forum.ww1aircraftmodels.com
Modelers Lounge => Time to relax => Topic started by: KiwiZac on May 11, 2022, 08:56:22 AM
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On April 25 I turned up at the local aero club to see the Air Force Heritage Flight of New Zealand's Anzac Day flypast, consisting of a Spitfire Mk.IX, Grumman TBM Avenger and two RNZAF T-6C Texan trainers. Darren Luff, club president and owner of Tiger Moth ZK-BEF, saw me and asked “what are you and your camera up to later?” and I was honest in saying “nothing really!”. After the flypast I found Darren and his dad John, who owns the only flying de Havilland DH-112 Venom Cold War jet fighter, chatting and so sat with them. They were discussing comparative speeds and flypast - due to speed not so much formation - positioning and it was when John asked me “where would be best for you?” that I realised I was to take photos of the Venom from the Tiger Moth.
I’m not sure anyone else has ever done this. Let’s just say 1) a bigger lens would have helped and b) those shoulder straps really make it tricky to shoot very far behind! I’m still kinda stunned (and humbled beyond words) I was asked to do this and, despite experience and equipment limitations, that I was able to get anything at all! Considering it was the first time they’d flown these two aircraft together John did a terrific job slowing down to allow for photos, no mean feat given the difference in performance! And yes: Darren had the Tiger going full throttle!
We had three photo runs. John flew the Venom past us a little too far for me first time, swung round and came in closer for the second attempt which made for some good front-3/4 shots, then we turned back to Whanganui and he came past even closer with everything hanging out - a surreal sight while sitting up front in a Tiger - before we parted ways: John back to do a circuit or two, us to drop in to local aviation identity Richmond Harding’s place for a catch-up and then home.
Processing the photos confirmed what I thought midflight: the same lens I complain is no good for airshow photos isn’t particularly suited for air-to-air either! However I’m pleased with what I got. Here’s hoping I can track down a bigger lens to get the photos John and Darren were looking for.
As we were getting ready to go, and when we arrived back at the clubrooms, I kept telling people “I just came here to see the flypast!!”
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52026835532_09fc090356_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2ngr8BJ)DSC_3691 (https://flic.kr/p/2ngr8BJ) by Zac Yates (https://www.flickr.com/photos/zacyates/), on Flickr
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52027935686_fbca2ec182_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2ngwLDU)DSC_3701 (2) (https://flic.kr/p/2ngwLDU) by Zac Yates (https://www.flickr.com/photos/zacyates/), on Flickr
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52028127259_7e0a438db4_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2ngxKAT)DSC_3706 (https://flic.kr/p/2ngxKAT) by Zac Yates (https://www.flickr.com/photos/zacyates/), on Flickr
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52028392165_b32e2e0f72_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2ngz7me)DSC_3708 (https://flic.kr/p/2ngz7me) by Zac Yates (https://www.flickr.com/photos/zacyates/), on Flickr
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52027915818_5e69e38c13_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2ngwEKm)DSC_3709 (https://flic.kr/p/2ngwEKm) by Zac Yates (https://www.flickr.com/photos/zacyates/), on Flickr
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52026834862_5c67258689_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2ngr8qb)DSC_3713 (https://flic.kr/p/2ngr8qb) by Zac Yates (https://www.flickr.com/photos/zacyates/), on Flickr
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52026840472_0c3717fefb_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2ngra5U)DSC_3753 (https://flic.kr/p/2ngra5U) by Zac Yates (https://www.flickr.com/photos/zacyates/), on Flickr
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52027921188_0f4d7e557a_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2ngwGkW)DSC_3768 (https://flic.kr/p/2ngwGkW) by Zac Yates (https://www.flickr.com/photos/zacyates/), on Flickr
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52028132084_7f97cf3256_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2ngxM35)DSC_3780 (https://flic.kr/p/2ngxM35) by Zac Yates (https://www.flickr.com/photos/zacyates/), on Flickr
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52027882971_7273bf7eb1_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2ngwuZ2)DSC_3793 (https://flic.kr/p/2ngwuZ2) by Zac Yates (https://www.flickr.com/photos/zacyates/), on Flickr
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52028396665_71646faa06_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2ngz8FP)DSC_3797 (https://flic.kr/p/2ngz8FP) by Zac Yates (https://www.flickr.com/photos/zacyates/), on Flickr
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52028131539_9c91470d40_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2ngxLSF)DSC_3805 (https://flic.kr/p/2ngxLSF) by Zac Yates (https://www.flickr.com/photos/zacyates/), on Flickr
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52028396285_2ba5c5596f_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2ngz8zg)DSC_3810 (2) (https://flic.kr/p/2ngz8zg) by Zac Yates (https://www.flickr.com/photos/zacyates/), on Flickr
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52027919818_d00f34bb76_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2ngwFWj)DSC_3821 (https://flic.kr/p/2ngwFWj) by Zac Yates (https://www.flickr.com/photos/zacyates/), on Flickr
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52028130884_a3d72482a2_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2ngxLFo)DSC_3827 (https://flic.kr/p/2ngxLFo) by Zac Yates (https://www.flickr.com/photos/zacyates/), on Flickr
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52028395635_a19188d7f7_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2ngz8o4)DSC_3832 (https://flic.kr/p/2ngz8o4) by Zac Yates (https://www.flickr.com/photos/zacyates/), on Flickr
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52027919288_03d483ab86_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2ngwFMb)DSC_3838 (https://flic.kr/p/2ngwFMb) by Zac Yates (https://www.flickr.com/photos/zacyates/), on Flickr
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52028126659_0e6eb03f13_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2ngxKqx)DSC_3844 (https://flic.kr/p/2ngxKqx) by Zac Yates (https://www.flickr.com/photos/zacyates/), on Flickr
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52028130414_fcf39b9574_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2ngxLxh)DSC_3846 (https://flic.kr/p/2ngxLxh) by Zac Yates (https://www.flickr.com/photos/zacyates/), on Flickr
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52026838057_59c6b8637d_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2ngr9ng)DSC_3847 (https://flic.kr/p/2ngr9ng) by Zac Yates (https://www.flickr.com/photos/zacyates/), on Flickr
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52026838032_73095b2570_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2ngr9mQ)DSC_3848 (https://flic.kr/p/2ngr9mQ) by Zac Yates (https://www.flickr.com/photos/zacyates/), on Flickr
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52027881306_3bf3946731_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2ngwuuj)DSC_3852 (https://flic.kr/p/2ngwuuj) by Zac Yates (https://www.flickr.com/photos/zacyates/), on Flickr
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52028395080_ecb6ba8f7d_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2ngz8du)DSC_3859 (https://flic.kr/p/2ngz8du) by Zac Yates (https://www.flickr.com/photos/zacyates/), on Flickr
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52027881106_1e691d96d5_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2ngwuqS)DSC_3860 (https://flic.kr/p/2ngwuqS) by Zac Yates (https://www.flickr.com/photos/zacyates/), on Flickr
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52027881066_b2eab51a31_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2ngwuqb)DSC_3862 (https://flic.kr/p/2ngwuqb) by Zac Yates (https://www.flickr.com/photos/zacyates/), on Flickr
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52028129879_b25536b980_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2ngxLo4)DSC_3863 (https://flic.kr/p/2ngxLo4) by Zac Yates (https://www.flickr.com/photos/zacyates/), on Flickr
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52028394850_567ef34084_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2ngz89w)DSC_3865 (2) (https://flic.kr/p/2ngz89w) by Zac Yates (https://www.flickr.com/photos/zacyates/), on Flickr
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52026837452_e711263f99_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2ngr9bQ)DSC_3867 (https://flic.kr/p/2ngr9bQ) by Zac Yates (https://www.flickr.com/photos/zacyates/), on Flickr
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52027879811_7894140409_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2ngwu3x)DSC_3906 (https://flic.kr/p/2ngwu3x) by Zac Yates (https://www.flickr.com/photos/zacyates/), on Flickr
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52027928371_bb6f7cbbee_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2ngwJtM)Untitled (https://flic.kr/p/2ngwJtM) by Zac Yates (https://www.flickr.com/photos/zacyates/), on Flickr
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52028128584_6da1d09149_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2ngxKZJ)DSC_3911 (https://flic.kr/p/2ngxKZJ) by Zac Yates (https://www.flickr.com/photos/zacyates/), on Flickr
All my photos from the day can be found here (https://www.flickr.com/photos/zacyates/albums/72177720298365102/page1).
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Great story and good to see how the photos finished. (Favourite is 3838)
Look forward to knowing if you sort out a different lens for a second go ;D
Paul
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Oh, you lucky b****r! 😃
Sandy
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Oh, you lucky b****r! 😃
Sandy
I was just about to write the same words... :)
Just great...
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Right place, right time, generous and good people :) Thank you for the kind words, folks!
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Great pictures, I'm sure you had a great day too. Thank you for sharing.
Ciao
Giuseppe
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Thank you Giuseppe - I'm still smiling!
I spoke with both John (Venom) and Darren (Tiger Moth) yesterday and they're very keen to get the three of us up to try again. I just need to borrow a decent lens and wait for good weather...