Airspeed - The Magazine for Aviation Photographers

AIRSHOWS ARE BACK!

Navy Legacy Flight Airshow Reviews From The US

Air to Air Aviation Photo Crew and Much More!

WELCOME TO THE 2023 MAY ISSUE OF AIRSPEED !

Let it snow/USAF Heritage Flight Conference 2023

Jeff Krueger Larry Grace

Nine Days In August! Air Force Museum

John Ford

El Centro 2023

Rob Tabor

Buckeye Airshow 2023

Larry Grace

Cocoa Beach Airshow 2023

Bill LaFlamme

Warhawks Spread Their Wings

Dragos Munteanu

Thunder and Lightning over Arizona 2023

Larry Grace

Defenders of Liberty Airshow 2023

Kevin Hong Gary Daniels Jim Wilson

Aviation Photo Crew - Test Flights In Arizona

Eric Coeckelberghs Larry Grace

Red Flag Exercise 2023

Rob Tabor

Sun ‘n Fun 2023

Bill LaFlamme Larry Grace

How I Got The Shot

Gary Daniels

Navy Legacy Flight

Larry Grace Kevin Hong

Book Review: Becoming The Rhino

Kevin Hong

ISAP Member’s Showcase

Larry Grace Kevin Hong Dragos Munteanu Scott Slingsby

Meet Our Members

Frank Moriarty Kelley Whitaker Rob Mains Ricardo Mejia

Airplane Silhouettes

John Ford

Front Cover:

Royal Canadian Air Force C-130J Super Hercules participating in the Third Annual Northolt nightshoot. Two ground passengers stairs were mated together and allowed for an elevated position to take pictures of the Hercules. The end of the nightshoot was marked by the departure of the C-130J which allowed the spotters to have some nice propeller circles.

Photo by Dragos Munteanu

Camera: NIKON D7200 Lens: TAMRON SP 24-70mm F/2.8 Di VC USD G2

A032N ISO 200 Shutter speed: 2.5 seconds Exposure: f/5.6

Processed in Adobe Lightroom Classic and Photoshop

Back Cover:

United States Navy Blue Angels training at El Centro, California taking off over head in a diamond formation.

Photo by Rob Tabor

Camera: Nikon Z9 Lens: NIKKOR Z 14-24mm f/2.8 S ISO 160

Shutter speed: 1/3200 Exposure: f/4

Processed in Adobe Photoshop

Rob Mains

Hello everyone,

The 2023 airshow season is off to a good start and looking to be a great year for aviation photography. For the last two years, ISAP has been limited in holding events due to COVID. The cost to put on our annual symposium along with smaller gatherings was not possible due to the risk of not only traveling but lack of resources at hotels and other venues.

For 2023 we are in discussions for smaller gatherings in Phoenix, Dallas, Oshkosh, and two other locations. When dates are announced look for them in our newsletter and future online issues of Airspeed magazine. Some of the planned events will be on short notice and when the opportunities become available we will let you know. We understand that for some members travel can be a problem on short notice and when we can give longer lead times we will, but know the opportunity will happen.

Now, the cost will be a factor for our members to decide whether to attend. This is where discussing with other members online via our member’s Facebook page can help share the expenses of hotel rooms and rental cars. Take a look at our website in the ISAP member locator and see what members are near you.

This opportunity will allow you to save some money and attend events along with meeting fellow ISAP members and learning from each other getting to airshows and events you may have been looking at attending in the future.

If you are not on our Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/groups/83013491465), make sure you are receiving the ISAP newsletter and Airspeed magazine issues so that you are informed when event opportunities arise.

In the past, ISAP has done well in putting together opportunities that have been popular among our members. Today, putting together events can be smaller and can be more expensive. While we will do our best to keep costs down those costs do exist and your understanding and help will be needed to get back to our symposium and meetups.

To see these events happen, our members need to take an active role within ISAP. This can be having a portfolio on our website, posing on our member’s Facebook page, and with that, not just posting what picture I took but sharing helpful information that other members can learn from or be informed about.

Another way to be active is to submit articles, photos, and helpful photo tips to our Airspeed magazine. The magazine was creative to give all of the ISAP members the opportunity to be published and a portfolio to showcase their work and along with that, a training tool for you to grow as a photographer.

We are looking at showcasing members’ photography each month via our newsletter. Along with photo tips, or a link to a RAW image. Members will be able to download edit and share the edited image so that others can learn or answer questions about how it was done. Would like to hear your input on this idea.

If you have questions or suggestions for possible events or have RAW images you would like to see edited by other members send us an email to:

isap_Info@aviationphoto.org

airspeedmagazine@gmail.com

Thank you for your continuing membership within ISAP. I look forward to seeing you at future events.

ISAP President

Troy Rumpel

Bill LaFlamme

Randall Bacon

Kelley Whitaker

Robert Stapleton

Stevens Schott

Skot Weidemann

Ben Ullings

Timothy Hulme

Herb Lingl

Hal Ticknor

Philip Johnson

NEW AND RETURNING ISAP MEMBERS

John L Little II

Laura Falker

Kristopher Haugh

Vincent Moore

Ken Snyder

Robert Moser

Jan-Arie van der Linden

Rich Spolar

Robin Wright

Frank Moriarty

Susan Koppel

Steve Walter

Matt Booty

David Stein

Bob Driver

Chris Malone

Peter Yee

Marc Schultz

Philip Sipple

Sandro Sartori

Vincent Valentino

Michael Cozad

Paul Russo

Johannes Winkelmann

Tom Pawlesh

Dale Rodberg

Rob Mains

Kyle Ruby

Aric Krause

Daniel Miller

James Robinson

Alexander Cook

Glenn Riegel

Scott Slingsby

The goal of International Society for Aviation Photography (ISAP) 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.

The new Airspeed magazine will highlight ISAP members and their photography, experiences, and their passion for aviation from around the world. From military and commercial aviation, you’ll be able to see it all while learning about aviation photography, post processing tips in Lightroom and Photoshop, aviation history, air show reports, aviation museums, and more. We look forward to sharing our members’ images and articles with everyone.

Enjoy this issue of Airspeed!

Sincerely,

Larry Grace, ISAP President

Kevin Hong, Airspeed Editor

International Society for Aviation Photography

www.aviationphoto.org • www.facebook.com/ISAPorg

Airspeed 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.

Kevin Hong

LET IT SNOW!

Article and photos by Jeff Krueger

Heritage Flight Training at Davis-Monthan AFB in Tucson, Arizona and I am lucky to be part of Media Day. I have to be at the Visitor Center by 0600 so I’m up and ready to go. It’s dark, I get going, open the garage door and what? There is 3” of snow on the cactus and on the ground. Flashbacks to my time in Wisconsin….

I go in and change my attire and bravely jumped into the Jeep and away I go, not knowing what to expect. Is it a go, a no go or massive delay. Undaunted, I head to the base and am met by Lt. Rowe, the PAO assigned to “herd the cats”. Along with a few other brave souls, he got us through the check-in process to access the base and away we went, all looking at the continuing snow falling around us.

We got parked and assembled in the ready room waiting for direction, which came pretty quickly...”There will be some delays, so sit tight, do interviews, which the PAO office set up, and we’ll get out on the ramp as soon as we can”. We were well informed as the morning progressed and then we got the green light to go out and document the morning and hopefully some of the training flights.

I have to say it was quite a sight to see the support crews up on the aircraft with brooms, brushing several inches of snow off the wings. It was even more impressive watching our A-10, still with snow on the fuselage rolling out for takeoff. The snow finally ended, the ceiling was low and gray, but the training went on, a bit off schedule but that was to be expected. The F-22’s and F-35’s were rolled out and the day started clearing a bit.

On a positive note, the humidity did make for some nice vapor opportunities. On the downside, the delay did come into play as we had to leave before some of the actual Heritage practice took place, but we did get to spend a bit more time than was scheduled. The PAO office personnel did a great job of dealing with the unexpected adverse conditions and I think we all had significant opportunity to get interviews, videos and images we wanted of the program.

Overall, it was a challenging, but successful opportunity to participate in this annual training here in warm and sunny Southern Arizona.

Jeff Krueger

Maj. Haden “Gator” Fullam along with the new 2023 Team leader and Demo pilot Capt. Lindsay “MAD” Johnson along with the A-10 Demo Team members.

Camera: Nikon Z9 Lens: Sigma 60 - 600mm@80mm Shutter speed: 1/1600 ISO: 280 Exposure: f/4.5

Joining the USAF Heritage Flights will be Capt. Samuel Larson as the F-22 Demo Team Pilot and commander for the 2023 season.

Camera: Nikon Z9 Lens: Sigma 60 - 600mm@300mm Shutter speed: 1/2000 ISO: 640 Exposure: f/5.6

Larry Grace

USAF Heritage Flight three P-51 Mustangs and F-35 Lightning II.

Camera: Nikon Z9 Lens: Sigma 60 - 600mm@600mm Shutter speed: 1/320 ISO: 64 Exposure: f/5.6

Larry Grace

USAF Heritage Flight: F-22 Demo Team Pilot Capt. Samuel “Razz” Larson, and AFHF pilot Dan Friedkin and Tommy Williams flying the F-5 Tiger ll as they work on the demo routine with the new aircraft for the upcoming 2023 airshow season. Camera: Nikon Z9 Lens: Sigma 60 - 600mm@86mm Shutter speed: 1/2500 ISO: 220 Exposure: f/4.8

Larry Grace

F-5 Tiger II

AFHF pilot Dan Friedkin flying the F-5 Tiger ll with a head-on pass working on the demo routine with the new aircraft for the upcoming 2023 airshow season.

Camera: Nikon Z9 Lens: Sigma 60 - 600mm@500mm Shutter speed: 1/2500 ISO: 280 Exposure: f/6.3

Larry Grace

USAF Heritage Flight: 1st All Women Heritage flight featuring Capt. Aimee”Rebel” Fiedler, commander, F-16 Viper Demonstration Team, Maj. Kristin”Beo” Wolfe, commander, F-35A Lightning II Demonstration Team, and Capt. Lindsay”MAD” Johnson, commander, A-10C Thunderbolt II Demonstration Team, being led by AFHF pilot Greg “BA” Anderson. Camera: Nikon Z9 Lens: Sigma 60 - 600mm@320mm Shutter speed: 1/400 ISO: 72 Exposure: f/5.6

Larry Grace

USAF Demo Team Pilots U.S. Air Force Capt. Lindsay “MAD” Johnson, commander, A-10C Thunderbolt II Demonstration Team, Capt. Samuel “Razz” Larson, commander, F-22 Demonstration Team, Maj. Kristin “BEO”Wolfe, commander, F-35A Lightning II Demonstration Team, and Capt. Aimee “Rebel” Fiedler, commander, F-16 Viper Demonstration Team.

Camera: Nikon Z9 Lens: Sigma 60 - 600mm@320mm Shutter speed: 1/400 ISO: 72 Exposure: f/5.6

Larry Grace

U.S. Air Force Capt. Aimee Fiedler, commander, F-16 Viper Demonstration Team, Shaw Air Force Base, Sumter South Carolina, Maj. Kristin Wolfe, commander, F-35A Lightning II Demonstration Team, 388th Fighter Wing, Hill Air Force Base, Utah, and Capt. Lindsay Johnson, commander, A-10C Thunderbolt II Demonstration Team, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, walk the flight line during the Heritage Flight Training Course for 2023 at Davis-Monthan AFB. The HFTC prepares members of the four ACC single-ship demonstration teams for their upcoming air show season.

Camera: Nikon Z9 Lens: Nikon 24 - 120mm@120mm Shutter speed: 1/1600 ISO: 64 Exposure: f/4

Larry Grace

Walk through for their upcoming training flight is Capt. Aimee “Rebel” Fiedler F-16 Demo along with AFHF pilots Steve “SteveO” Hinton and Charles “Tuna” Hainline.

Camera: Nikon Z9 Lens: Sigma 60 - 600mm@300mm Shutter speed: 1/2000 ISO: 500 Exposure: f/5.6

Larry Grace

USAF Heritage Flight: 1st All Women Heritage flight featuring Capt. Aimee”Rebel” Fiedler, commander, F-16 Viper Demonstration Team, Maj. Kristin”Beo” Wolfe, commander, F-35A Lightning II Demonstration Team, and Capt. Lindsay”MAD” Johnson, commander, A-10C Thunderbolt II Demonstration Team, being led by AFHF pilot Greg “BA” Anderson. Camera: Nikon Z9 Lens: Sigma 60 - 600mm@320mm Shutter speed: 1/400 ISO: 72 Exposure: f/5.6

Larry Grace

NINE DAYS IN AUGUST!

AIR FORCE MUSEUM

Its has been a year since I was last at the National Museum of the United States Air Force in Dayton, Ohio and the place has not changed much. It is still huge, still overwhelming and still stuffed with really cool aircraft. The museum is made up of four main galleries of aircraft and a smaller gallery of rockets.

The first gallery is early flight aircraft up to the start of the Second World War. The next gallery is World War Two aircraft. The third gallery is the Cold War, and in-between the Cold War gallery and the fourth gallery of experimental aircraft is the rocket gallery. I spend most of my time in the

World War Two gallery just because I love that era of aircraft. I was in Dayton for seven days and went to the museum six of those days.

On a second visit to Dayton a week later I spent three more days. I spend about three hours and walk about two miles per visit looking for images amongst some of histories most interesting aircraft. It’s not hard to find great images with so many really cool aircraft and great displays, all you have to do is wander around the 350 or so aircraft and one interesting image after another presents itself.

Article and photos by John Ford

One of the unique attributes of the museum is that the ceilings and walls are painted a very dark gray, this ads a subdued and a hushed feeling that is not found in other museums. Each time I leave the museum I think I have found all the images I will ever find, yet on the next visit I always find more.

During these last two visits I was able to spot many new images that I had not seen on my previous visits and I’m very pleased with the results. I was also fortunate enough to run into the museums head video guy, Ken. He does the museum’s video work and gets to fly drones

throughout the museum creating cool videos of the aircraft. If you have not been to this museum it is well worth a visit. They are open everyday 9 am to 5 pm except Christmas and Thanksgiving and the admission is free. Plan to spend at least several days there as it is so big that multiple visits are necessary to just scratch the surface.

John Ford

John Ford

John Ford

John Ford

John Ford

John Ford

John Ford

John Ford

John Ford

When I tell people that I drive nearly ten hours to spend a week at El Centro, the most common reaction I get, is a puzzled look, followed by the question “On purpose?” In my defense, I’m going to chalk it up to what I referred to in my article about Red Flag, as the involuntary instinctual drive to follow the herd. I had originally believed that drive was exclusive to Red Flag, but apparently, it now applies to the Blues’ winter practice at El Centro as well. Since 2020, I have elected to go around the third week of February, this seems to be the time when the Thunderbirds pay the Imperial Valley a visit. And as luck would have it, that came to fruition again this year. The training week was a bit truncated due to the President’s Day holiday on Monday and Gale force winds on Wednesday which curtailed all flying.

Apparently, the Blues only conduct over the field practice on Thursdays and Saturdays now, I could have sworn this hasn’t always been the case. I distinctly remember in years past, that towards the end of February,

they were practicing twice a day over the field. On Saturday the Blues’ morning practice was terminated due to low clouds. The Thunderbirds did eventually go up on Saturday with only one solo and flew the flat program. Once the Thunderbirds recovered the skies opened up and the rain started, which pretty much ended the day. The only up side of the weather on Saturday, was the most vapor I ever seen at El Centro. Though short, the week still provided enough good weather flying to get some decent shots on the cards. Already looking forward to next year and hopefully better weather.

El Centro 2023

Article and photos by Rob Tabor

BUCKEYE AIRSHOW 2023

Article and photos by Larry Grace / ISAP President

Brad Wursten flying the Power Addiction MXS-R during his aerobatic demonstration for the airshow crowd.

Camera: Nikon Z9 Lens: Sigma 60 - 600mm@240mm Shutter speed: 1/320 ISO: 64 Exposure: f/9

Jon Melby, Brad Wursten and Karl Gashler hanging out with the students on practice day.

Camera: Nikon Z9 Lens: Sigma 60 - 600mm@240mm Shutter speed: 1/320 ISO: 64 Exposure: f/9

Larry Grace

The 2023 Airshow season starts at the Buckeye Air Fest in Buckeye, AZ. This year the city of Buckeye teamed up with the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOAP) for the first Fly-In of 2023 Airshow Performers for the event.

@fly_inverted_300 • Brad Wursten Airshows

@jon.melby • Jon Melby

@minijetairshows

• Tom Larkin

@redthunderairshows

@tuckersairpatrol

• Karl Gashler

• Eric Tucker

@vanguardsquardon

@kvnycondorsquadron

@surschel • Scott Urschel

@kgashler

• Karl Gashler

@planekeys • Leland Kracher

@overbyaerosports

• Jeff Overby

@frost_airshow_safety_team

@skydiveaerialextreme.com

• Aerial Extreme

Larry Grace

A bird’s eye view of at the Buckeye Air Fest in Buckeye, AZ.

Camera: Nikon D850 Lens: Nikon 28 - 300 mm f/3.5-5.6@38 Shutter speed: 1/1250 ISO: 280 Exposure: f/8

Larry Grace

Leland Kracher is a musician and adding flying aerobatics in a Cornerstone Staffing RV-6 for his first airshow of the 2023 season for the crowds at Buckeye. Camera: Nikon Z9 Lens: Sigma 60 - 600mm@270mm Shutter speed: 1/320 ISO: 64 Exposure: f/9

Larry Grace

Tom ”Lark” Larkin hanging out with the students on practice day for the 2023 Buckeye Airshow.

Lens: Nikon 28 - 300mm@28mm Shutter speed: 1/160 ISO: 64 Exposure: f/6.3

Camera: Nikon D850

Larry Grace

Larry Grace

Eric Tucker flying his Piper J3 Cub during his aerobatic/ barnstorming demonstrationby showcasing three of his acts “The Dead Stick”, His comedy act, and landing the Cub on a moving van for the airshow crowd. Camera: Nikon Z9 Lens: Sigma 60 - 600mm@240mm Shutter speed: 1/320 ISO: 64 Exposure: f/9

Larry Grace

Head on pass with Tom ”lark” Larkin of Mini Jet Airshows flying the Sub Sonex JSX003 jet during his aerobatic demonstration for the airshow crowd. Camera: Nikon Z9 Lens: Sigma 60 - 600mm@600mm Shutter speed: 1/2000 ISO: 320 Exposure: f/6.3

Larry Grace

Jeff Overby announcing and watching the aerobatic action over the 2023 Buckeye Airshow. Camera: Nikon Z9 Lens: Sigma 60 - 600mm@600mm Shutter speed: 1/1250 ISO: 160 Exposure: f/6.3

Larry Grace

Scott Urschel flying the Pylon Aviation BO105 Helicopter during his aerobatic demonstration for the airshow crowd.

Camera: Nikon Z9 Lens: Sigma 60 - 600mm@380mm Shutter speed: 1/320 ISO: 64 Exposure: f/6.3

Larry Grace

Jon Melby flying the FearBoss Pitts S-1-11B bi-plane during his aerobatic demonstration for the airshow crowd.

Camera: Nikon Z9 Lens: Sigma 60 - 600mm@240mm Shutter speed: 1/320 ISO: 64 Exposure: f/9

Larry Grace

Condor Squadron T-6 taking off for the demo for the 2023 Buckeye Air show.

Camera: Nikon Z9 Lens: Sigma 60 - 600mm@175mm Shutter speed: 1/320 ISO: 64 Exposure: f/9

Larry Grace

Cocoa Beach Air Show 2023

Article and photos by Bill LaFlamme

A-10 demo Captain Lindsay “MAD” Johnson popping flares. Camera: Canon R5 Lens: RF 100 - 500mm@270mm Shutter speed: 1/2500 ISO: 250 Exposure: f/7.1

I attended my first beach air show at Cocoa Beach. Living on the east coast of South Florida for many years, I had some inkling of how it might go, but not the number of people that would show up. They surely showed up. Especially when it’s an every-other-year beach show.

I know camera equipment and water don’t mix, so I was very careful. I still get excited seeing military aircraft and paid so much attention to the aircraft that I got hit with a rogue wave up to my knees. While wearing a camera sling, I appreciated my camera hood more than ever at that moment. That was the only thing that got wet. I learned my lesson but have a short memory. The following day another wave got me. This time only my feet got wet.

I enjoy going to air shows and my first beach air show at Cocoa Beach won’t be my last. The louder and faster the aircraft, the more excited

I get. Meeting pilots was the ultimate. On the other hand, if there’s one thing that I get worried about, it would have to be the unexpected weather. Also being at a beach show, there’s no doubt salt will find its way onto your camera.

I didn’t get really interested in photography until 2015. Being an Army Veteran, military aircraft always excited me, and having my Super 8 camera at Taegu Air Base in South Korea in 1977 and filming a Harrier Jump Jet do a pirouette in front of me is something I will not forget. Too bad it took me this long to enjoy both.

Thank you to all the ISAP members who submit photos. You are an inspiration to me. You are why I joined.

I had the opportunity to speak to Thunderbird #6, Major Eric Tise, opposing solo pilot. Major Tise was very excited to fly in his first beach air show.

Camera: Canon 5D Mk IV Lens: EF 16 - 35mm@16mm Shutter speed: 1/100 ISO: 100 Exposure: f/5.6

Cocoa Beach Fire Department scrambles to head north for an emergency.

Camera: Canon R5 Lens: RF 100 - 500mm@100mm Shutter speed: 1/500 ISO: 400 Exposure: f/22

It’s always a pleasure to watch the spectators during the sneak pass.

Camera: Canon R5 Lens: RF 100 - 500mm@100mm Shutter speed: 1/2500 ISO: 400 Exposure: f/7.1

Thunderbird echelon pass.

Camera: Canon R5 Lens: RF 100 - 500mm@472mm Shutter speed: 1/2500 ISO: 400 Exposure: f/7.1

WARHAWKS

Article and photos by Dragos Munteanu

I visited the 86th Airbase – Borcea at the end of March 2023. The base is the home of the Romanian F-16s since 2016 when the first planes arrived there from Portugal. Romania has acquired 17 F-16 Fighting Falcons from the Portuguese Air Force in two batches – initially 12 and five more recently. The first squadron to operate the F-16 is the 53rd Squadron – Warhawks. A legendary squadron in World War II, the 53rd squadron was reactivated in 2016 and is operating its 17 planes from Borcea – 86th Airbase.

In 2022, Romania has announced that it acquired 32 F-16s from Norway, bringing the total number of F-16s to 49. The aircraft from Norway are expected to start arriving in Romania from the end of 2023. The base – called in Romania – “Borcea” after the nearby village with the same name is located on the highway linking Bucharest to the Black Sea coast, 100 km from the coastline. A mythical place for Romanian military aviation, it is the cradle of modern reactive aviation, operating the MiG-21 from 1967 until today and home of the F-16s since 2016.

The airbase has been through deep structural changes in the past 10 years, looking and feeling in 2023 as a NATO airbase with all necessary

WARHAWKS

facilities and resources. Walking inside the airbase the new construction are immediately jumping into view as well as some older buildings and hangars which have been refurbished and modernized. New maintenance hangars have been built and individual shelters for the fighters also. The runway was fully refurbished before the F-16s arrived; it is ILS CAT III capable, new taxiways were built as well as platforms. Borcea can house a large number of planes, having there the 17 F-16s, but also the 861 squadron still operating the MiG-21 Lancer. The MiGs are operating their last missions since they are scheduled to be retired in May 2023, after 56 years of operational service. The airbase was also hosting a detachment of Spanish Air Force F-18s that are supporting the NATO Enhanced Air Policing mission in the area.

During the hours I have spent there I saw a busy airbase with a high tempo of operations. Both the F-16s and the MiG-21 Lancer were flying various training missions. I was able to witness an afternoon of five F-16s training wave departure and arrival. The 53rd squadron was preparing for the imminent deployment to Lithuania of four F-16s to participate in the Baltic Air Policing rotation together with aircraft of the Portuguese Air Force. During the afternoon, a RoAF C-27J Spartan

spread their wings

arrived, disembarked its passengers and left immediately without even shutting down its engines. Towards the end of the day, two MiG-21 Lancers were scrambled for a training sortie.

The commander of the airbase is General Catalin Miclos. One of the first Romanian pilots to transition to the F-16, he was the first commander of the 53rd squadron before being promoted to lead the airbase. I had a short discussion with General Miclos to discuss the Romanian F-16 program and the future of the tip of the spear of the RoAF – its fighters.

After 7 years of F-16 operations in Romania, the program is in full swing at the 86th Airbase – Borcea. The 53rd squadron is in the final stages of the final operational certification, through the deployment of some of the planes in the Baltic States for the NATO Baltic Air Policing mission. The Romanian F-16 Program is in full expansion, it will generate two additional squadrons that will operate a 49-plane fleet through the addition of the 32 recently acquired planes from Norway. The next squadron to be formed will revive the tradition of the 48th Squadron from World War II. The pilots that will integrate this squadron may decide if they want to adopt the big cat tradition in the RoAF, with a possible adhesion process to the NATO Tiger Association.

The Baltic Air Policing mission required extensive preparation. First the squadron and airbase management had to define the operational and logistic requirements, the selection of the team and its specific training, periodic checks and then the appropriate certification and transfer to Lithuania. It is the F-16s first mission that involves the deployment of forces and associated means to an external theatre of operations. Until now the squadron has performed Air Policing missions based on the agreements with the NATO neighbors operating from the 86th Airbase location – Borcea.

Another activity aimed at increasing public visibility and attracting talent for the RoAF, has been the regular presence of the F-16s to airshows in Romania. Until now the demonstrations consisted in simulations of tactical maneuvers, for the moment the specific training for a solo display demonstration is not a priority.

The tensions in the region had an impact on the flying activity of the 86th airbase. Since 2016, the 53rd squadron is on an ascending curve in what concerns the number of hours flown by the F-16M pilots. At the present time the squadron pilots are at a comparable level with the NATO partners in what concerns flight training, and recently the airbase started operating an F-16 Flight Simulator which is the most advanced virtual training system ever to be used in Romania.

Led by General Miclos, pilots approach their aircraft before the sortie.

In the last years the NATO Enhanced Air Policing mission has brought in Romania a wide selection of air forces which operated from the 57th Airbase (Mihail Kogalniceanu) and the 86th Airbase, with diverse aircraft types. When the operational conditions allow, the 53rd Squadron is organizing joint training activities with the NATO partners that operate from Borcea or Mihail Kogalniceanu.

At the end of March 2023, the four F-16s detachment – called the Carpathian Vipers - deployed to Siauliai in Lituania where they will be based until July 2023. On the 7th of April, two RoAF F-16s intercepted two Russian Federation Su-27 that were operating without contacting civilian ATC in international airspace over the Baltic Sea, marking their first scramble under the Baltic Air Policing responsibilities.

The Romanian Air Force is going through a rapid development as the F-16 fleet is set to grow to 49 aircraft. Romania is considering the F-16 as being an intermediate step in the development of its capabilities which will culminate with the introduction of the F-35. In April 2023, Romania’s Supreme Defense Council publicly declared that the country aims to purchase the F-35 Lightning II. No additional details were given, like numbers or delivery dates.

Special thanks: I would like to express my gratitude for the support for this article to General Catalin Miclos, Captain Madalina Dobre, Lieutenant Alexandru Beraczko, Warrant Officer Class 3 Bogdan Pantilimon and to all the dedicated staff of the Romanian Air Force and the Romanian Ministry of Defense.

Dragos Munteanu

6421 Lancer departing Borcea on full afterburner for a tango scramble exercise.

MiG-21 Lancers 6824 and 6421 from the 861 squadron (C version – interceptor) in the QRA (Quick Reaction Alert) position ready for scramble. In the background two F-18s - McDonnell Douglas F-18 Hornet. (C.15 – Spanish Designation) of the Spanish Air Force)

F-16 1603 heading for the runway.

Ground crews performing the last checks on F-16 1607.

Warhawks taxiing for the active runway in Borcea airbase.

F-16 1607 afterburner takeoff from Borcea runway 18.

THUNDER & LIGHTNING OVER ARIZONA 2023

Article and photos by Larry Grace / ISAP President

Larry Grace

Larry Grace

THE HOME OF GLOBAL STRIKE COMMAND

It’s always amazing to see a smoke trail a mile away and hear the distinct whistling sound coming from a mighty B-52 Stratofortress. At the Defenders of Liberty Airshow at Barksdale Air Force Base you could see plenty of the B-52s lined up in a row. Barksdale is the Headquarters of Global Strike Command, and even though it’s one of the most secure bases in the world every other year they host the airshow where you can not only see a B-52 bomber but also watch one fly across the sky.

They had another great line up of military demos with the Air Force F-22 Raptor demo, F-16 Viper demo, F-15C performing. There were many top notch civilian performers like Aeroshell, Rob Holland, Kevin Coleman and the Red Bull Air Force, Aftershock jet truck, and closing out the show was the United States Navy Demonstration Team Blue Angels. Storms came through on Friday night canceling the twilight show that was going to be phenomenal. This year there was also a massive STEAM area for the children at two different areas of the base to learn about flying and learn more about careers in the United States Air Force.

The Commemorative Air Force (CAF) Rise Above exhibit was also on display for the kids to experience the history of the Tuskegee

Airmen and the WASPS. P-51 Red Tail was also performing for the crowd along with some of the other CAF aircraft - C-47 That’s All Brother and PBJ Devil Dog.

It was amazing to see two days of flying showcasing some great history for the kids to learn. For the first time Randy Ball, Michael Terfehr, and Bill Culberson flew three MiG-17s over a B-52 bomber base which was pretty weird considering this could have been a flash back to an occurrence during the Vietnam War. It was pretty amazing to see them fly.

I had a great time working with the base and the Barksdale Air Force Base Public Affairs staff. I was able to work with their team and talk about shooting photography and a workflow process on shooting the event and post processing images. Working with the young airmen gave me some time to help get some knowledge on how to prepare themselves to go on assignments that may lead them to go around the world and capture the men and women of our armed forces.

Article and photos by Kevin Hong / Airspeed Editor

Kevin Hong

GARY DANIELS

I had been watching the weather from Dallas and made the decision to go to the Defenders of Liberty Airshow at Barksdale Air Force Base in Bossier City, Louisiana at the last minute. The Saturday show weather looked perfect with temps in the 70’s. Plus, this was my first airshow of the season and I really needed to knock off the rust and exercise my shooting muscles. I am glad I went.

An estimated 85,000 attended the Saturday show. Barksdale AFB is massive, and the beat down is getting on base, making it to parking on the expansive tarmac, walking a great distance to the security check-in, standing 30-plus minutes to get checked, and then walking to the crowd line and picking your spot. Once you find your nest, you are already worn out. A chair is a must for a show like this. But once the show began it was action packed and I almost forgot about my aching feet.

You can see from the imagery, in this section about Barksdale, that the show was exciting. But for me, the highlight was the three-ship MiG-17F flight. This was the first time ever that three MiGs have flown at a USAF base airshow. Randy Ball flew 1611, Michael Terfehr flew 1613, and Bill Culberson flew 1713. There are several MiG variants flying in the US now. It would be incredible to get many of them at one airshow in the future.

Of course, the US Navy Blue Angels ripped up the severe clear blue sky to end the show. I am always in awe of the young men and women aircrews and maintainers of our military jet teams. As the F-18’s shut off their engines I turned and faced the great distance to where my car was parked. “No way,” I said. I just sat down and waited an hour to let the masses thin out. Finally, security came around herding the lingerers off the base. I definitely got my steps in that day.

Gary Daniels

Gary Daniels

Gary Daniels

Gary Daniels

Gary Daniels

Gary Daniels

Jim Wilson

Jim Wilson

Jim Wilson

Jim Wilson

As a team of nine photographers and one videographer, we are well known in the world of aviation photographers for the many aerial photo missions we fly each year in Europe. Most are in corporation with the big airshows we have over here, and on occasion we organize our own private events as well.

We have been lucky to fly with a ton of warbirds, civilian airshow acts, airliners, all of the demo jets and demo teams and 60+ Air Forces. Somewhere in the second half of the 2023 season we will celebrate the milestone of achieving 2000! safe and successful aerial photo flights.

For many years the team has been a member of the EAC (European Airshow Council) and during their annual airshow convention (similar to the ICAS conventions in the US) we established longtime friendships with several American and Canadian ICAS members who have attended the European convention as well. For many years in a row, they have told us to come over to North America as the concept we have is non-existent with them. I’ve held that invitation off for at least five years in a row with the excuse that “I don’t know anybody in the US airshow industry” (that turned out to be very untrue) and “due to the huge distances we can never fly viable projects.”

After seeing so many inspiring videos of Oshkosh last summer I decided that the moment had arrived. If I would not at least try it, maybe I become old and grumpy and regret and whine in the end for never actually have done it. So I called two of our longtime friends from North America – Canadian airshow announcer Ric Peterson and ICAS President John Cudahy – asking them some guidance and advice. I will never forget that reply, and I really don’t believe in coincidence but both their replies were along the lines “oh what a nice coincidence, we were just talking about the Aviation Photo Crew last weekend in Oshkosh and how good you guys would do over here...”

How is that for a start!! Larry Schleser (ACC/A3TA Aerial Events), another longtime friend also provided his full support and introductions to the US airshow industry, and so the moment had arrived to…well actually get started.

In October 2022 crew member Giel and myself visited all of the US Skyvan operators across the US to get to know them in person and make sure they could provide us a Skyvan photo ship capable of flying the same type of photo mission that has made us so famous in Europe. In just seven days we had multiple meetings in Chicago, Los Angeles, Phoenix and Orlando. As a second step I attended with crew member Peter the ICAS convention in Las Vegas last December. Many nice surprises for us, as the ‘new’ airshow territory opened up for us. We met with Larry Grace (International Society for Aviation Photography, ICAS member) and Ricardo von Puttkamer (Aviation Photo Journal, ICAS member) for the first time in person. And it turned out that a LOT of ICAS delegates already knew really well who we were.

Fast forward to March 2023, and we are super excited to fly out to Arizona for two days of test flights with Skydive Arizona providing the Skyvan photoship. Main purpose is not to have a ton of aircraft joining up on us, but to see how procedures work and if they are comparable to our concept in Europe. We had great support in advance from the FAA and would focus on two days of flying.

Aviation Photo Crew

TEST FLIGHTS IN ARIZONA

Article and photos by Eric Coeckelberghs

From the Aviation Photo Crew we had Tom, Michael, Geert, videographer Max and myself participating, and we were happy to invite Ricardo von Puttkamer and Larry Grace to join us. We also gave an invitation to Kedar Karmarkar, as he was the first US based photographer ever to fly out to Europe and join us in an airshow project ...looong time ago. With a USAF photographer from Davis-Monthan included our team was complete!

Day 1, March 22:

Well…a few challenges….I know Arizona from all the pictures on google with a steal blue sky and unlimited visibility, and enjoyable warm weather ;) None of that was present, and the day before our arrival it was actually raining….in the desert!! At best it would be cloudy, but as an unexpected result we would have a backdrop of the desert in bloom with orange and yellow flowers plus a lot of green in the scenery.

The first reality check came very soon. When we fly with USAF assets (not requested for the test flights) it is normal we run a lengthy approval process well in advance, it has brought us over the years a wide range of super join-ups with F-15C/D/E, Osprey, KC-135, F-35, KC-135 etc. We were planning to fly with 10! F-35s from the Royal Netherlands Air Force, Norwegian Air Force, Italian Air Force and Danish Air Force (they would have brought out all 6 of their jets stationed at Luke AFB). Everything was set for an amazing long first flight, but just two days prior to the flight we all found out that military jets operating from a USAF airbase also need an approval from the USAF. Being realistic we knew that the required signatures would not come in time…but *spoiler alert* , we will be back later this year in Arizona and those F-35 pilots might be waiting for us.

Fortunately civilian contractors did not need the same high level of approval, and so we were super happy to learn that our longtime friends of Top Aces definitely would make our day by presenting us one of the coolest looking badass F-16s out there. They kept the paint scheme from the original military operator (The Israeli Air Force) and added the ‘red star’ to become the aggressor as they fly in this role for their clients.

Well, screw that bad weather, high ISO is no problem on modern cameras and we took to the skies to meet with ‘Billy Bob’ showing up behind the Skyvan tack sharp on time. Man, that pilot can fly the F-16 at a slow speed!!! We were flying in the Kitt Peak/Sells military airspace, superb background, and were treated with 35 minutes of every possible photo angle we could have wished for. Fantastic photo and video results, and if you want another *Spoiler*, I think we meet more Top Aces jet power this year!!!

Another part of our test was to overfly a landmark to determine ideal elevation and speed if we aim to include something cool on the ground (as we want to do for both the Abbotsford airshow in

Canada and the Pacific Airshow in the US later this season) Nobody complained we choose the Marana airpark with as targets the two stored Boeing 747SP, nailed it!

Day 2, March 23:

For our second day we would operate the Skyvan photo ship out of Ryan airport, as it was the ideal location close to the airspace provided to us by FAA and ATC for the civilian participants, as well as the “Fuzzy’ area close to the Mexican border for our military join-up.

We were happy and privileged to work with the CAF SoCal Wing for our first US warbird encounter.

‘Donut’ would fly the F6F Hellcat for us, and ‘Lips’ would present the Zero, a magnificent combination that we don’t have in Europe. Briefing was made on the ground face to face, and off we went.

Experience #1: even with a blue sky peeping through the clouds there was still a lot of shadow areas, more than we had hoped not to be there.

Experience #2: Are we really flying in the Arizona desert?? It was cold in the Skyvan sitting so close by the open ramp, I mean real freaking cold!! Maybe we suffered a bit

too much to get the shots…or next time we’ll bring the winter jacket.

Experience #3: Now we have done close to 2000 photo missions…and this one enters our top 10 right away for most bumpy ride! What the f….?? the desert of Arizona is for sure full of surprises, there goes the ‘full prop’ pictures ;) I think nobody dared to go under 1/200s for shutter speed.

But all whining aside, what a great start of the photo mission, expertly flown in a solo-2-ship-solo presentation. Of course we have great photos and certainly we will see more warbird action in our future flights.

“Good morning aviation photographers, are you ready?” Our own private ‘Top Gun’ moment came to us in the shape of the Growlers legacy team from the US NAVY. Little bummer that their CAG bird broke down (and it had all of their the GoPros installed), but it really was like in the movie for us: similar backdrop and what a beast that EF-18G is, I only noticed smiling photographers around me. It must have been also ‘Top Gun’ flying for ‘Handy’ and his crew, as the Skyvan was not able to provide the necessary speed for the 2-ship to hang on to us. But would any of you complain if you get the Growlers one by one on both side of the photo ship? Keep an eye on the Growler Ball 2023 video, yep we gonna be in there with footage from our young videographer Max. And round 2 coming up in Abbotsford guys!!

The next join-up on the list would be the 2-ship of the shiny metal T-33s, filled with smoke and taken off from Davis-Monthan especially for the photo flights. “Would be” became “would have been” after 20 minutes of holding, as on the ground something typical happened on a busy airshow arrivals day…their bowser did not arrive on time. Unexpected situations are part of any big airshow operation, and so Round 2 for ‘Wired’ & his friends will be the Pacific Airshow later this year.

On the way back to Ryan airport we had reason to celebrate: we have flown in 14 photo flight seasons with nearly every jet type flying in Europe, so the chance to add a new jet type to our long list is definitely a big round of applause. That goes to ‘Lark’ in his Subsonic MiniJet, but what an airshow treat that is, and with smoke!! Super cool and very happy we got it. For sure it’s the smallest jet powered aircraft we know is flying in North America. Also for Lark we have a round 2 waiting at the Pacific airshow!

Our final participant in the photo flight was famous Red Bull pilot Kirby Chambliss in his Edge 540, that must bring us the full propeller photo surrounded by smoke and a very shiny sexy aerobatic aircraft. Only… Kirby did not show up, and the briefing was completed only a few hours prior. On the ground I realized I also earned my first ass kicking in the US, as I provided Kirby with the wrong frequency for the join up… sorry Kirby, but you are now our primary target for the Pacific airshow.

As a test our two days in the air were a huge success. Test means for sure you don’t get everything we had planned, but flying a Skyvan photo ship in the US brought us a ton of useful feedback to progress with our next steps. There was already an extensive meeting with the FAA regarding our set up and procedures, we will have to amend the AOC from any Skyvan flying for us to include our system of operation and obtain FAA and transport Canada approval. We are very well on the way to have the Skyvan photo ship fully ready for our next ‘big’ adventure in North America, the Abbotsford International Airshow near Vancouver, Canada where we will fly for three full days and an amazing list of join-ups. Inside we will have the same photographers lay-out, communication and safety features as we use in Europe. Counting the days till August!!

Photo wise we were able to use all the lenses in the range from 24mm to 400mm, high ISO on the first day, and too high shutter speeds on the second day ;)

The rest of our short stay in Arizona was filled with things aviation photographers do when they have some time to spend: drop by with Goshawk Unlimited to see the FW190 progress, visit the Davis-Monthan boneyard, catch a couple A-10s in landing, walk around in the Pima Air Museum, and stand at the fence in Mesa in glorious sunshine for the T-38 arrival. Life is not too boring in the Aviation Photo Crew!

But that weather better be up level next time we come to Arizona, because we have some plans for later this year…some exotic jet fighter plans. Are you joining us?

The Aviation Photo Crew will fly two ‘big, all arrivals’ projects in North America this season:

Abbotsford international Airshow, Canada

Photo missions will be flown on August 8, 9 & 10

Pacific Airshow, USA

Photo missions will be flown on September 27 & 28, with 29 as ‘TBD’

Both projects are open to other photographers and can be booked now. The line-up of subject aircraft/helicopters is expected to have a lot of military, civilian acts, aerobatic teams and warbirds.

In October they will return to Arizona for another round of test flights and fast jet action. Monday, October 2 and Tuesday, October 3 are the dates for these flights with a surprising catch and a possible knock-out line up. More info to come.

For more on the Aviation Photo Crew, the team and their photo adventures in Europe, and how you can participate in many opportunities visit www.aviation-photocrew.com

Larry Grace

Larry Grace

Larry Grace

Larry Grace

RED FLAG EXERCISE 2023

Article and photos by Rob Tabor

As Yogi Berra one said “It’s like Déjà vu all over again”. Much in the same way that birds fly south in the winter, Salmon swim upstream to spawn or Lemmings seeking new habitats, I find myself driven by some biological pre-programmed urge to follow the heard to Red Flag.

I’m starting to make this trek so often now that I’m beginning to think my truck could almost drive itself there. This time around 23-1 brought the opportunity to shoot the RAF Typhoons and KC-3 Voyager as well as the Aussie Growlers. Once again it was good to see the Marine F-35’s and Navy Growlers in the mix as well. The heavy contingent was fairly standard with Buff’s and KC-135’s.

On Monday and Tuesday, as if by some divine intervention, all departures were the Flex North/West departures. Due to winds, the recoveries on

three of the days were to runway 03 which caused Cheyenne to be an absolute Circus. One local business owner was not happy with all the traffic and vehemently and profanely voiced his displeasure with those parked on his property that was clearly marked with “Private Property” signs.

Me personally, I really hate to see that, I really think we should be making every effort to try and leave a small foot print and to be as unobtrusive as possible. The next Flag is coming up in March and I’m already starting to get the urge to Lemming off that cliff yet again. As always, it was great to cross paths with good friends, acquaintances and fellow ISAP members. Look forward to seeing you out there again some time soon.

I attended the 49th edition of the Sun ‘n Fun Air Show in Lakeland, FL at Lakeland Linder International Airport. It’s the second largest air show in the U.S., so a good set of footwear is a must. There is also a wide range of aircraft on display. There are not only a lot of places to visit on the property, but there are a lot of places to shoot photos from. On my first day, I moved all over the property shooting photos. On my second day while the air show was going on I spent most of the time in the bleachers.

Sun ‘n Fun 2023

Article and photos by Bill LaFlamme

Michael Goulian putting on his parachute before piloting his Extra 330SC aerobatic show plane.

Camera: Canon R5 Lens: Canon RF 100 - 500@400mm Shutter speed: 1/800 ISO: 200 Exposure: f/7.1

Louis Horschel, mechanic for the P-51D Mustang “The Little Witch”, doing routine maintenance while talking to a young, future pilot.

Camera: Canon 5D Mk IV Lens: Canon 16 - 35@17mm Shutter speed: 1/500 ISO: 100 Exposure: f/6.3

Class of ’45 pilots doing their pre-flight ritual before their air demonstration. Right to Left, Jim “Torc” Tobul, who flies the F4-U Corsair, and Scott “Scooter” Yoak, who pilots the F-51D Mustang “Quick Silver”. Camera: Canon 5D Mk IV Lens: Canon 16 - 35@35mm Shutter speed: 1/1000 ISO: 100 Exposure: f/5

F-35B, the U.S. Navy’s vertical takeoff aircraft.

Camera: Canon R5 Lens: Canon RF 100 - 500@500mm Shutter speed: 1/1600 ISO: 160 Exposure: f/7.1

The cockpit of a KC-135 Stratotanker.

Camera: Canon 5D Mk IV Lens: Canon 16 - 35@16mm Shutter speed: 1/160 ISO: 100 Exposure: f/2.8

Aeroshell Aerobatic Team flying their four T-6 Texans. Camera: Canon R5 Lens: Canon RF 100 - 500@176mm Shutter speed: 1/320 ISO: 100 Exposure: f/13

LARRY

Larry Grace

Larry Grace

Larry Grace

Larry Grace

Larry Grace

Larry Grace

Larry Grace

Larry Grace

Larry Grace

HOW I GOT THE SHOT

Article and photo by Gary Daniels

Barksdale Air Force Base has an impressive museum called the Barksdale Global Power Museum. The outdoor aircraft walk has many aircraft including an SR-71, B-1B, and even a Vulcan B.2. The Vulcan is a British designed jet-powered, large delta-wing, high-altitude strategic bomber which was operated by the Royal Air Force from 1956 until 1984.

I arrived at Barksdale AFB, on Friday afternoon with Erik Johnston, to attend the Defenders of Liberty Air Show. We came early so that we could visit the outdoor museum. When we saw the Vulcan, our first thought was to shoot night images of the fabled Vulcan. Then, to our dismay, we found that the museum was not open in the evening.

At the museum office, we asked SMSGT Ted Daigle if we could have permission to shoot in the museum after hours. Daigle was very accommodating and gave us permission. He also assigned Airman Justin Moore to be our escort for the evening. Justin took the assignment with a great attitude and even brought his own camera to learn how to shoot a night image. We enjoyed his enthusiasm.

A weather front was moving through that evening, and it was windy, chilly, and rainy. At one point, after we had set up and ready to start shooting, a squall blew through forcing us to grab all our gear and shelter under the expansive wings of the Vulcan until the rain passed.

After the squall, we re-set up and started shooting with fast moving clouds drifting overhead...what a bonus! Calculating a 30-second exposure, to blur the moving clouds and manage the light painting, we went to work. My focus for this image was to show the unique wing shape and engine configuration of the Vulcan. A low angle at the left rear of the aircraft worked for well.

This aircraft is big. Too big for just one person to light paint in 30 seconds. And because of the weather, I did not want to shoot several exposures of different sections of the aircraft and blend later in post. We decided to do this quickly by both Erik and I light painting simultaneously. I light painted the back half of the aircraft and Eric light painted the front half of

the bomber. We quickly did two sessions on the Vulcan and packed up to get out of the weather and release Airman Moore from his responsibility.

The specs for the light painting were exposure at 30 seconds, ISO 100, f/8. The lens was a Nikon 24 - 120 set at 24mm. Post was done in Photoshop.

This Avro Vulcan B.2 arrive at Barksdale in 1982 and sits in the good company of many historic aircraft at the museum. Enjoy the image!

Article and photos by Larry Grace / ISAP President

The Navy Legacy Flight Foundation program matches today’s frontline military fighters with their predecessors in close flight maneuvers at air shows nationwide.

USN F/A-18F “Rhino” fighters, F/A-18G “Growler” Electronic Countermeasure aircraft, and F-35C Lightning II fly on the wings of World War II, Korean and Vietnam era fighters in an amazing tribute to Naval Aviators both past and present.

The U.S. Navy’s TACDEMO teams from VFA-106 and VFA-122 are the U.S. Navy’s Legacy Flight teammates. These talented active duty aviators fly the dynamic Super Hornet tactical demonstrations that precede our Navy Legacy flights. Strike Fighter Squadron 122 (VFA-122), also known as the “Flying Eagles”, are the west coast team and Strike Fighter Squadron 106 (VFA-106), also known as the “Gladiators”, are the east coast team. Also joining the Legacy Flight program is the Carrier Variant F-35C Lightning II.

Starting in 2022, all types of the U.S. Navy training aircraft will also be doing static demonstrations at airshows and performing Legacy Flights with the fighters and legacy warbird aircraft.

The Navy approves a select group of civilian pilots to fly their warbirds in formation with the TACDEMO and F-35C aircraft. Intensive training and preparation are the focus of a week-long mission each spring to prepare the pilots for safe and enjoyable demonstrations all over the U.S.

During an entire weekend at NAS Lemoore, the men and women of these TACDEMO teams were able to come together and do their flight training and practice while continuing to rotate on and off the aircraft carriers from around the world. This year in attendance an A-4 Skyhawk and F4U Corsair were among the fighters to fly with the modern military aircraft serving in the United States Navy today.

Larry Grace

Larry Grace

Larry Grace

Larry Grace

Larry Grace

Larry Grace

Larry Grace

Larry Grace

Larry Grace

F/A-18 Super Hornet West Coast Rhino

Demo Team

Pilots:

LT Wes “Trash Blast’er” Perkins

LT Patrick “Joey” Sheldon

LT Matt “HUGs” Phillips

WSOs:

LT Vonhayes “L3Nnie” Switzer

LT David “Roomba” Sands

LT Jon “Runt” Dotson

F-35C Lightning II

LT Blake “Puddin’” Rademaker

LT Pete “JIIME” Chatry

CAPT Matt “Blower” Jackson

LT Andrew “Longarm” Theodotou

LT Dan “Sk@p” Barringer

LT Eitze “Micropig” Huisman

EA-18G Growler

Pilots:

LT Cody “Handy” Brown

LT Gregory “Benz” Oh

LCDR Nicholas “Shorthorn” Brown

LT Mitchell “HoBro” Lopes

LT Tyler “Buffer” Fisher

Electronic Warfare Officers (EWOs):

LT Travis “Pubert” Sorensen

LT Melissa “DDG” Deardorff

LT Shelby “Getsum” Mass

LT Brianna “POPS” Bilunas

Navy Legacy Pilots

Paul Wood

Steve Hinton

Jim Tobul

Alan Anders

Mike Eberhardt

Louis Horschel

Scott Yoak

Mark Hubbard

Stuart Milson

Larry Grace

BOOK REVIEW

by Kevin Hong

It’s not everyday you get a chance to review an ISAP member’s book and I can tell you this book blew me away. I met Scott a few years back at one of the ISAP Symposiums and realized he was another fortunate civilian photographer that has been able to fly with the military.

Most of the time when you get a photo book you just look at the photographs first, which I did, but for me I also look at a few other features that drew me into a great journey with the United States Navy.

The press release has information and highlights about Scott Dworkin’s background you can read about and why he did this book. It’s unbelievable how all the photos were collected to create this experience of training to be a naval aviator flying trainers and working all the way to flying the F/A-18 Super Hornet. There are so many things in this book that I did not expect to see and learn. From shooting photos of orientation flights in T-45 Goshawks to landing on a carrier deck where you get a real appreciation for the Navy pilots who risk their lives every day flying and living their lives on a floating aircraft carrier at sea.

Scott went above and beyond to create this book and even going into details about not only flying the F/A-18 Super Hornet but also talk about the demo teams and Navy Legacy Flight that can be seen at airshows all over the country. It’s a dissimilar formation where you can see the Super Hornet fly with Korean and Vietnam War era aircraft flying together to honor the brave men and women serving the United States Navy.

I highly recommend getting this book and not just look at the photos but really read into the history and legacy of naval aviation. It’s not just about the planes but also about the maintenance crews and the people Scott talks about that helps readers understand what it takes to not only teach the next generation of Naval aviators but also some insight to the future of the Navy. I hope everyone will purchase a copy of this beautiful and inspiring book. This is one book I will happily add to my aviation collection of books.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Aerial Photographer Takes Flight in Captivating New Book on Modern Aviation Becoming the Rhino by

Scott Dworkin

Thousand Oaks, CA; January 10, 2023: Mascot Books is thrilled to announce the release of the new book, Becoming the Rhino, by Scott Dworkin.

Becoming the Rhino takes you on a behind-the-scenes look into the day-to-day operations of VFA-122, and shares the demanding process undertaken by the United States Navy’s Fleet Replacement Squadron to train the next generation of Naval Aviators to fly the F/A-18 Super Hornet.

Scott Dworkin is an aerial photographer, contractor, and photojournalist based outside Los Angeles, California He has had a lifelong passion for aviation and photography, and after honing his skills as a photographer for many years, he decided to combine the two interests professionally in 2010

Since then,Scott’s work has been published in numerous international aviation magazines and websites. As a photographer and writer, he has flown with and covered every branch of the U S Armed Forces Scott embedded with the US Air Force 452nd Airlift Wing from March Air Reserve Base in California, traveling with them to Afghanistan to cover their aeromedical evacuation missions. Scott is one of only a handful of civilians in the world who is privileged to fly as an aerial photographer in high-performance military aircraft.

Scott’s freelance work led to him being hired by the 412th Test Wing, Air Force Flight Test Center at Edwards Air Force Base, California, as a full-time flight test aerial photographer Then, he was recruited by the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division, Naval Test Wing Pacific at Point Mugu and China Lake in California and other locations. The creation of Mach 91 Aerial Photography and this book are the culmination of Scott’s dream and passion to deliver the finest quality, dramatic aerial photography possible, to bring the aircraft to life in its natural environment, and tell the story of the men and women who serve.

For more information about Becoming the Rhino, please contact Michelle Garcia (Publicist) at michelle@amplifypublishing.com This book is on sale now from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Amplify Publishing Group (APG). It is distributed by APG, Ingram, the American Wholesale Book Company, Baker & Taylor, and Follett Library Resources.

About Amplify Publishing Group

Amplify Publishing Group is a leading independent hybrid publisher that is passionate about ideas and voices that need to be heard APG publishes across a wide variety of genres and is the culmination of twenty years of experience acquiring, producing, marketing, and distributing books It is home to a number of distinct imprints, including Amplify Publishing, RealClear Publishing, and Mascot Books.

ISAP MEMBER’S SHOWCASE

Article and photo by Larry Grace /

ISAP President

People watching a beautiful airliner land over one of the world’s most famous viewing aviation locations at St. Maarten’s Maho Beach.

Camera: Nikon Z9 Lens: NIKKOR VR 28 - 300mm f/3.5-5.6G ISO: 450 Shutter speed: 1/1600 Exposure: f/5.6

Processed in Adobe Camera RAW and Photoshop 2023 CC

ISAP MEMBER’S SHOWCASE

Engine start of a privately owned Westland Scout AH-1 in British Army colors was taken at the 3rd Northolt nightshoot in March 2023.

Camera: Nikon D7200 Lens: TAMRON SP 24 - 70mm F/2.8 Di VC USD G2 A032N ISO: 250 Shutter speed: 2 seconds Exposure: f/6.3

Processed in Lightroom Classic and Photoshop 2023 CC

Article and photo by Dragos Munteanu

ISAP MEMBER’S SHOWCASE

Article and photo by Scott Slingsby

Two’s company, three’s a crowd, unless you’re shooting warbirds, then the more the merrier. This is from a visit to the Cavanaugh Flight Museum in 2016 that was organized by Scott Slocum not long after the museum obtained the B-25H “Barbie III”. The bomber was joined by Stuart Milson flying the museum’s P-51, “The Brat III” and Mike Burke in “Nervous Energy’.

Camera: Nikon D3S Lens: 24.0-120.0 mm f/4.0 ISO: 200 Shutter speed: 1/160 Exposure: f/7.1

Processed Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom Classic

ISAP MEMBER’S SHOWCASE

Article and photo by Kevin Hong

It’s not every day you get to shoot photos of three MiG-17s flying in formation over a B-52 bomber base. Barksdale AFB hosted the Defenders of Liberty Airshow 2023.

Camera: Canon R6 Lens: Canon RF 100 - 500mm f/4.5 - 7.1 L IS USM ISO: 125 Shutter speed: 1/2000 Exposure: f/5.6

Processed in Adobe Photoshop Camera RAW and Photoshop 2023

MEET OUR MEMBERS

Aviation Photography©

The realm of photography has provided many adventures in my life at locations ranging from concert venues and racetracks to airfields and launch pads. Moving to New Castle, Delaware several years ago has proven to be a wise move from an aviation photography perspective. KILG, less than a mile away, is home to the 166th Airlift Wing and also serves as President Biden’s primary destination when traveling to his home, which is essentially just down the road from ours. KILG also serves as a touch-and-go facility for everything from C-17s to P-8s, and with Dover Air Force Base just 40 miles away you never know what you’ll see flying past. It’s always a good idea to keep a camera nearby.

Though I did not have formal photography training, I read guides and magazines voraciously and obtained my first serious camera – a Minolta SRT-101 – in high school in the early 1970s. My focus was on rock music photography in the Philadelphia area. I never used a flash, with the concert stages providing a great education in the possibilities of available light and how to use the limitations of an environment to my advantage. While color transparencies were processed commercially, all my black and white work was the result of basement darkroom labors, hours spent enjoying that unique aroma of processing chemicals.

Since those long-ago days I have gone on to write more than a dozen non-fiction books, with several providing a home for my photography as well as my words. Though I have written numerous books about music, my books about motorsports and automotive development programs provided the best opportunity for my film images to appear, many captured using my Nikon N6006 and various Nikon lenses.

By 2011 – though I was well into an exploration of digital photographyI covered the final flight of the space shuttle program on film, one of the few photographers making that choice. To me, it seemed appropriate to portray the final flight of Atlantis in the same way the first flight of Columbia had been documented three decades before.

Currently, I shoot both RAW and JPG for flexibility, pursuing aircraft in action armed with a Nikon D750 and Nikkor AF-S f/5.6 200 - 500mm E ED. Thanks to Nikon’s backwards compatibility all my film-era lenses are still occasionally called on to serve. For covering all the bases including the rare video need, I turn to a Sony DSC-RX10, which has a 24 - 200mm 35mm equivalency with its Zeiss lens. I also have a Nikon 1 V2 which is easy to bring along on bike trips. And I still have both my

trusty, basic Minolta SRT 101 and the Nikon N6006. Most recently, I’ve added a Nikon 1.4 teleconverter to give my big lens more reach in pursuit of my hobby photographing USAF refueling operations taking place overhead at 26,000 feet. That is a fun challenge! For processing I have worked with Photoshop, Lightroom, and PaintShop Pro, but am on the verge of migrating to the new release of Affinity Photo, having been impressed by the original program’s flow as detailed in James Abbott’s 2021 book The Digital Darkroom. I admit to being a fan of software that does not require a subscription, and Affinity Photo is just such an application.

I always enjoy discussing photography, particularly the unique challenges of aviation photography. The one thing I have recently learned, especially since moving under the skies of New Castle, is to always keep an ear open. At air shows you expect to have time to prepare for passes over the show center; here, that growing noise just might be a C-5M Super Galaxy about to make a surprise visit!

As an introduction I’ve submitted ten photographs, the first two being scans from film prints: Mick Jones and Joe Strummer of the band The Clash in 1981. The New Castle area provides many photographic opportunities, among them two recent Nikon D750 images: a fox by the banks of the Delaware River, and a sunset softened by river fog. The aviation photos taken with my Nikon D750 portray a C-17 Globemaster, a FedEx Boeing 767 with some winged company out of PHL, a KC-135 crew member taking a break on a hot day, a UPS Boeing 747-800 photographed over Bridgeport, New Jersey, and two variations of Air Force One carrying President Biden: the large VC-25 departing Joint Base Andrews and the smaller C-32 ascending into gray skies from New Castle.

I am always seeking to improve the visual content of my aerospace website which led me to discover ISAP within the last month. As such, I am excited about learning much more through the knowledge and experiences of the other members of what is clearly a vibrant organization - and I appreciate the opportunity to participate.

www.AerospacePerceptions.com

Frank Moriarty

Frank Moriarty

For over 25 years as a professional I have been photographing a wide variety of people, sports, weddings, nature and aviation. Retirement offers me more time and options to travel with my husband, seeing and experiencing things the world has to offer. Located in Gulf Breeze, FL across the bay from the Cradle of Naval Aviation and Home of The Blue Angels makes it easy to get excited about aviation photography.

Canon is my equipment of choice. R5 with a 400mm f/2.8 IS III +1.4 ext. is my primary setup, backups are 5DsR with 500mm f/4.0 IS III and 5Ds with a 100 - 400mm f/4.5-5.6 IS II and 70 - 200mm f/2.8 lens for closer detail. I also use tripods and gimbals.

RAW or JPG format is determined by the situation or the job requirements. RAW has more information, JPG is a bit quicker. For quick

work Lightroom is my first choice and Photoshop for more detail and creativity.

I joined ISAP in April 2023 after speaking with Larry Grace at Sun ‘n Fun in Lakeland, FL. Professional organizations are good and bring a variety of people together with different perspectives on photography. Also they provide an excellent resource for help and ideas.

I am always willing to answer questions or provide what I know to those getting started in photography. As for aviation photography, for a beginner practice and then practice more. Learn to track a variety of slower planes and work your way up to the faster jets and don’t get frustrated.

Kelley Whitaker

Kelley Whitaker

Kelley Whitaker

Kelley Whitaker

Kelley Whitaker

Kelley Whitaker

Kelley Whitaker

I am based out of Phoenix, Arizona and a professional photographer. I didn’t have any formal college level training, but have attended various workshops and online webinars. I am always interested in learning more.

I’ve always had a passion for aviation and planned on being a military pilot, but could not meet the eye sight requirements. Combining my love for aviation and photography is a natural fit and joy.

I shoot with Canon cameras with a few Tamron lenses in the mix and DJI Mavic Air-2 for drone work. For static displays, I prefer the 15 - 30mm, 24 - 70mm or the 85mm lenses mounted on a 5D Mk IV and 1Dx MkIII bodies. For aircraft in flight, I switch to; 70 - 200mm, 100 - 400mm or 150 - 600mm lenses.

I prefer shooting RAW and redundantly record to two cards in each camera. I like having a neutral starting point with lots of data variables to work with that Raw files offer.

I primarily use Adobe Lightroom for basic work and Photoshop for more specialized needs. They do a good job of helping me create the finished image I want. I’ve been attracted to its community of sharing and education for a while and decided to join January 2023.

I became aware of ISAP when looking into the details of Larry Grace’s great photos. Other than Canon Professional Services, I am not currently a member of another association or group.

I help mentor a number of local photographers with both their photography and business dreams. I like to find out what their goals are and do my best to help them along their path. Be patient with yourself as you get used to photographing some potentially fast-moving objects. In addition to having the right photo gear for the shoot, make sure you protect yourself from the environment with appropriate clothing and stay nourished and hydrated.

I grew up in Southern California but currently live in the Lowry Neighborhood of Denver, Colorado on the grounds of the former Lowry Air Force Base (1937-1994). One of the best things about Lowry is the Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum, a 5-minute walk from my house. My profile photo was taken in front of the museum and its B-52B Stratofortress.

I am a professional photographer and though it isn’t my full-time occupation I focus on fashion/swimwear photography with the occasional wedding. I fell in love with photography in high school getting my first camera, a Canon AT-1 in 1978. I took several photography classes in college spending time in the dark room when I should have been studying.

During Covid I started shooting birds, especially bald wagles. I’m not a “birder”, I just like shooting cool things that fly. I still shoot fashion and swim, but recently have been shooting mostly wildlife, and of course airshows.

My love for military aircraft dates to the 1970’s when my dad would take us to airshows at Point Mugu in Ventura, CA to see the Blue Angels. In 2015, the Thunderbirds came to Colorado, and I remembered how much I loved airshows. I’ve been to 12 airshows in the past two years, three already this year with at least six more planned. I am also a fan of motorsports having photographed NASCAR and IndyCar races, but Formula 1 is my favorite.

Last year I made the move to mirrorless bodies with the Canon EOS R5 and EOS R3. My current kit of choice for airshows is the Canon EOS R3 paired with a Sigma 150 - 600mm Contemporary lens, though I am planning to acquire the Canon 400mm f/2.8.

In my opinion there are no photography secrets, and I will gladly share any knowledge I have with anyone who asks as I get a lot of satisfaction out of helping others succeed as others have helped me. The best advice I can give anyone starting out in aviation photography is to ask questions and practice. You will find that most photographers at airshows, fly-ins, and social media groups will gladly answer your questions. YouTube is also a great source of information. When planning an airshow trip, if possible, plan on attending Friday practice as well as both days of the show. Shooting three days in a row will accelerate your learning. Most importantly, don’t get discouraged. We were all beginners once.

Except for event photography, I shoot RAW exclusively. The only downside is the storage requirements, but it’s worth it. I use Capture One for importing, culling, cropping, color correction, color grading, etc. Photoshop is a must for fashion photography where retouching is absolutely required. I find that Capture One is faster for tethered shooting and does a better RAW conversion.

A photographer I met at a recent airshow told me about ISAP and I joined as soon as I could. I am also a member of the Professional Photographers of America (PPA).

AIRPLANE SILHOUETTES

by John Ford

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ISAP Board Members

President and Board Chairman

Vice President and Vice Chairman

Treasurer

ISAP Board Member

ISAP Board Member

ISAP Staff Member

Chairman Emeritus

Airspeed Editor

Larry Grace

Jim Wilson

Gary Edwards

George Kounis

Kevin Hong

John Sepp

Jay Miller

Kevin Hong

Airspeed 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

Airspeed is a publication to showcase our members’ work in capturing aviation events.

Images should be sized at a minimum size of at least 5100 x 3300 (17” x 11”) @ 300 dpi. We would like your largest landscape file size format for our full page spread in our featured magazine. Please submit up to 10 images per article and your text in a Microsoft Word document. Email your article and images by using www.wetransfer.com and send to info@aviationphoto.org (Up to 2GB).

Members can submit images for review for a future cover or back page display or would like to inquire on doing an article for Airspeed contact us via email at info@aviationphoto.org

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

International Society

Aviation Photography©