked the event. Check out the EAA Flickr site. To date, it has had more than 16 million views.

Gary Daniels

Gary Daniels

Gary Edwards • ISAP Treasurer

Gary Edwards

Gary Edwards

Gary Edwards

Graham Wesbury

I’m crazy about airplanes, and everything about them. As a fourteen-year old, I have ten hours of flight instruction, I’ve visited dozens of aviation museums, I’ve taken tens of thousands of pictures of these flying machines, and my parents have taken me to airshows for as long as I can remember.

But one experience tops them all. EAA’s AirVenture is special for every person in the aviation spectrum. AirVenture has become my favorite place to meet and socialize with fellow enthusiasts, while seeing almost every type of airplane imaginable.

AirVenture 2018 was a particularly special year for me. It was my third time, but by far my most memorable. Through a good friend of my fathers, Michael Tippin, I was introduced to Wayne Boggs, the Oshkosh Airboss. Wayne introduced me to Larry Grace himself, who I was especially excited to meet. As an airshow photography novice, I had more to learn that I ever knew before I started.

To start the day, I made a trip to the warbirds and because of an invitation from the Airboss, I then went to the Air Operations Center – possibly the best place to view all the flying activity. But more than that, it became the opportunity of a lifetime. Larry Grace walked the talk of EAA when it says it wants to help young aviation enthusiasts.

On the flightline, Larry took me aside and gave me invaluable pointers.

For instance, he started by teaching me foot placement and how to keep a steady hand on the camera.

As the airshow started, he also gave some key pointers as to camera functions and panning the aircraft as they fly. With Sean D. Tucker performing his show just a few hundred feet away, I had thought that the day couldn’t have gone any better. Clearly, I was wrong.

As the airshow performances continued, I was handed an orange vest.

Shortly after, I was taken by Larry across the flightline and past taxiway papa. This provided a completely unobstructed, close up view of the performances, takeoffs, and landings. Starting off with the Canadian Harvards, I could immediately feel how much closer we were to the action. Listening and hearing all the performances up close, like we did, was an unforgettable experience, made even better when I realized that Thursday was the Early Jet review. Experiencing the pioneering technology that flew (and fought!) in the Korean War, and beyond, was something to behold.

As the day progressed, and the light slowly began to fade, the daily airshow activities started to wind down. However, due to weather that rolled through the area on Wednesday, the night show had been moved to Thursday! As I strolled around Boeing Plaza I was able to capture some golden hour shots, which happens to be my favorite time

Graham Wesbury

to shoot. I was also able to view the arrival of American’s “Honor Flight” positioning flight. The night airshow is one of the most incredible things to see in aviation. From the ‘Wall of Fire’ to fireworks strapped to airplanes, it is truly one of the most unique experiences for anyone.

In the end, AirVenture is a fantastic time for anyone, regardless of knowledge, expertise or age. There are hundreds of vendors, aircraft, and people to meet for anyone who shares the common interest that is aviation. A huge thank you to Michael Tippin, Wayne Boggs, Larry Grace, and the entire AirVenture team for making the show such a special experience.

Graham Wesbury

Graham Wesbury

Greg Drawbaugh

A F-22 Raptor makes an impressive departure from Oshkosh 2018.

Greg Drawbaugh

Two Burning and One Turning, Honeywell 757 N757HW departs from Oshkosh during the afternoon airshow.

The USO ladies from the Warbird Living History Group with Mel Presely’s Howard DGA-15.

Maybe Too Many for Today’s Flight is a dilemma faced by the USO ladies from the Warbird Living History Group with Mel Presely’s Howard DGA-15.

F-16 “Viper” and A-1H “Skyraider” Heritage Flight from Oshkosh a few weeks ago.

I was not in a prime spot for this shot, as this was actually quite backlit.

Greg Drawbaugh

Heather Hodge as Fifinella with “Ain’t Misbehavin’” P-51D.

Shane and Bryana Van Linn, part of the Warbirds Living History Group.

Greg Drawbaugh

One of two F7F Tigercats at Oshkosh in 2018, this is F7F-3N NX379AF.

F-16 “Viper” making a pass through the pyro smoke at Oshkosh.

My first air-to-air experience, thanks to Hunter and Kelly for making my dream come true.

“Smoke ON� Vultee BT-13 over Lake Winnebago, my very first air-to-air experience and shoot.

Greg Drawbaugh

Jeffrey Jared, Sr’s Northrup F-5A N685TC departs during the Saturday airshow at Oshkosh.

Jim Froneberger

EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin is an event like none other in the world.

For a week every July, Wittman Regional Airport becomes the world’s busiest, with an incredible variety aircraft ranging from the largest and fastest military jets to the smallest and slowest ultralights and experimental homebuilt aircraft.

The daily airshow features the world’s best airshow pilots, vintage warbirds, and one-of-a-kind aircraft like Jeff Boerboon’s Yak 110 – two Yak 55 airframes joined together to form one airplane, with a jet engine added as a bonus!

AirVenture has something for every aviation taste!

Jim Froneberger

Jim Froneberger

Jim Froneberger

Jim Koepnick

Phillips 66 Aerostars practicing north of Oshkosh. Sigma 14-24 Art lens on a Sony a7r3 camera.

Jim Koepnick

F22 climbs out during the Saturday air show. Sigma 150-600 Contemporary lens on a Sony a9 camera.

CAF P51 at sunset. Sigma 150-600 Contemporary lens on a Sony a9 camera.

Lancair Evolution and Lancair IV over Lake Michigan. Sigma 100-400 Contemporary lens on a Sony a9 camera.

Redline airshow performs in the Thursday night air show. Sigma 14-24 Art lens on a Sony a7r3 camera.

Jim Koepnick

Fireworks finale of the Thursday night air show. Sigma 14-24 Art lens on a Sony a7r3 camera.

Lancair Evolution over Lake Michigan. Sigma 100-400 Contemporary lens on a Sony a9 camera.

Redline air show performing in the Saturday night air show. Sigma 14-24 Art lens on a Sony a7r3 camera.

Redline airshow performs in the Thursday night air show. Sigma 14-24 Art lens on a Sony a7r3 camera.

Jim Koepnick

Jo Hunter

Jo Hunter

Jo Hunter

Jo Hunter

John Ford

This is the second time I have been to Oshkosh and I had a plan. I was going to rent an RV and stay on the grounds and shoot both at sunrise and sunset, skimping on the middle of the day. I even shipped out my desktop computer so I could do some editing and a little photoshop.

Two years ago I tried to get to the show early but they won’t let you park or enter before 7 a.m. The sky is bright about 5 a.m. It is truism that the EAA airshow at Oshkosh is an ass kicker. Even though I got lots of rides all around the grounds and I still walked over 48 miles in seven days, it just about killed this 60 year old man. As with all plans they tend to fall apart and this occasion was no different.

The RV had some problems, the computer worked perfect though.

The food I cooked was okay and much cheaper than at the show.

However, the guys staying in space N-388 brought a chef along so I will be looking into that next year. My location was M-286, that is about 1.5 miles from Fighter town (according to the health app on my phone) and with 25 pounds of camera gear it was a bit of a hike just to get where I wanted to shoot. I never did make a sunrise, got close a couple of times. I was out there early and I got some great shots. Sunset shooting was much easier to make than sunrise. I also got some great shots at sunset. Overall my plan worked. It needs some tweaking but I plan to come back next year in the same fashion.

John Ford

John Ford

John Freedman

John Freedman

John Freedman

John Freedman

Marc Farb

As a Tech-Rep/Photographer for Sigma, I have had the chance to photograph an incredible amount of unique and interesting things over the past 25 years. I have always had a love/fascination with aviation and planes and all things motorized.

For the past seven years I have been teased and taunted with this annual event that takes place in a beautiful spot in middle America called EAA AirVenture. It’s a really neat week long camp out for 600,000 people and more than 10,000 aircraft, meeting friends and families and making friends.

For three and an half days I shot frame after frame of the most interesting people and aircraft. It’s more than I have ever seen over the years. While shooting the daily airshows was incredible, the most gratifying thing to shoot this time was more about the details, the real heart and soul of the event.

I had a great vantage point to capture the best portraits. It gave me a chance to see something special. While I have an absolute love of anything photographic, I captured what I think is the quintessential essence of aviation. Showing images of man and machine and the absolute passion they have while in the act of flying them is incredible. You can see from the images that these people have found that the thing that transcends them into nirvana. I hope you enjoy viewing these photographs as much as I have taking them.

Matt McVicker

Matt McVicker

Matt McVicker

Michael Bellinger

At one point words that I never thought I would utter came out of my mouth: “You know, I’m almost tired of shooting aircraft today.”

You’ll notice that I qualified that statement with “almost”, because then another piece of aviation history appeared before me and I raised the camera yet again to my eye.

I’m not sure anyone could blame me for having the thought – I had already been at AirVenture for over five days, and a few days before I had arrived in the UK for RIAT or the Royal International Air Tattoo for another six days, PLUS a couple of days before that for the RAF Centenary Flyover at Buckingham Palace! All in all almost the entire month of July was spent traveling and holding a camera to my face capturing metal and wood flying through the air.

This was not my first trip to AirVenture, but it had been a while since my last attendance. (I actually just went back to dig out my old patches to make sure it was still called AirVenture back then!) Back in 1997-1999 I was actually a volunteer for Warbird Security and spent many a day and night surrounded by warbirds. Needless to say, things have changed quite a bit! The scope, the size, the people, the exhibits – everything seemed to just be bigger and more of it than ever before.

But of course you go to something like AirVenture for the planes and it did not disappoint. Even after spending a week overseas seeing aircraft rare to American soil I was still snapping my neck around going “What was THAT!?” and “Wait, they have one of THOSE here!!?” I have a number of birding friends, and I’ve borrowed one of their terms for seeing a bird you’ve never seen before: a “Life Bird”. At RIAT that included a pair of flying de Havilland Vampire fighters, and a Gloster Meteor. Here at Oshkosh it included things like a S-3 Viking, a FJ-4 Fury, and a MiG-17.

And since it was the 80th anniversary of the T-6 Texan trainer aircraft (also known as the SNJ for the Navy and the Harvard for the Canadians and British) there were more of them than I had ever seen in one place.

And of course the military planes were extremely outnumbered by the General aviation camp. I’m a real scrub when it comes to GA – I can tell your Bonanza from a Pilatus and a Cessna 172 from a Piper Cub – but having to tell a King Air from a Baron? Sheesh! So then I was surrounded

by Travel Air’s, Piper Vagabond’s, and a Fairchild FC-2-W2, things I only identified by cheating and looking up the N-number on Google. All in all the size and scope of aircraft was astounding; from the smallest French Cri-Cri to the massive C-5M Super Galaxy.

Equipment wise I was outfitted with a Nikon D500, Nikon D750, Nikkor 24-120mm walk around lens, a Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8, Nikkor 17-35 wide angle, plus a Nikkor 200-500mm rental from LensRental, which seemed to cover all the bases quite well. The Nikkor 80-400mm would also have worked well, especially when I was at the front of the crowd line, right next to the taxiway. And a big shout out to the guys at the Nikon Professional Services building on site, who were always willing to help out with a cleaning, lens, body or even a ice cream sandwich!

Of course there were bound to be some disappointments. I had been looking forward to seeing the XP-82 Twin Mustang, but it was a no show.

And the Wednesday Night Air Show was canceled when Mother nature decided to put on Her own show, complete with lightning and torrential rain, which also meant my cameras were packed away when the B-1 did a full afterburner spiraling climb into the clouds. Boo! But getting a chance to shoot with fellow ISAP members and swap stories and images later that night was an experience that I’m hoping to repeat come next year.

Michael Bellinger

Michael Bellinger

Michael Bellinger

Nick Moore • © EAA Photography

Nick Moore • © EAA photography

Nick Moore • © EAA photography

Nick Moore • © EAA photography

Peter Keller

Somber moment as I watched these two fellas whom I might guess are a couple of veterans checking out the ol’ Corsair. The old warbird was a dark blue but it was the Stars & Stripes that struck me.

Peter Keller

Piedmont Airlines (Gene Soucy) at your service!

Douglas A-1 Skyraider, USAF markings reproduced from Vietnam, as “Wiley Coyote”.

The completely refurbished cockpit of the C-47, “That’s All Brother”.

“That’s All Brother” – The C-47 that carried the first of the paratroopers to the Normandy Invasion. Completely refurbished, plans are to have it back over the skies of Normandy for the commemoration of the 75th Anniversary of D-Day.

Peter Keller

Model and nose artist reproducing the “Hairless Joe” inscription on the nose of the C-47 flown by Dick Cole, Jimmy Doolittle’s copilot. He is the last surviving member of Doolittle Raid. This reproduction honored Dick and was presented to him as a surprise.

The B-17 “Yankee Lady” on display at Oshkosh.

The sixth annual Yellow Ribbon Honor Flight returns to Oshkosh from its flight to Washington D.C.

Parting shot: F-16 sitting silently in front of the “World’s Busiest Control Tower”.

Peter Keller

Heritage Flight – F-16 Viper Demonstration Team member flanked by P-51’s.

Scott Slingsby

Although my time at AirVenture 2018 was a little shorter than past years, it was no less entertaining. Anticipation was high for the arrival of the XP-82 Twin Mustang, but unfortunately the necessary paperwork arrived too late to make the airshow. It will be a show stopper next year. Others on my short list of planes at which to point my lens were the, not one but two Grumman F7F Tigercats, the grey Corsair, the Yak 110 and the Travel Air Tour planes that were barnstorming across the country prior to arriving in Oshkosh.

Day one is usually time to get the lay of the land and see who’s in town. Also, getting some necessary panning practice at the end of the runway. I do fine with the Cessna’s and Cherokees of the world but was in need of some fine tuning to catch some of the fast movers like later in the week. The highlight of the day was watching sixty two Mooney’s arrive at the same time!

The show opened on Monday, and I started checking things off my list, Tigercat, ground and air shots, check, Grey Corsair, check and, one that has eluded me for some time, the CAF’s Curtiss Helldiver.

With afternoon fast approaching, it was time to head to the flight line to knock rust off my panning skills. Thankfully it’s not a one day airshow because more practice was needed. The sky for the show was uninspiring, grey overcast and just plain ole dull. But as the day wore on, we could see the skies to the west clearing. Maybe we’d have some good light to work with after all. With a little haze in air, we were rewarded with a beautiful Wisconsin summer sunset and spent the rest of the evening taking in the last light of the day glowing against some of WWII’s finest machines.

The next two days were spent changing things up. Having shot the airshow from the show line the prior three years, this year we spent time down in the warbirds area. The main airshow takes place along the north-south runway but most of the acts launch from the eastwest runway, so there’s plenty of action to be had. What I was after were shots of the C-47s, T-6s and others on their main gear, taking off and landing. This was the spot. In addition to the regular show planes, we were treated to numerous departures of EAA’s B-17 “Aluminum Overcast”. There’s nothing like the sound of a round motor, but to hear four in sync from the Flying Fortress was just music to my ears.

Earlier in the week I got a call from a close friend of mine, Pete Somers who is a UPS MD-11 captain. We go back more than 35 years and, though not a certified instructor, I learned more about aviation from him than anyone else. I credit him with keeping my backside in one piece for all these years. So when he asked if I could shoot a friend of his that was crewing the MD-11 in Boeing Square, I jumped at it.

I met up with Jeff Gentz, captain, check airman, instructor pilot and Jack-of-all-trades, on the MD-11 mid morning to grab some shots.

As luck would have it, a friend of Jeff’s, a vice president from Goodyear, showed up at the same time. Of course he went home with shots of himself next to Goodyear’s finest rubber underneath the UPS widebody. Jeff did say that before the MD-11 left for Oshkosh he made sure every tire on that plane was a Goodyear.

I made sure my final day at the show was a relaxing one. After swinging seven pounds of body and lens around, it was time for a break. Time to let the kid in me free and wander around to see what else there was on the field. First stop, the media center where after a briefing from the D-Day Squadron, I and a number of others were selected for a ride on a C-47. I’ll expand on this in another article but if I was smart I would’ve bought a lottery ticket that day too.

With the ride in the books, it was time to roam around. First stop, the gift shop to see if I could find something for my wife to dangle from her ears. She deserves something for putting up with my aviation -obsessed life. What I found was WWII Triple Ace Col. Bud Anderson conducting a book signing. That’s one you don’t pass up so I got in line and added another signed book to my collection. The search continued for dangly things for the Missus.

Off to the exhibit hangars to see if I could find a reasonable ADS-B system for the Cherokee my father and I have owned for the last 25 years. After a discussion with the Stratus people, I had all the answers I needed. Moving on, I stopped by Chris Cross’ photo display. I’ve long been a fan of his work and felt honored that he took 15 minutes of his day to chat with me about a couple of his Photoshop techniques. I will be searching YouTube soon to look up Gradient Masks.

Next up, a trip to the Piper display. Now, my wife talked to Piper through her Instagram feed and told them I would stop over. She’d like me to upgrade the Cherokee to a Seminole. We need to discuss about that one. Stopping in to see the Seminole I was amazed at the avionics package it had, the Garmin G1000. This is a far cry from the Seminole I got my multi-engine rating in back about 1985. I think it puts the avionics to shame in the Citation I fly now. Needless to say, I walked away with a t-shirt instead of a new plane. That was much easier on the checkbook. Now to break it to my wife…

Final destination for me was to secure a future interview for an ISnAP article in Vermont later this summer. I spent an enjoyable hour chatting airplanes with the owners, and locked in the interview. This was a good day all around.

Albeit a little shorter than past AirVentures, this one was just as memorable. I renewed old acquaintances, met some new ones that were cyber friends on Facebook and packed as much as I could in five days. Now the fun begins, culling through thousands of images.

Scott Slingsby

Oh, the earrings for my wife, they had to be ordered when I got home.

Scott Slingsby

Scott Slingsby

Vincent Trelut

2018 was my third year at Oshkosh, and compared to the two previous editions of AirVenture, I noticed an extraordinary array of unique, bizarre aircraft of all kinds and times, gathered at Wittman Field to surprise us. As a photographer I was particularly stimulated by the Yak-110, a unique American-Russian blend of piston and jet engines built from two Yak-55 airframes, with two cockpits and only one pilot, the aerobatics flying Rutan Long-EZ, the Honeywell Boeing 757 flying test-bed with its sole turboprop engine on the nose’s starboard side, the WWII training gliders with a gliding ratio of merely 10, coming all the way from Oregon …There was even a French Colombian “CriCri” and a Royal Air Force autogyro! I was overwhelmed by such a huge variety of surprises.

In addition, I was excited by quite a few performances: I was amazed by the Super Chipmunk Ghost Writer with its flares during the night shows; the wing walking by Gene Soucy & Teresa Stokes was great, as well as the ribbon cutting by Skip Stewart and the illuminated para-gliders with flares. I was thrilled by the F-22 Raptor’s afterburners lighting the sky before twilight. I also enjoyed the authentic rotary engines from WWI with detailed mechanical explanations by Kermit Weeks himself.

The warbirds were less prominent this year, and for me the most attractive and unique ones were the two Grumman F-7F Tigercats: not only is it rare to see more than one Tigercat flying, but on top of that these two rolled out of the Grumman assembly line literally one after the other, hence their numbering. There was also a discreet Northrop F-5 Tiger II, among many Oshkosh classics.

Finally, I met with many friends and Oshkosh is a great event thanks to the special interaction with people: this time I was charmed by many vintage ladies, including reenactors, the Ladies for Liberty… and friendly pilots and photographers, of course!

Vincent Trelut

Vincent Trelut

Vincent Trelut

Scott Diussa

Just a small group of the ISAP photographers attending AirVenture, a few others of our members missed the group photo due to work assignments or photo ops at the time of the photo. Thanks to the staff of Nikon NPS (Scott Diussa, JC Carey, and Brian Aho, and Francis Yeh) for the hospitality and help during the week of AirVenture.

24 HOURS ON THE

USS JOHN Article and photos by Brent Blue

I have the great fortune to spend 24 hours on the USS John C Stennis during Certification Qualifications during August. Having access to almost all the ship (except the nuclear reactor and ordinance areas), photo opportunities were abundant. The sailors on this ship were outstanding and I have included several shots of them as well.

C STENNIS

Brent Blue

N O R D A U Q S THE D-DAY

N O I S MIS Article and photos by

Scott Slingsby

In the days leading up to AirVenture 2018, ISAP President Larry Grace informed me of the D-Day Squadron press conference scheduled to take place on Thursday July 26th. After the briefing there would be a media flight in one of the C-47s for which he entered our names in the drawing. I thought if I were selected, it would be a great way to finish off my five days at AirVenture.

Having arrived at the media center early Thursday morning it was apparent that this briefing was going to be well attended. It was standing room only. After all, who wouldn’t want a ride in one these old workhorses?

After a briefing from Moreno “Mo” Aguiari, Executive director of the D-Day Squadron, it was time to see who was going on the media ride.

With what was probably the best attended of all the media briefings that week, I figured odds were pretty low I’d be selected, but you never know. Mo announced that three C-47s would be flying the rides, not just one, as I previously thought. My odds just went up and before I knew it, I was picked to fly on the C-47 Virginia Ann.

The D-Day Squadron’s mission is to fly a fleet of restored World War II DC-3/C-47 aircraft across the Atlantic to be part of a larger operation, Daks Over Normandy. The plan is to have 30 aircraft staged at Duxford airfield in Cambridgeshire, England and drop 250 paratroopers over the shore of Normandy to commemorate the 75th anniversary of D-Day. The Squadron’s other mission is to conduct an education program that is designed to make current generations aware of the brave soldiers who fought on the beaches of Normandy in an effort to liberate France and put an end to World War II.

Fifteen of us selectees made our way to the Warbirds area and arrived at the Virginia Ann only to see maintenance being conducted on the airplane. Everyone knows maintaining an airplane in general can be difficult, but maintaining an 80 year-old flying machine can be daunting.

You don’t just run to the parts department and grab what you need off the shelf. Some of these parts need to be manufactured from scratch.

Scott Slingsby

Mo arrived at the Virginia Ann, assessed the situation, and started on plan B. He was going to try to round up the crew for That’s All, Brother.

That’s All, Brother isn’t just any C-47, it’s the first plane in the formation that led over 800 C-47s in the D-Day raid. That number “1” has been faithfully recreated on the left side of the plane in front of the hastily applied invasion stripes. Yes, first one over the beaches. What an honor to get a chance to fly in this glorious old bird! The crew was assembled, and we brought aboard.

This particular airplane was almost lost to time before being discovered in a Wisconsin boneyard by an Air Force historian. Not only did it take part in the D-Day raids, but it also flew in Operations Market Garden, Repulse and Varsity. This one had to be saved.

The Commemorative Air Force stepped up and acquired this piece of important aviation history, and in conjunction with Basler Turbo Conversions in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, restored it to her former glory.

The plane has been brought back the way it was on June 6, 1944, right down to the basin type seating the soldiers from the 101st and 82nd Airborne divisions sat on that faithful day. You couldn’t help but think what was going through the young soldiers minds as they sat there making their way to the runway.

This caused me to reflect back to a trip I made to the USS Arizona in 1991. Our guide for the tour was Daniel Martinez, who announced that we were not there to view the Arizona as an attraction, but to pay our respects to those who died during the Pearl Harbor attack.

Mr. Martinez’s words echoed in my mind as we lumbered across the grass to the runway. This was no longer just an airplane ride, it was a memorial to all those citizen soldiers who gave their lives 74 years ago so we can enjoy our freedom today.

The flight was conducted over the peaceful green Wisconsin countryside, which could’ve easily been mistaken for the green fields of England. The ride itself lasted twenty minutes, but the memories for me, will last a lifetime.

Scott Slingsby

Scott Slingsby

Scott Slingsby

Scott Slingsby

Yanks Air Museum

Boneyard

Article and photos by Hayman Tam

Aircraft boneyards are such a cool place to explore, both historically and photographically. This year marked my second visit to the Planes of Fame (PoF) Airshow located at the Chino Airport. The event does a great job of highlighting the PoF collection located here, but this time I made sure to visit the Yanks Air Museum which also resides here.

I was caught off guard by the size and quality of the museum collection.

The aircraft collection begins with the 1903 Wright Flyer (the only replica in collection) and continues through the 1980s represented by the F-15 Eagle, F-16 Fighting Falcon and Blue Angels F/A-18 Hornet.

The collection numbers 200+ aircraft, with some being the only surviving examples. Yanks restores all their aircraft to airworthy condition, using original parts when possible. The Chino facility encompasses 176,000-square-feet under roof and covers 10 acres.

Museum admission also includes access to their restoration hangar and boneyard. The boneyard is where newly acquired aircraft await their turn to begin the lengthy restoration process. While not as huge as some of the other boneyards I’ve seen, this one is quite rich in content.

The Yanks Air Museum is a non-profit 501 (c)(3) organization and museum dedicated to exhibiting, preserving and restoring American aircraft and artifacts in order to show the evolution of American aviation.

This Consolidated PB4Y-2 Privateer long-range patrol bomber was delivered to the Coast Guard during WWII, retired in 1959, and converted into a firefighting role that it flew until 2002.

Hayman Tam

The museum restores aircraft to airworthy condition, which can be a lengthy process.

This Vought F8U Crusader appears to be a recent addition to the waiting list of projects.

First flown in 1959, the last Republic F-105D Thunderchief fighter-bombers were retired in 1981.

At the time, the Thunderchief was the largest single-seat, single-engine combat aircraft in history.

This Fairchild C-123K Provider was designed originally as an assault glider aircraft for the United States Air Force.

The K- variants were C-123Bs modified with underwing J85 jet engines.

It will take a lot of effort to get this General Dynamics F-111D Aardvark whole once more. This model of the F-111 was produced from 1971-73 and retired in 1992. At the F-111’s USAF retirement ceremony, on 27 July 1996, it was officially named Aardvark.

Hayman Tam

The Grumman A-6E Intruder was the Navy’s replacement for the Douglas A-1 Skyraider carrier-based attack aircraft.

More than half of the A-6Es were converted from A/B/C models, like this one at Yanks.

Utilized by both the US Navy and Air Force, the Ling-Temco-Vought A-7B Corsair II was one of the first combat aircraft to use a turbofan engine and utilize a Heads Up Display (HUD).

This Douglas A-4E Skyhawk was in service for thirty years before retirement in 1994.

Wearing the faded colors of VF-45, this aircraft flew in an adversary role for air combat training.

A Northrop T-38 Talon, Lockheed F-104A Starfighter & Republic F-105D Thunderchief form a triple tribute to 1950’s aeronautical state-of-the-art engineering.

How I got the shot!

Article and photo by Jim Sugar

During the pre ISAP Symposium field trip at Marana Airport in Arizona we had assignment to “shoot something.” I didn’t see anything worthy of a photograph. The sun was almost straight overhead. The airplanes were not too inspiring. But after walking around for nearly 30 minutes. I realized that the engine of a T-28 had some possibilities.

The engine, which was deep inside a hangar, was flat lit, but evenly lit. The light was so flat that it presented possibilities.

I put a 600mm Tamron lens on a Nikon D-610 and basically backed up into the next ZIP code. Then Brian, armed with three Nikon strobes, came in close to the engine. We placed a red gel, a blue gel, and an orange gel on the three flash units. Brian stood about 3 feet from the engine and just outside the frame of the long 600mm lens. I set the shutter to 1/250th of a second to eliminate any ambient light.

The only light on the engine came from the three Nikon flash units.

Since the engine was not going anywhere, shooting the photo was the easiest part of the shot.

Brian Aho, from Nikon Professional Services agreed to help me with the shot.

Thanks Brian for your great strobes and your incredible patience with me.

How I got the shot!

Article and photo by Joe Pulcinella

Dassault Falcon 2000 for Dumont Aviation Group

My client is a charter company based at ILG in New Castle, Delaware. I usually get very short notice as to when one of their jets will be arriving but when I do, my first job is to coordinate with the maintenance crew to get the plane positioned and prepped for the half-day shoot. We’ll do 5-6 shots in a session.

In this image, I wanted to give the impression that someone is just finishing a workday onboard the plane and ready to relax.

These planes are as much of a mobile office as they are a form of luxury transportation. Pro Tip: a little soy sauce in water looks exactly like whiskey!

I prefer to control whatever I can and that includes lighting.

Natural light varies throughout the day so shooting the plane outside leaves too much to chance. My assistant and I set up studio strobes directed into the windows on 10’ stands secured with sandbags. The flash heads are bounced into reflective umbrellas to soften the light while still allowing it to look natural and directional.

My camera is tethered to a laptop so we can get a good idea what the finished shot will look like before we move on to the next view. The fleet is in constant motion and since this plane may be in the air a few hours from now, I won’t have a chance to reshoot if I miss something. I bracket my exposures and shoot many variations such as lights on/off so I can composite the parts I need later in post-production.

Before Back at the studio, I select a base image to which I will make corrections and cut in parts of other exposures as needed. I look for things like dark shadows that need to be a little lighter, extraneous reflections to be removed, and funky colors that need to be corrected.

The out-of-camera shot shows how white seats in this image were picking up a blue cast being reflected from somewhere inside the hangar and didn’t look natural. The rest of the image has overly-dark shadows as well as other color casts. Most of my time in post-production is masking out different parts of the image by hand

such as the seats, windows, valences, etc. That way I can control each part individually to clean up the color and adjust brightness and contrast to add more punch. By the time I’m finished, I might have 20 adjustment layers in my Photoshop file. A shot that takes 30 minutes to capture on-site may take 2-3 hours to finish in the studio.

At the end of it all, the client loved the images and we scheduled the next one that was due to arrive at ILG in a couple of days!

After Equipment Used Camera: Arca Swiss rm3di Capture Back: Phase One IQ3 60mp Lens: Rodenstock 28mm Lighting: Two Interfit 500Ws battery-powered monolights

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Article and photos by Su Khoo The Royal International Air Tattoo, (abbreviated to RIAT and held in Fairford every year) is reputed to be the largest military airshow in the world, and is always awaited with great anticipation every summer by aviation enthusiasts here in the UK and worldwide. RAF Fairford, used for the flight-testing of Concorde in the 1970s, has been the home of RIAT since 1985 – with its 3000m runway without weight limit it is the ideal show ground.

This year has been a special year, being also the Centenary of the Royal Air Force, which is the oldest independent air force in the world; accordingly this year’s show program was to include some exclusive events, such as a fly-past of around 50 aircraft from the RAF, among them Typhoons, Tornado GR4s, an A400M Atlas, Puma and Chinook helicopters and of course the Red Arrows.

Having taken part every year for the last four years, with this being our fifth as participants on the static display, it was very much a privilege to be invited to take part again this year, flying in aboard our diminutive aircraft, alongside the many prestigious foreign aircrews.

Our air show appearance began by flying into the famous show ground two days before the official opening, so that we could be positioned on the RAF 100 display line well ahead of the official opening. Although the flight itself was a short 15 minute hop from our base in Gloucester, when we were within sight of RAF Fairford, we were politely asked to hold off landing because the Italian Frecce Tricolore national display team were practicing their display routine; thus we circled the nearby reporting point at Bibury for a good half an hour; under the glass house which was our Bulldog’s canopy, we sweltered in the intense heat, which we Brits are neither accustomed to nor generally well prepared for (we do love to complain about the weather!), while keeping a watchful eye on our fuel gauges!

The arrivals are always exciting, and each year the crowds that amass around the various viewpoints surrounding the airfield grow ever larger, as more and more enthusiasts and photographers discover the challenge and thrill of aviation photography.

The show began in pleasant and very warm summer weather, and as participants in the RAF 100 static display, we were required to attend the Royal Review by HRH The Duke of Kent and HRH Prince Michael of Kent.

Eight hours of flying displays then took place each day, featuring various national aerobatic teams such as Patrulla Aguila from Spain, Frecce Tricolore, the Swiss PC-7 Team, the Royal Jordanian Falcons and the Red Arrows.

The weather remained good for the morning of the Friday (the first day of the show) but having spoken to our Met man, he had forecast “pop-up” CBs for the afternoon - for those unfamiliar with the term, “CB” is an abbreviation for cumulonimbus, or thunderstorm clouds. As the time for the spectacular 50-aircraft fly-past grew closer, and crowds began to assemble nearer the runway, the sky suddenly grew ominously dark. At around 2:15, the time scheduled for the historic event, heavy raindrops began to fall, and spectators scattered in all directions to seek shelter. Rumor spread that the fly-past had to be canceled, owing to bad weather which affected not only the vicinity of the show but those areas which participating aircraft needed to transit; coordinating the arrival of 50 aircraft is challenging enough in suitable conditions, but becomes dangerous in bad weather not least because refueling is not possible. Although it was very disappointing that the fly-past was canceled, it was totally understandable – the superstitious amongst us might make a connection between this outcome and the inauspicious date - Friday the 13th!

The rest of the weekend went ahead as planned, with stunning and highly entertaining flying displays against the backdrop of a blue sky, punctuated with white fair-weather cumulus clouds. On Saturday afternoon we were rewarded with a surprise fly-past of a USAF B-2 accompanied by two F15s; other highlights were a diamond nine of Typhoons and No.617 Squadron tribute with the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Lancaster with Tornado and F-35B Lightning.

Featured for the first time at RIAT this year was the Great War Display Team comprising a team of civilian airshow pilots who simulated combat in a range of early 20th century fighters, including SE5a, Fokker Triplane and Avro 504. Unfortunately the limitations of distance, haze and my 70-300mm lens meant that I could not capture much of this display, so I decided to put down the camera and simply enjoy the spectacle which offered a glimpse into how “dog-fighting” began. Next year though I have already promised myself I shall go armed with a bigger lens, although I am a great believer in doing the best one can with what one has, rather than constantly upgrading!

On the static display for the first time was the MQ-9B Sky Guardian, a multi-mission remotely piloted aircraft developed in the US by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems; the aircraft had flown 4,000 miles from its base in North Dakota to Fairford and this was the first transatlantic flight to land in the UK by an unmanned aircraft.

Su Khoo

There is always far more to see than one can physically manage, and this year was no exception, particularly with the RAF Centenary; apart from the full program of flying displays and the static aircraft, there is plenty for non-aviation minded family members and friends, such as a vintage village, a huge parade of shops, classic cars, a Technology Zone and a vast variety of catering outlets. This year apparently a record attendance was set, at 185,000 visitors.

The considerations we have to balance as participants are many – firstly there is the administration and flight planning prior to arrival, and the coordination of transport from our airfield to the showground for each show day. Entry and departure to the show on each of the three days often entails significant queuing in traffic to get to the showground along country roads that are not really designed to cope with the volume of traffic, although the police do an admirable job of directing traffic along the established one-way systems

through the villages. Then there is a very full schedule of events for aircrew, including a hangar welcome party, team challenges and a Concours d’Elegance. Finally there is the organization of the departure; the departures do not always run to schedule – significant delays can mean burning more fuel and overheating engines, but with all necessary precautions taken by talking nicely to Air Traffic Control, I don’t particularly mind, as it gives me more time to watch departing aircraft, take a few more shots, watch crews preparing aircraft and carrying out those vital pre-flight checks, plus all those fascinating scenes which are part of the wonderful world of aviation. As a final thought, it’s not always easy to balance one’s duties as a co-pilot with those of a photographer – maybe next time in all the excitement I won’t commit the cardinal sin of forgetting to move my clipboard off my lap in the cockpit, so I won’t get reflections in the canopy!

Su Khoo

Su Khoo

Su Khoo

Su Khoo

Su Khoo

SHOOTING HISTORY Brewster-built F3A-1 Corsair Article and photos by Jay Miller

Always fun shooting for the Ezells. Many interesting flying machines and great photo ops. July 4 saw the first flight of the world’s only known surviving Brewster-built F3A-1 Corsair. Stewart “Stew” Dawson was at the controls of BuNo. 04634 on what turned out to be a trouble-free initial test hop. A few days before the first flight (no air-to-air per Stew’s request) I was called in by Chad Ezell to shoot some statics of the aircraft following completion. Fellow shooter Scott Slocum was there as well. I arrived just before sun-up and spent some time taking the usual ground statics before we elected to mount a platform on the Ezell’s forklift and “get elevated”.

The early morning sun was in a good spot and with Chad at the forklift controls, up we went. What puzzled me at first was that Scott stayed on the far side of the platform while I was on the airplane side happily shooting away. Finally, I turned to him and asked why he wasn’t over on my side shooting with me. His response was, “Do you want to switch?”.

Unknown to me, the platform had not been secured to the forks - and Scott had simply been trying to maintain balance! There’s a moral there somewhere, but the biggest is, never, ever make assumptions without verification when it involves safety! From then on, Scott and I gingerly moved back and forth on the platform and both of us got some good pics of the F3A-1.

Jay Miller

This photo was taken at f8.0 and 1/200th second with a third stop purposeful underexposure for more color saturation. ISO was 100.

We did a 270º drive around the a/c to set things up for different sun angles. Compass rose made a nice “backdrop”. Nikon D5 with a Nikkor 24-70 f2.8.

Jay Miller

MEET OUR MEMBER

Rick Charles

I am a native New York City kid who has lived in Virginia since 2000. I took up photography in the 1980’s in high school and quickly became fascinated with aviation photography during college. After graduation, I spent 12 years in the USAF as a command and control officer and crew member on the E-3B/C Sentry (AWACS) aircraft and was fortunate to fly 28 combat missions in Operation DESERT STORM in 1991. I also served two years in the NATO E-3A Component in Geilenkirchen, Germany. Throughout my Air Force career, I was able shoot a ton of military aircraft and most of those images are of aircraft that are no longer in service or on the back end of their service: F-4s, F-14s, F-15s, F-16s and A-10s. In addition to aviation, I spend many years as a fire photographer and still manage to shoot an emergency incident or fire truck once in a while.

I currently work for the Federal Aviation Administration and my work gets to great places to photograph civil aircraft. I have been able to photograph aircraft in such amazing places as Hong Kong, Anchorage, Seattle and Las Vegas. I also spend a bunch of time at the local strip which is home to a medical evacuation helicopter unit (Bell 407) so I work with that group very closely and shoot them quite often. Helos are a personal favorite with the MH-53J Pave Low being my all-time favorite aircraft.

I am an aspiring professional photographer having started my own business for when I retire from public service and start the “career after the career”. I have no formal photographic training except from the YouTube Institute and Rick’s School of Trial and Error. I have been a Nikon shooter since I made the switch to DSLR. I currently shoot with a D810 and D7000 with primarily my Nikkor 18-105 and 28-300 lenses. I shoot RAW and use Lightroom for processing. I am rapidly developing my technical skills so shooting RAW makes sense for me to give me the greatest creative flexibility. I find Lightroom is a great platform that I am very comfortable using.

I recently discovered ISAP during an internet search for aviation photography. While I wasn’t looking for a society or association to join I was excited to discover the group and immediately joined. ISAP is the only photography association to which I belong.

I may not be the most technically savvy aviation photographer and certainly don’t have the most capable gear, however, what I lack in gear I make up for in what I call “the eye for the image”. Whether I am shooting an event, a structure fire, or an aircraft on final, I find I can be in the right place at the right time to get some solid and creative images. So, my advice to other aviation photographers is be technically competent and know your gear but don’t rely on the technology to create a great image. Spend an equal amount of time and effort on training your eye and mindset to know how to anticipate and get to that right place ready to capture that great image. Know your subject!

DenisCharles Rick Rouleau

Denis Rouleau

Rick Charles

Rick Charles

RICH BLACK CMYK 75 68 67 89 White CMYK 0 0 0 0 Pantone 186 2 100 85 6 Pantone 287 100 72 2 12 Pantone 348 96 2 100 12

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The Art of Air to Air

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Home of one of the world’s largest collections of flying vintage military aircraft.

Open Daily 9am-5pm | Virginia Beach, Virginia www.militaryaviationmuseum.org | (757) 721-7767

$3.50 OFF DISCOUNT TO ALL ISAP MEMBERS

LCD Screen Protector

High-quality screen protectors

Custom-fit Japanese technology

I know, I know. Some things just shouldn’t be talked about in polite society. They’re too horrific to contemplate. But that’s why we exist.

At Expert Shield, we looked closely at the screen protector market.

Then we recoiled in horror.

But here’s why you should be telling your Aunty Mabel about us.

We offer a lifetime guarantee. Whose life? The life of your phone, camera or tablet. If you scratch your screen protector, send it back.

If you scuff it, send it back. If it’s rude to its elders, cut off its pocket money and send it back. That’s a no small print, no-scratch, no-bubble, no-quibble guarantee.

You paid a penny or two (probably three) for your Canon 5D Mark III, Nikon D800, Sony A7R II or Olympus OM-D. So how would you feel if you scratched the screen just a few weeks ?

The options seemed to be cheap screen protectors that doubled as clingfilm or expensive screen protectors affordable only by those listed on Forbes. There had to be another way.

We use Japanese Optical Grade CrystalFilm™ technology that comes in three scratch-repelling layers and offers a custom fit that’s as precise as cosmic molecular geometry. Which we made up, admittedly.

Visit ExpertShield.com and select your items.

Click “View Cart” before checkout and click “Use Coupon Code” For the coupon code visit the ISAP newsletter or member log-in section of the ISAP website.

www.ExpertShield.com

Sigma Sports Lens 120-300mm F2.8 DG OS HSM Lens setting: 145mm F/5 Shutter Speed: 1/1600 ISO 100 Shutter Priority, Camera Body: Nikon D500

MULTIFACETED. For the nature photographer who demands a versatile focal length with quick auto-focus and incredible image quality.

500mm F4 DG OS HSM Case, hood (LH1388-01) and filter holder with 46mm WR protector included.

150-600mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM Case, hood (LH1164-01) included.

150-600mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM Case, hood (LH1050-01) and Tripod Socket (TS-71) included.

120-300mm F2.8 DG OS HSM Case, hood (LH1220-01) and Tripod Socket (TS-51) included.

100-400mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM Hood (LH770-04) included.

SIGMA USB Dock The ultimate tool for the modern photographer.

From focus, to AF & OS- customization never thought possible.

Sold separately.

Learn more sigmaphoto.com/usb-dock

Handcrafted in Japan. Our entire line-up on sigmaphoto.com. USA 4-Year Service Protection SIGMA Corporation of America | 15 Fleetwood Court | Ronkonkoma, NY 11779, U.S.A. | Tel: (631) 585-1144 Follow us on Instagram @sigmaphoto and Facebook.com/sigmacorporationofamerica

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LIOE Design is a product company that manufactures their own product designs. Located in Seattle, WA all their products are aviation inspired from their Aero Ti Chopsticks Every product has a story. A reason why a product looks the way it does from function and practicality to aesthetics. All our products are designed with the belief that everyday goods can be extraordinary. We strive to ensure the user is getting the most unique experience and to create a everyday item in a completely re-imagined way. We design to spark imagination and creativity even in the most creative people.

Creating products that inspire design.

1) Air Squadron playing cards This deck of cards has artwork of modern jets and aircraft.

The inspiration was to create a deck of cards unlike other cards, the Kings and Queens are B-2 Bomber and SR-71. The Jokers are the A-10 and F-22. Every card is unique creating the perfect deck for an aviation enthusiast or card collector! 2) Stealth Pen The Stealth Pen has a unique, aluminum uni-body design with four total components making it lightweight as well as easy to assemble and disassemble. The slotted design offers a futuristic touch and cuts down on the weight of the pen while allowing the user a glance at the inside ink cartridge.

3) Titan Business card holder The Titan is aero-inspired minimalist light-weight card holder. The pattern on the front of the card holder is reminisce of a futuristic space door and inspired by the nose of the B29 Super Fortress. Titan has a dark gunmetal gray color and is made from aircraft grade 6061-T6 Aluminum.

LIOEDESIGN.COM Visit their website to learn more about their products

15% discount for ISAP members

For details visit the ISAP newsletter or member log-in section of the ISAP website.

Jim Wilson Photography

International Distributor for Kenyon Stabilizing Products

214-796-9743

JW@JIMWILSONPHOTOGRAPHY.COM

Special Offer for ISAP Members

For the special offers visit the ISAP newsletter or member log-in section of the ISAP website.

The Professionals Source Professionals in the world of imaging rely on the professionals of B&H for their equipment needs. We have experts ready to give courteous service with a phone call, a click of the mouse or a personal visit.

Our SuperStore http://www.bhphotovideo.com/find/HelpCenter/NYSuperStore08. jsp?About_Us-The_Professionals_Source pays tribute to the wealth of possibilities available for photography, videography and other media industries. We make the wonders of technology available through our complete lines of photo, video, audio, lighting, pro accessories, computers, data storage, optics, entertainment, projection and surveillance devices, to which we add a wonderful, personal experience for professionals, hobbyists and consumers alike.

History We opened our original storefront in 1973. Our reputation for extensive inventory and intelligent conversation about photography began with our first customer. We grew from a small photography shop in Manhattan’s Financial District to a major supplier of photo, video and audio equipment on 17th Street, with customers returning again and again for our low pricing and high reliability. The new millennium’s explosion of affordable technology for pros and consumers alike brought new lines of computers, home entertainment, and consumer devices, as we moved to our SuperStore: www.bhphotovideo.com/find/HelpCenter/NYSuperStore08. jsp?About_Us-History on 34th Street and opened our cyber-doors at www.bhphotovideo.com. We continue to expand to meet your needs with showrooms, classes, educational and social media, and more.

ISAP Merchandise

If you wish to purchase any ISAP merchandise please email info@aviationphoto.org Send your name and current address and you will be invoiced via PayPal. Shipping cost will be added to your invoice.

Members with an international address will have a higher shipping rate.

ISAP Challenge coin - $10 + shipping ISAP safety vest (Small to X-Large) - $38 + shipping (An additional $10.00 will be charged for a 2X-4X size vest) ISAP membership patch - $5 + shipping Limited patch version with Velcro backing - $10 + shipping

Visit the new ISAP online store for your ISAP shirts, hats, bags and more!

ISAP SUMMER SPECIAL

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ISAP Board Members President and Board Chairman Larry Grace Vice President and Vice Chairman Jim Wilson Treasurer Gary Edwards Past Treasurer Bonnie Kratz Secretary Mike Collins ISAP Board Member George Kounis ISAP Board Member Kevin Hong ISAP Staff Member John Sepp ISAP Staff Member Craig Swancy Chairman Emeritus Jay Miller ISnAP Editor Kevin Hong ISnAP International Editor Mike Green The ISnAP is a periodic publication of the International Society for Aviation Photography (ISAP) and is used to communicate news, functions, convention information, and other information of interest on the local, regional, and national scenes. The views and opinions expressed in this newsletter are those of the authors and should not be construed as the views or opinions of the International Society for Aviation Photography (ISAP).

Please contact us at info@aviationphoto.org, isnap@aviationphoto.org or isappresident@aviationphoto.org ISnAP is a publication to showcase our members work in capturing aviation events. Anytime you have images or would like to inquire on doing an article for ISnAP contact us via email at isnap@aviationphoto.org Images should be sized at 2150 x 1500 @ 300 dpi (5� x 7�) in a landscape format only. Submit up to 10 images per article and submit your text in a word document and email a link by using www.wetransfer.com and send info@aviationphoto.org (Up to 2GB). You can also submit images for review for a future cover or back page display. If any questions you can email us as well to isnap@aviationphoto.org.

We look forward to your submission and to showcase your articles and images.