Aviation BS and Photo Thread

Fantastic shots. What equipment are you using?

 

Just got a D500 during Black Friday sales and its mated to my now 3yr old Nikkor 80-400mm.

 

I had to look that up as I don't speak Nikon very well. It looks like that camera is Nikon's answer to the Canon 7D Mark II that I shoot with. The specs are very similar. That should be a great camera for you if you are going out for shots like that. I have been very pleased with the shots I have been able to get with mine. It was a huge improvement over my previous body.

 

I love that they're both waving at you

 

Great shots. I was just at star wars canyon in October when the F-4's (Wam and Elvis) flew thru for the last time. Got a few pics on my barely passable dslr camera. Posted on this thread a ways back. But heres the a link to my photo dump from that day. I can't wait to head back up there just love that area of the desert.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/19843514@N03/albums/72157672162412853

Edit....Just noticed that the F-35 isnt even an American plane...its from the Royal Netherlands Air Force.

 

Haha! Small world. I was also there for the F-4's......one of life's quickest and most memorable moments! I talked to Elvis at Phancon about even attempting to fly thru there before the Phantoms were retired and as luck would have it, they would be at Pt Mugu at the end of October and would then fly out to Hill for more Phantom Phestivities. For both of them, it was the first time going thru there if you can believe it!

 

Airdog, I went back and looked at your F-4 video and I'm actually below you as I'm standing to the left of the guy with the white hat at the 0:19 mark!

 

Your not kidding about small world. It was actually just dumb luck that I was there that day. I had only decided the night before that I was finally going to make the trek up there to see what all the talk was about and I was not disappointed at all. Took my 23 year old son with me and he loved it also. F-4 was the first aircraft I ever worked on so it has a special place with me....so as you can imagine...I kinda wet myself when they came roarin thru. What sad is that I was stationed at China lake from 86 thru 89 and I had no idea that place existed....but I was young and dumb drinkin and chasin tail anyways.

 

You guys are over here with your "barley passable" cameras and my best camera is an ancient Minolta 35mm SLR

 

Oh yeah, they knew we were there. I think they made like 4 passes back and forth!

 

I'd love to fly that 15. Currently putting together an app package for the next round of recruitment for the 144th

 

Holyshit thanks for sharing those pics are incredible !

 

Hope you make it so you can fly with them. The Eagle is one of my all time favorites and I tell people "That's a Man's Jet!"

 

I appreciate that brotha!

 

That's so awesome. I didn't notice first time around but cool of the pilot/rio to wave!!

So if one were to make the trek down from NorCal...where exactly is this vantage point? Is this a daily occurrence?

 

Off of US395 head east on the 190 towards Panamint Springs and pull over at Father Crowley's vista point. Usually a Monday-Friday deal and you have to have some patience like fishing. Some days busier than others.

 

Truth.

 

...^^^... Not me ... lol ... my glory days are over ... I just want to be the guy in the bottom photo in the biplane ...

 

So we went camping in Big Bend Ranch State Park this week, as we check in I see a landing strip and the Ranger lets me know that the C182 is his plane, (my flight school had a few C182RG used for complex ratings), so I reply that they are excellent trainers...I immediately get the butt-hurt vibe from him as he explains that it's not a c172 and he informs me that he is also the Lead Police officer out there too. SMDH, I didn't apologize, because I figured he had his CFI as well. Oops. So I almost made a friend this week.

 

My favorite.