Airspeed - The Magazine for Aviation Photographers

WELCOME TO THE 2023 SEPTEMBER ISSUE OF AIRSPEED !

EAA AirVenture 2023

Jeff Krueger John Ford Jim Koepnick Brent Blue

Drew Hendrix Kevin Hong Brett Schauf Larry Grace

Air to Air Photography at American Dream Ranch

Todd and Kelley Whitaker

Fort Lauderdale Airshow 2023

Bill LaFlamme

Iniochos 2023 – Fighters in Greece

Dragos Munteanu

Duluth Air and Aviation Expo 2023

Larry Grace

Thunder Over Dalhart

Jeff Krueger

Moody Gardens Air, Car and Boat Show

Kevin Hong

Dancers in the sky

Marc Schultz

2023 Hyundai Air and Sea Show

Bill LaFlamme

A Ride of a Lifetime

Marc Farb

Red, White and Blue Angels Week

Todd and Kelley Whitaker

News Release

2023 Bill Barber Award for Showmanship Award

Celebrating Freedom

Kevin Hong Jim Wilson

ISAP Member’s Showcase

Frank Moriarty Todd Whitaker Steve Zimmermann

How I Edited The Shot

John Ford

Meet Our Members

Eric Mason Todd Whitaker

Airplane Silhouettes

John Ford

Front Cover

B-29 Doc Bombardier Seat

Photo by Marc Farb

Back Cover

Close up of engine panel on Extra 330 aerobatic plane.

Photo by Marc Schultz

Steve Zimmermann

Ismael Abeytua

Guy Adams

Robert Allen

Roland Ashby

Michael Benton

Gary Chambers

Mike Cox

Samuel Dammers

Gary Daniels

Deana Denlinger

Randall Dunn

Bruce Fortelka

John Ford

Matthew Geleske

Mike Hill

Ken Highley

Ken Hunt

Joseph Jenkins

Sam Knutson

Gerard Lamarque

Nicolas Limbioul

Jack Lipscomb

John Love

Eric Mason

Ricardo Mejia

Dragos Munteanu

Ron Nash

John Nash

Liam Nash

Joe Norton

Gregory Olson

Moose Peterson

Tom Reneau

Luis Sales

Taru Sethi

John Sepp

David Shirah

Jason Skinner

Matt Sonderup

Tom Spanos

Ryan Springer

Rob Stapleton

Bill Standerfer

Paul Stackhouse

Charles Swancy

Larry Turoski

Kevin Vescio Sr

Todd Whitaker

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.

John Ford

EAA AIRVENTURE

Article and photos by Jeff Krueger

Along with the many standard planes, there were some rather unusual and rare aircraft. Jets like the Boeing Dreamlifter and NASA Guppy were joined by Wisk, an autonomous air taxi and an electric airplane. On the concept side of things, a UK company, Gravity demonstrated their version of a personal jet pack system, (very Iron Man like). It was actually pretty cool to watch and appeared to be much more practical than the old Jet Packs of the 70’s.

The weather was hot and muggy and the first few days of the show brought us a lot of smoke from the fires up in Canada. Even with those challenges, we were able to enjoy and photograph all of the action over the eight days we were there. A couple of storms came in mid-week, mostly in the evenings and that helped clear the smoke for the back half of show week. Each day, we consumed gallons of water and went through a whole lot of sun screen, which kept us well hydrated and not sunburned.

As in years past, the performers were the best of the best, and each put on fantastic shows each day. The fun part was the different schedule each day. We didn’t know who was flying until the briefing each morning. As it turned out, each day was filled with a variety of great performances and we didn’t have a lot of time to explore the ground aspect of the show.

I never even made it over to the warbird field or reenactor camp. I was able to get over and check out the Seaplane Base which was a pretty nice setup for amphibious flyers. On the military side, we had a number of demo teams, including the US Navy EA/-18G Growlers, USAF F-22 and F-35. Over the course of the week, we also had a flyover by a U-2, C-17 and KC-135. This was the year of F4U Corsairs as well, we had eight of them and it was great to see two, four ship flights at one time. The Wisconsin Army National Guard did a well-executed helo insertion demonstration that showed the combined capability of their ground and air units, supported by one of the two newly received F-35’s.

On Tuesday morning, a forum was presented on aviation photography and the panel members were all ISAP members, Larry Grace, Jim Koepnick and John Slemp. They talked to the audience on the many aspects of aviation and airshow photography and offered a number of tips and tricks for a successful photo experience. The forum was presented by Aviation Week magazine and their aviation photo contest.

This was the 70th anniversary of EAA AirVenture. They did a great job putting on shows that packed the venue each day. It was a long week, but well worth the sore shoulders and knees.

Jeff Krueger

Jeff Krueger

Jeff Krueger

Jeff Krueger

Jeff Krueger

Jeff Krueger

As many of you know I’m a full time RV’er and this is my 3rd year in a row going to Oshkosh and I had a great time. I stay on the property in the water and electric sites. This year I had to buy 18 days worth of camping so I got to Oshkosh on the 15th of July.

I spent time driving around the countryside looking for rusty vehicles and leaning buildings to photograph. Once the show started I have a bit of a routine going for me now. I get out in the early mornings, early is a relative concept. By early I mean 7am and occasionally before 7am. I walk from the vintage area all the way up to Fighter Town and back. Stopping along the way when I see something that catches my eye. When I get back I have a late breakfast, do some editing, walk the dog and talk with my neighbors, and maybe take a nap. In the late afternoon I head back out for an evening session and do it all over again. On average I walk or bicycle about 60+ miles or so during show week. This year I got to help John Slemp shoot 4 of the Tuskegee Airmen. These guys are still going strong, the youngest was 98 and the oldest was 101 years old, a fun bunch of guys. I do take sometime to go through the vendor buildings and see what there is and I do a walk through the Fly Market as well. All in all a good time. Already looking forward to next year.

John Ford

John Ford

John Ford

John Ford

John Ford

John Ford

John Ford

John Ford

John Ford

Heritage flight with an F-22 and two P-51s during the air show.

Camera: Sony A9m2 Lens: Sigma 60 - 600mm DGDN Sports Shutter speed: 1/400 ISO: 1000 Exposure: f/25

A Piper PA-30 comes in for a landing on runway 27.

Camera: Sony A9m2 Lens: Sigma 60 - 600mm DGDN Sports Shutter speed: 1/60 ISO: 100 Exposure: f/20

Jim Koepnick

The Pylon Aviation BO-105 lands after an air show performance at AirVenture. Camera: Sony A9m2 Lens: Sigma 60 - 600mm DGDN Sports Shutter speed: 1/40 ISO: 100 Exposure: f/25

Jim Koepnick

F-22 during the evening air show on Saturday night.

Camera: Sony A9m2 Lens: Sigma 60-600mm DGDN Sports Shutter speed: 1/2000 ISO: 2500 Exposure: f/6.3

Jim Koepnick

F4U-4 “Korean War Hero” Corsair at sunset.

Camera: Sony A9m2 Lens: Sigma 60-600mm DGDN Sports Shutter speed: 1/500 ISO: 1250 Exposure: f/11

Jim Koepnick

Jim Koepnick

The sun sets behind the NASA Super Guppy on the main ramp at AirVenture.

Camera: Sony A9m2 Lens: Sigma 60-600mm DGDN Sports Shutter speed: 1/500 ISO: 1600 Exposure: f/11

The Aeroshell Aerobatic Team starts a downward burst during an AirVenture air show

Camera: Sony A9m2 Lens: Sigma 60-600mm DGDN Sports Shutter speed: 1/320 ISO: 100 Exposure: f/9

Jim Koepnick

The first few days of Oshkosh were hazy making for some difficult backgrounds. ISAP President Larry Grace got several of us out in front of the flight line. I was shooting with a Sony A1 and a Sigma 60 - 600mm for the first time. Definitely has some weight to it.

Even the Captain of the Southwest 737 helped push the stairway mounted truck when it would not start! Camera: Sony A1 Lens: Sigma 60 - 600mm DGDN Sports Shutter speed: 1/640 ISO: 320 Exposure: f/8

The Air Force showing off their attack dog!

Camera: Sony A1 Lens: Sigma 60 - 600mm DGDN Sports Shutter speed: 1/1000 ISO: 400 Exposure: f/5.6

USAF Honor Guard practicing prior to the show!

Camera: Sony A1 Lens: Sigma 60 - 600mm DGDN Sports Shutter speed: 1/1000 ISO: 640 Exposure: f/9

Susan Dacy performing in the Stearman.

Camera: Nikon D4 Lens: Tamron SP 150 - 600mm f/5-6.3 VC USD A011N Shutter speed: 1/640 ISO: 320 Exposure: f/10

Drew Hendrix

Drew Hendrix

F-22 pilot Capt. Samuel ‘RaZZ’ Larson waving.

Camera: Nikon D4 Lens: Tamron SP 150 - 600mm f/5-6.3 VC USD A011N Shutter speed: 1/400 ISO: 320 Exposure: f/13

Drew Hendrix

Skip Stewart flying by pole holders posing for a photo.

Camera: Nikon D4 Lens: Tamron SP 150 - 600mm f/5-6.3 VC USD A011N Shutter speed: 1/1000 ISO: 320 Exposure: f/13

Drew Hendrix

Kevin Hong

Kevin Hong

Kevin Hong

Kevin Hong

Kevin Hong

Kevin Hong

BRETT SCHAUF

Fireworks display for night show.

Camera: Nikon Z7 II Lens: Sigma 14 - 24mm Shutter speed: 4 sec ISO: 1000 Exposure: f/6.3

Dreamlifter vs Osprey in Boeing Plaza

Camera: Nikon Z6 II Lens: Nikon 24 - 70mm f/4 Shutter speed: 1/320 ISO: 200 Exposure: f/8

NASA Super Guppy at night.

Camera: Nikon Z9 Lens: Sigma 40mm f/1.4 Shutter speed: 1/25 ISO: 3200

Exposure: f/1.4

Brett Schauf

Brett Schauf

Inflating the hot air balloon.

Camera: Nikon Z7 II Lens: Sigma 14 - 24mm Shutter speed: 1/200 ISO: 400 Exposure: f/7.1

Oshkosh in the morning

Camera: Nikon Z9 Lens: Sigma 40mm f/1.4 Shutter speed: 1/320 ISO: 900 Exposure: f/8

Brett Schauf

Dawn patrol in a hot air balloon.

Camera: Nikon Z9 Lens: Sigma 40mm f/1.4 Shutter speed: 1/1250 ISO: 64 Exposure: f/5

Brett Schauf

Wisconsin Guard Combat Ability on Display at 2023 EAA AirVenture Text by Vaughn R. Larson Dept. of Military Affairs

Visitors and enthusiasts at the Experimental Aircraft Association’s (EAA) annual AirVenture were able to witness elements of the Wisconsin National Guard flex their muscle during a capabilities demonstration, complete with narration and pyrotechnics.

Aircraft including the F-35 Lightning II, the KC-135 Stratotanker and the UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter supported a notional ground assault, while infantry and artillery Soldiers from the 32nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team displayed their military proficiency. Maj. Gen. Paul Knapp, Wisconsin’s adjutant general, spoke to the thousands of spectators before the demonstration commenced.

“Today we’re going to share a portion of the capability our force of nearly 10,000 Soldiers and Airmen bring to the nation’s defense,” Knapp said.

“We also play a critical dual role in supporting Wisconsin at home. You might be surprised to find out that our Guardsmen are your neighbors, colleagues and members of your community. Their time in the Wisconsin National Guard has given them unique opportunities, skills and benefits to be sought-after professionals around the state.”

The demonstration was a simulated ground assault, with the F-35 Lightning II from the Madison, Wisconsin-based 115th Fighter Wing conducting strafe and precision munitions “airstrikes” on enemy positions on the airfield. UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters from the Madison-based 1st Battalion, 147th Aviation Regiment delivered squads of infantry from the 2nd Battalion, 127th Infantry Regiment to a designated landing zone, as members of the 1st Battalion, 120th Field Artillery Regiment fired 105mm howitzers.

A medevac model of the Black Hawk demonstrated its hoist capabilities by lowering a medic and hauling up a litter-borne patient. The KC-135 Stratotanker refueled the F-35s in an orbit at the edge of harm’s way at speeds of 350 miles per hour.

According to Lt. Col. Aaron Gulczynski, domestic operations director for the Wisconsin National Guard, the capabilities demonstration was originally intended to be a salute to Vietnam veterans, as the EAA was honoring the 50th anniversary of the end of combat operations in Vietnam.

“The demonstration went extremely well and exceeded everyone’s expectations,” Gulczynski said, noting that EAA officials told him the demonstration was not only the highlight of the airshows that day,

but that civilian air show performers were still talking about the Guard capabilities demonstration the next day.

“The capabilities demonstration at EAA was a way to highlight the proficiency of our service members, the variety of units within the state, and the different missions we train for and support,” Gulczynski said. “Many hours were spent planning, preparing and practicing for this event, and it was incredibly rewarding to share this with the public, and for them to see all the opportunities available in the Wisconsin National Guard.”

Larry Grace

Larry Grace

Larry Grace

Larry Grace

Larry Grace

Larry Grace

Larry Grace

Larry Grace

Comment from EAA CEO and Chairman Jack Pelton: “There was so much going on during the week that encompassed the entire world of flight, from the presence of the U.S. Air Force Training Command and NASA, to magnificent aircraft restorations and exciting new flying technology. Oshkosh was again the place that brought the aviation world together. We had record-setting totals of campers, exhibitors, volunteers, and more. It was also a challenging year at times with weather, logistics, and other factors, which makes me even more proud of the efforts by our volunteers and staff to organize an outstanding event.”

Attendance: Approximately 677,000 – A record total (previous mark: 650,000 in 2022).

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 21,883 aircraft operations in the 11-day period from July 20-30, which is an average of approximately 148 takeoffs/ landings per hour when the airport is open.

Total show planes: 3,365 including: A record 1,497 registered in vintage aircraft parking, plus 1,067 homebuilt aircraft, 380 warbirds (up 3 percent from ’22), 194 ultralights, 134 seaplanes and amphibians 52 aerobatic aircraft, and 41 rotorcraft.

Camping: More than 13,000 sites in aircraft and drive-in camping accounted for an estimated 40,000 visitors.

Volunteers: More than 5,500 contributing in excess of 250,000 hours.

Commercial exhibitors: 848 (record number).

Forums, Workshops, and Presentations: More than 1,400 sessions hosted throughout the week.

Social Media, Internet and Mobile: More than 18.3 million people were reached by EAA’s social media channels during AirVenture (up 78 percent over 2022), with engagement of 1.9 million; More than 189,000 hours of viewing EAA video clips online also occurred during the event (more than double the 2022 total).

International guests: International visitors returned in a big way in 2023, with 2,372 attendees registering the International Visitors Tent from a record-tying 93 countries outside the U.S. Adding a significant number of international visitors who do not register at the tent when they arrive, the actual total is much higher.

The Gathering shines: The EAA Aviation Foundation’s annual event to support its aviation education programs attracted more than 1,000 people and raised more than $2 million dollars that will be focused on EAA’s mission of growing participation in aviation.

Media: 863 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 2024 (July 22-28, 2024)?

Comment from Pelton: “We’ll start planning for EAA AirVenture 2024 a little later in August, but we are already looking at a number of big activities, including the 100th anniversary of the Royal Canadian Air Force. Plenty of ideas have also been forwarded to us from EAA members and others that will be part of the planning for 2024.”

Think back to the 1940’s and listen to the sounds high in the sky. The low loud rumble of a T-6 Texan or the faster pitch of a P-40 Warhawk. These airplanes of the past came thundering to life in Ninety-Six, South Carolina at the American Dream Sky Ranch. Owner/Operator Thom Richard and his crew bring old world airplanes out to hear, see and photograph at the inaugural 2023 Warhawk Shootout.

The weekend had a full schedule of photography and fun events for all those attending. Night photography with P-40 Warhawks in the foreground and the Milky Way Galaxy in the background, prop run-ups with three P-40s and two T-6s, multiple fly overs by the Warhawk and the Texan. Photography tips and advice from Ricardo von Puttkammer and Mike Killian, two great guys in the Aviation photography business. Entertainment from the melodic voice of Theresa R. Eaman and steel drums sounds from Steve Lawrie. Take off and fly by from Roger Milne in his 1988 Nanchang CJ-6A to round things out.

Friday afternoon was time to check in for my first Air to Air adventure and weekend activities. After providing signatures and a handing over a little cash everything is set in motion. Our flight briefing is set for 1650 hours with takeoff shortly thereafter. My choice was to take the second flight and experience my first hot transfer. Michaela Satter is the pilot of the T-6 Texan that will take me high above the American Dream Sky Ranch and 30 plus of my fellow photographer friends.

Michaela and I discuss the transfer process and getting securely seated and harnessed into the cockpit. We talk about communications and hand signals to help Thom position the P-40 in the beat angle for those air-

to-air shots everyone really enjoys. The first flight is complete, the T-6 sets down on the grass runway and now it’s my turn. The hot transfer starts, all buckled in, camera secure, comm check and away we go. Michaela moves the Texan down the runway and prepares for takeoff. The engine rumbles to full power speeding across the grass and within seconds we are blue sky bound. My nerves have settled now as the wind swirls around the open cockpit, and we reach our set altitude.

Slowly off to my right-side Thom and the P-40 Warhawk appear ready for the photo session. Michaela holds us on a steady path as the Warhawk moves effortlessly up, down, forward and then back to position off our right wing. Thom moves around to the left side of the T-6 for different angle photos. The clouds are spectacular and make amazing backdrops for the shots from this side of the plane. The flight has been a great opportunity to work with my Canon R5 and 24-105mm lens varying the shutter speeds, F-stops and focal lengths capturing hundreds of amazing photos.

Time is up and Michaela begins our gradual decent back to the American Dream Sky Ranch. The grass runway is in sight, we close the glass on the canopy decrease our airspeed and ever so gently touch down and taxi back to the hangar. A roughly 20-minute flight goes by quickly, but my experience is priceless. Thanks to Thom, Michaela and the ground crew for a very memorable weekend. It was a great opportunity for WhitPics Photography, and we cannot wait to go back high in the sky for my next air to air experience.

at American Dream Ranch Air to Air Photography

Article and photos by Todd and Kelley Whitaker

Todd and Kelley Whitaker

Todd and Kelley Whitaker

Todd and Kelley Whitaker

Todd and Kelley Whitaker

Todd and Kelley Whitaker

FORT LAUDERDALE AIRSHOW 2023

Article and photos by Bill LaFlamme

I took these photos at the 2023 Fort Lauderdale Airshow and I learned my lesson after attending the Cocoa Beach Airshow. I didn’t get my feet wet this time. The crowd at this beach show was bigger. As usual, when you shoot on a crowded beach, the photographers are very aware and cordial in not getting in each other’s way. It was another busy airshow and a few rain showers, with one heavy one on Sunday, which shortened the schedule, but didn’t keep away the crowd.

I made a rookie mistake after seeing the Blue Angels arrive at the airport. I already had my camera set at a 1/2500 shutter speed, which was way too high for stationary subjects. Caught it after taking a photo of the Sheriff’s Office helicopter and slowing down my shutter speed.

Blue Angels greeting each other after arriving at Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport from Pensacola. Camera: Canon R5 Lens: Canon RF100 - 500mm@151mm Shutter speed: 1/2500 ISO: 400 Exposure: f/7.1

Broward County Sheriff’s Office helicopter arriving soon after the Blue Angel’s arrival.

Camera: Canon R5 Lens: Canon RF100 - 500mm@167mm Shutter speed: 1/250 ISO: 100 Exposure: f/7.1

#5 Lieutenant Commander Julius Bratton, inverted with #6 Lieutenant Commander Griffin Stangel passing in front of the crowd. Camera: Canon R5 Lens: Canon RF100 - 500mm@363mm Shutter speed: 1/2500 ISO: 100 Exposure: f/7.1

U.S. Navy’s F-35C Lightning II.

Camera: Canon R5 Lens: Canon RF100 - 500mm@500mm Shutter speed: 1/2500 ISO: 320 Exposure: f/7.1

Aaron Fitzgerald pilots the Red Bull Aerobatic Helicopter MBB BO-105, a multipurpose light twin-engine German Model. He starts the airshow with one of Red Bull’s aerobatic parachute team members jumping out.

Camera: Canon R5 Lens: Canon RF100 - 500mm@500mm Shutter speed: 1/320 ISO: 100 Exposure: f/20

The U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor, piloted by Captain Samuel “RaZZ” Larson.

Camera: Canon R5 Lens: Canon RF100 - 500mm@500mm Shutter speed: 1/2500 ISO: 500 Exposure: f/7.1

The U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor, piloted by Captain Samuel “RaZZ” Larson.

Camera: Canon R5 Lens: Canon RF100 - 500mm@363mm Shutter speed: 1/2500 ISO: 500 Exposure: f/7.1

A view of the crowd from show center.

Camera: Canon R5 Lens: Canon RF100 - 500mm@324mm Shutter speed: 1/250 ISO: 250 Exposure: f/7.1

RaZZ in the F-22 photo-bombs a group photo of the U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps.

Camera: Canon 5D Mark IV Lens: Canon 16 - 35mm@35mm Shutter speed: 1/640 ISO: 100 Exposure: f/77.1

The Greek Air Force is has been organizing yearly the Iniochos exercise since the 1980s. This has grown rapidly into a major annual event which usually brings an interesting mix of air forces. The exercise is organized at the airbase of Andravida – located 300 kilometers west of Athens, on the Ionian Sea. Andravida is itself “exotic” as it is the home of the last remaining Greek F-4E Phantoms operating under the 117 Combat Wing – 338 Squadron.

The exercise is organized over a two week period in spring and hosts two spotter days. This year the exercise took place between 24 April – 04 May and attracted a strong local Greek presence but also the Italian Air Force with Panavia Tornadoes, Saudi Arabia Air Force with F-15SAs, the Indian Air Force with SU-30s MKI, Jordan Air Force with F-16s, France with Rafales and many more.

There were a few highlights as the participation of recently acquired Greek Rafales as well as the Saudi F-15s and the Indian SU-30s. I have

attended the second Spotters Day on the 2nd of May. The weather in the morning was quite terrible for Greece – strong heavy rain this leading to the cancellation of the first operations wave of the day. Around midday the weather improved so the second and third wave went ahead. We were lucky to see two Saudi F-15s SA and one SU-30 takeoff, plus several Italian Air Force Tornadoes, one Greek F-4 Phantom and several Greek F-16s. Another premiere has been the participation of the Greek Rafales to the exercise, the type was just recently introduced after Greece ordered 24 aircraft from France’s Dassault – around 10 have been delivered.

For sure the Indian Su-30 was impressive with an outstanding climb ratio immediately after takeoff, but the highlight of the day was still the mighty Phantom, with a wonderful missed approach and a powerful photo pass.

In conclusion Iniochos is a must go for spotters year after year and Greece has so much to offer on top of wonderful spotting.

Iniochos 2023

greece

Article and photos by Dragos Munteanu fighters in

Each year I have the opportunity to be a part of this airshow and it was a return back to Duluth, MN to see old friends and make new ones. This year’s airshow showcases the return of the USN Blue Angels and the homecoming show for Blue Angele Pilot #3 Lt Amanda Lee. Lt. Lee attended the University of Minnesota Duluth and enlisted in the Navy after her time as a student. She hasn’t been in Duluth since 2007

This year performers showcased the USAF A-10 Demo Team and the USAF Heritage Flight with the P-51 Mustang, USAF C-17 & KC-135 Demo, USN Leap Frogs, MNANG 148th FW “Bulldog” F-16, AD-4 Skyraider, Smoke N’ Thunder Jet Car, CAF B-25 Miss Mitchell, Kyle Fowler, Britt Lincoln and Craig Gifford, Hometown manufacturer Cirrus aircraft flew demos of two of their aircraft SF-50 and SR-22.

Members of the U.S. Navy crew of the USS Minnesota (SSN-783). Commander Isaac Pelt, Master Chief Bradley Herschberger, and crew members Anthony Herrington and Robert Morrell attended. It was the 10th year anniversary since the submarine was commissioned.

A first for the Duluth Airshow they partnered with the city for Downtown Duluth’s “Movies in the Park” to host “Aviators & Autographs” prior to the airshow. This free event allowed guests to meet and greet with airshow performers.

A fun weekend with everyone from the airshow staff and team, the spectators who attended, performers who showcased their skills of flight.

Looking forward to next year but bring your cold weather gear as the 2024 airshow will be on May 18th - 19th and will feature The USAF Thunderbirds.

Duluth Air and Aviation Expo 2023

PRESENTED BY ESSENTIA HEALTH

Article and photos by Larry Grace / ISAP President

Larry Grace

Larry Grace

Larry Grace

Larry Grace

Larry Grace

Larry Grace

Larry Grace

Larry Grace

Larry Grace

Everyone says, especially Texans, that “Everything is bigger in Texas.” I was asked to help with a documentary being done at an airshow in Dalhart, Texas to which I said, “sure, where is Dalhart, Texas”. What I can tell you is that Dalhart, Texas is a small town with big heart. With a population of about 8.000 people in the middle of Texas cattle country, the community came together and put on their 2nd airshow at the Dalhart Regional Airport.

This was my first local regional airshow after about 40 years of EAA, Chino, Sacramento, etc. and I wasn’t really sure what to expect. The purpose of my visit was to assist in a documentary following a pair of “Top Gun” character impersonators, California Maverick and Arizona Iceman, but I also wanted to get a feel for this kind of airshow. I can tell you I have never felt more welcome. Not only the folks putting on the show, but everyone in town made this a very fun and enjoyable event, despite the weather challenges we faced.

As this article is meant to talk about and highlight the airshow, we won’t go into the documentary, however the weather on Friday was frightful and we did spend the day in a hangar interviewing Jerome and Brian (AKA CA. Maverick and AZ. Iceman). While the weather cleared for Saturday, it was very hazy from smoke trickling down from fires to the north. This did make for some challenging photography. Thank you, Adobe, for Dehaze.

There were a number of airshow acts that I’ve seen at many prior shows. The A-10 Demo team out of Davis-Monthan AFB was there along with Tom Larkin and his Mini Jet, the B-25 “Devil Dog”, Kyle Franklin, the P-51 “Bum Steer” and even a demo with a remote-control F-16. Other acts included “Aftershock” and a couple other aerobatic planes. There was a pyro technic show that could rival EAA. We were also treated all weekend long with the great singing of the “Ladies of Liberty” who I have heard at many airshows in the past.

They arranged for an F-18 which started with a “Sneak Pass”. It flew to the show from Amarillo, as Dalhart Regional did not have a runway long enough to get clearance for the aircraft to land and take off. The pilot did a number of impressive maneuvers for the crowd before returning to AMR. Again, the show staff worked it out and it added to their airshow experience.

What was really impressive is that the crowd on Saturday looked to be twice the entire population of Dalhart. It was a sea of airshow fans there to enjoy this budding event that so many volunteers worked hard to put on. Bottom line is it was a long drive to get there, but well worth the trip. I had a great time in Dalhart and with all the people involved. I hope it continues and grows.

THUNDER OVER DALHART

Article and photos by Jeff Krueger

Jeff Krueger

Jeff Krueger

Jeff Krueger

Jeff Krueger

Jeff Krueger

Jeff Krueger

Jeff Krueger

Jeff Krueger

Jeff Krueger

This year I became the official photographer for the airshow team produced by Clemens Kuhlig of Chef Pitts Airshows for the second annual Moody Gardens Air, Car and Boat Show in Galveston, Texas. Even though it was an extremely hot weekend we had a great line up of aerobatic performers for the twilight show and a daytime airshow over the bay.

I always look forward to the challenge of doing a twilight show with the changing of lighting from day to night. You always have to be on your toes and anticipate what the lighting is going to do especially if you have clear skies and then clouds roll in. This show was probably one of the most difficult shows I had ever done due to the extreme conditions with the heat during the day and at night. The water temperature during the day in the bay was a warm 87°. Needless to say with a feels like tempera-

ture of 112° I was done after sitting on a boat with the Frost Safety Team shooting photos for just 3 hours for the day show.

As bad as it was suffering through the heat I was able to get some great photos, make some new friends and spend time with my airshow family. Since I never get to really see everyone throughout the airshow season it’s always nice to catch up after the show.

This year we had a great line-up of performers - Charlie Morris, Coastal Skies Aero Club, Clemens Kuhlig, Galveston Helicopters, Jerry “Jive” Kerby, Leland Kracher, Matt Younkin, Mike Gallaway, Scallywag Air, and the CAF Gulf Coast Wing doing a tribute to the B-17 Texas Raiders crew and Craig Hutain that flew the P-63 King Cobra.

Article and photos Kevin Hong / Airspeed Editor

Kevin Hong

Kevin Hong

Kevin Hong

Kevin Hong

Kevin Hong

Looking for a champion

On a hot midsummer weekend in early July 2023, the elite of German and European aerobatic pilots gathered at Dinslaken Schwarze Heide Airfield for a breathtaking competition in the sky. Thanks to the kind permission of the German Aerobatic Association and the German Aeroclub, I was able to accompany this captivating competition up close with my camera over several days.

The Sky is the Limit

The sky above the Dinslaken Schwarze Heide Airfield became the stage for breathtaking flight maneuvers as the leading aerobatic pilots competed for the coveted championship titles in the “Advanced” and “Unlimited” classes. Surrounded by an impressive backdrop of high-performance aerobatic aircraft, the top pilots of the scene offered a veritable firework of flying precision. The competition of the German Aerobatic Association is undoubtedly one of the most prestigious events in international sport-aviation. In fact, the field of participants was not limited to pilots from Germany. A total of 13 nations were competing in Dinslaken in both performance classes. The “flight line” also impressed with quite different aircraft types such as the Russian “Sukhoi”, the American “Pitts” and a quite clear dominance of the EXTRA 330 SC which are actually produced in Dinslaken. These highly specialized aircraft provided a perfect platform for the challenging flight maneuvers of the competition. Precision, creativity and the ability to push the limits of what is aeronautically possible were the crucial elements for all pilots to stand out from a consistently strong competition.

Grand Finale

The absolute highlight of the championship was undoubtedly the final of the Free-Style competition on Saturday afternoon. Here, the best pilots of the Unlimited class competed against each other once again to demonstrate their flying creativity with a spectacular 4-minute “freestyle”. The German champion in motorized aerobatics in the “Unlimited” category is Florian Berger on an EXTRA 330SC. Daniel Genevey from Hungary secured second place overall, followed by Cyrial Talon from Luxembourg in third place. They too flew the EXTRA 330SC, currently the leading model in the international aerobatics scene.

Photo Gear

In the telephoto range, the NIKKOR Z 400 / f4.5 S performed extremely well for the in-flight shots, sometimes in combination with the Nikon Z 2x converter. On the ground, the Nikkor Z 14 - 30mm / f4 and the Nikkor Z 24-120mm / f4 also delivered excellent results in the wide-angle and normal range.

Finally my special thanks go to Florian Kowohl from the German Aerobatic Association for his great support in organizing this extraordinary shooting.

Dancers in the Sky

The German Aerobatic Championship

at Dinslaken Schwarze Heide Airfield

Article and photos by Marc Schultz

Marc Schultz

Marc Schultz

Marc Schultz

Marc Schultz

Marc Schultz

Marc Schultz

This was my first occasion visiting Miami Beach and the most people I’ve seen at a beach show. More people than the Cocoa Beach and Fort Lauderdale beach shows. The Hyundai Air & Beach Show is held on Memorial Day weekend and it’s an all-military show. This time of year, in South Florida there’s normally rain in the forecast and the forecast was proven correct.

Media Day also turned out to be a rainy day, but the rain calmed down enough, and the ceremony inside a Coast Guard Hangar turned out good and well received by all who attended. The airshow on Saturday and Sunday turned out to be sunny on both days. It appeared the entire population of Miami was in attendance. As far as me taking photos on the beach, I didn’t get close enough to the water, so it was a dry airshow for me. During the show, members of The Red Devils, The U.S. Navy Leap Frogs, and The U.S. Army Golden Knights parachute teams jumped and formed a missing-man formation honoring Sgt. Dean Walton, a member of the British Red Devil’s Parachute Team killed in a parachute accident.

Captured the last jumper of the Golden Knights and the moon. Camera: Canon R5 Lens: Canon RF 100 - 500mm@135mm Shutter speed: 1/1250 ISO: 400 Exposure: f/7.1

2023 Hyundai Air & Sea Show

Article and photos by Bill LaFlamme

U.S. Air Force Honor Guard Drill Team practicing before they’re scheduled performance.

Camera: Canon 5D Mk IV Lens: Canon 16 - 35mm@22mm Shutter speed: 1/250 ISO: 200 Exposure: f/3.5

A child enjoying the pilot’s seat in a U.S. Army AH-64 Apache Helicopter. I sat in it as well.

Camera: Canon 5D Mk IV Lens: Canon 28 - 135mm@135mm Shutter speed: 1/200 ISO: 320 Exposure: f/6.3

4-Star General Gary M. Brito shaking hands with NFL Hall of Famer Rob Gronkowski.

Camera: Canon 5D Mk IV Lens: Canon 16 - 35mm@35mm Shutter speed: 1/640 ISO: 100 Exposure: f/7.1

Major Kristin “BEO” Wolfe in an F-35 Lightning II had lots of vapor during her demo in South Florida. Camera: Canon R5 Lens: Canon RF 100 - 500mm@500mm Shutter speed: 1/2500 ISO: 320 Exposure: f/7.1

F-18 Rhino Demonstration Team showing a vapor cone while doing a high-speed pass.

Camera: Canon R5 Lens: Canon RF100 - 500mm@343mm Shutter speed: 1/2500 ISO: 320 Exposure: f/7.1

Country singer Chris Janson in concert, playing a blues harp.

Camera: Canon R5 Lens: Canon RF 100 - 500mm@176mm Shutter speed: 1/500 ISO: 200 Exposure: f/7.1

Flyboard demonstration prior to the airshow starting.

Camera: Canon R5 Lens: Canon RF 100 - 500mm@200mm Shutter speed: 1/1600 ISO: 100 Exposure: f/6.3

KC-135 Stratotanker at Opa Locka Airport, Coast Guard Station, where the aircraft were stationed for the airshow. Used a Platypod to get photo.

Camera: Canon R5 with RF mount Lens: Canon 16 - 35mm@16mm Shutter speed: 1/125 ISO: 100 Exposure: f/20

The start of 2023 was a little bit of a tough one for me with some life altering changes. One of my friends (who is part of the crew for the B-29) knew my situation, contacted me and gently asked if I was going to attend Oshkosh this year. He actually asked me if I had a few days ahead of Oshkosh available as well. Of course now peaking my curiosity I had to ask what do you have in mind. He presented his plan to me that would offset my life altering change to a once in a lifetime experience. This is where I was offered the opportunity to meet up with the crew of Doc in Wichita, KS and fly with them to and from Oshkosh this year.

For those of you who are not familiar with this particular aircraft, it’s one of two remaining B-29 Superfortresses that are still flying and tour the United states.

Doc is one of 1,644 B-29 bombers manufactured in Wichita during World War II. In March of 1945, B-29 No. 44-69972 (now known as Doc) was delivered to the U.S. Army. About five months later another B-29 was used to drop two atomic bombs on Japan, eventually leading to Japan’s surrender and the end of World War II.

While we all attend air shows and see lots of static displays and photograph aircraft flying back and forth, what we never see is what goes on inside of the aircraft during flight.

I used two camera bodies in two different focal length lenses during my flight time. One was a Nikon Z9 equipped with the Sigma 14 - 24mm lens and the second camera body was a Sony A9II with a 24 - 70mm lens on it. While I did have an opportunity to change up lenses a little bit occasionally these are the two lenses that I stuck with the most during flight.

If you wish to learn more about the history of this particular aircraft and its crew, follow the link below.

https://www.b29doc.com/

A Ride of a Lifetime

Article and photos by Marc Farb

Marc Farb

Marc Farb

Marc Farb

Red, White and Blue Week 2023

Article and photos by Todd and Kelley Whitaker

Tuesday night July 4th starts the week off with a big night of fireworks and excitement. The multiple flashes and booms of exploding starbursts and sparkling lights around Pensacola and the beach set the tone for the week ahead. Wednesday morning opens “Breakfast with the Blues” on Pensacola Beach. The U.S. Navy Blue Angels demonstration team wakes those sleeping in late with the roar of their two General Electric F414-GE after burning turbofan engines.

Commander Armatas brings in the group this morning to set and mark location points for their maneuvers over the crowds on the beach. Several passes in formation by the group and then the aviators fly over the shoreline with the occasional glance down as the crowd begins to grow. The solo aviators set up and practice some of their crossing maneuvers over the Pensacola pier thrilling those earlier fisherman and bystanders. Finally the morning would not be complete without seeing the Marine Corps C-130J Hercules, better known as “Fat Albert” provide a few low level passes.

Thursday morning started out with sun kissed blue skies, humidity of an early July summer morning and anticipation of the afternoon Blue Angels practice. Die-hard fans were making their way slowly across the bridge onto Pensacola Beach for a day of sand, sun, fun and afternoon excitement. The Blues are scheduled for a full practice session at 2:00 that afternoon. As showtime approached and the beach began to fill with First Responders, vendors, families and fans, Mother Nature was brewing up a surprise to the west of show center.

Fat Albert made his grand appearance to the cheers of the crowd out of the north. After a couple of passes along the shoreline the crowd was on their feet waiting for the main event to begin. The weather to the west was holding off, but moving at a steady pace eastward. Looking to the south far out into the Gulf appears an initial Delta Formation with smoke in the distance. The Blue Angels are setting up for a dramatic entrance to the roar of the crowds.

The weather to the West was growing dark, the pace of the warm breeze is picking up and lightning flashed but practice continued. After several group maneuvers and solo passes by the Super Hornets however, Mother Nature did decide to stir the skies with rain, wind and more lightning.

The practice is called for the safety of the fans and aviators. Take shelter and rest for the weekend.

The weekend is upon here. Festivities open with the Veteran’s Flight team in their Boeing Stearman aircraft flying over Casino Beach with their tribute to all World War II and Korean War veterans. Gene Valentino provided some nice splash and goes in front of the crowds with his ICON A5 Amphibious light sport plane. Afterward above two vintage T-6 Texans flew by slowly high in the sky. A 1946 North American Navion named “Olivia” flown by Tanner Matheny graced the skies next.

Rescue excitement was provided by the U.S. Coast Guard HH-60J Blackhawk Search and Rescue (SAR) dropping a Rescue Swimmer into the beautiful blue green waters near the Coast Guard Keeper Class Cutter Barbara Mabrity and retrieving him effortlessly showed the beach goers that they can depend on them in times of need. Pilot Julian McQueen buzzes over the water and beach pier with ease in his 1943 Grumman Widgeon seaplane effortlessly passing over the hotels dotting the beach. NAS Pensacola based Training Squadron Ten (VT-10) provide a fly by formation in their T-6 Texans demonstrating their ever developing skills as young Naval Aviators.

The pace of activity now picks up with Red Bull pilot Kevin Coleman’s skilled flying and daring aerobatics. Diving high speed smoked trailed rolls, flips, stalls and close passes over the Pensacola Pier in front of ever crowing crowds excited all those watching. His aerobatic flying skills are among the best in the world. A couple of vintage Stearman bi-planes once again pass overhead occupying the airspace before the next performance.

A Cold War era MiG-17F flown by Bill Culberson races across the skies leaving flaming trails in his wake. Effortlessly sliding through the skies this MiG can sustain 8G turns and has a max speed of 715 mph. Not bad for a early jet from the 1950s. Next up to perform is the Redline Aerobatic team with pilots Ken Reider and Adam Baker. Their flight routine consists of side by side rolls, loops, inverted maneuvers, opposing stunts and smoke trails galore.

Just as the smoke begins to dissipate the famous red, white and black checkered bi-plane, Prometheus, flown by Skip Stewart enters the airspace. Dazzling the crowds with low level passes along the shoreline then climbing ever so slightly up and over the Pensacola pier with ease. His grand finale is the inverted ribbon cutting pass over the pier with success. Always a crowd favorite stunt.

The Red Bull Air Team brings a new dimension to this year’s Pensacola Beach Air Show. The team consists of Aaron Fitzgerald flying his BO-105 Helicopter, Kevin Coleman in his 300 SHP plane and the sky diving Canopy Pilots. Kevin performed earlier in the day as a solo but the afternoon belonged to Aaron. After dropping the skydivers off over the beach he turned his helicopter ways that were beyond imagination. From rolling spirals to complete aerobatic flips. Stunts that should seem impossible.

Show Time. It appears from the north arriving to the cheers of the crowd. Everyone’s friend the Marine Corps C-130J Hercules, “Fat Albert”. After a high speed take off climb and multiple low level beach passes the big guy clears out for the main attraction. The Delta appears out of the south flying toward the boats in the gulf in front of the beach packed with Blue Angel crazed fans. The Delta breaks into the Diamond formation as the two solos peel off east and west and the four remaining Angels fly over the crowds. The rest of the afternoon is filled with knife edge passes, aileron rolls, the Fortus, the famed

Double Farvel, the Diamond Vertical Break, Sneak Pass, Fleur de Lis and multiple other formations demonstrating their precision flying capabilities. The Delta Formation smoking the beach closes out another successful show.

Several important facts about the show this year. The Beach passed a record number of cars thru the toll booths, translation new record crowd number. Estimates of over 150,000 locals and guests attending. Countless boats lined the beach in the gulf, Little Sabine and the Santa Rosa sound were packed with cheering fans and to many boats to count. Retired Marine Corps Aviator and show Air Boss, Paul Entrekin, marks his 30th Anniversary managing the skies above the beach. National Naval Air Museum docent and former SR-71 Pilot Joe Kinego, Colonel USAF (retired) slowly flew over Pensacola Beach with Corey Hardin in the blue and yellow Stearman model 75. A final memorable fact, Lt. Amanda Lee is the first woman Blue Angel to perform over Pensacola Beach. Congratulations to all those mentioned.

Some interesting facts about the Blue Angels and Pensacola Beach. Their first beach performance was 1959, then 1967 and again in 1973. It wasn’t until 1984 the Blue Angels continuously started performing over Pensacola Beach for their fans. The only other breaks in performance were government related in 2012 and 2020. It’s a wrap and this concludes the Pensacola Beach Red, White and Blue Angel Air show for 2023.

Kelley Whitaker

Todd Whitaker

Todd Whitaker

Todd Whitaker

EAST TROY, WISCONSIN, May 31, 2023 -- World Airshow News has announced that Nathan Hammond is the 2023 recipient of the Bill Barber Award for Showmanship. One of the most prestigious awards in the airshow industry, the list of Barber honorees reads like an airshow hall of fame.

In less than 10 years as an airshow performer, Nathan “Nate” Hammond has established himself as one of the most creative and innovative performers on the airshow circuit. His popular night airshow features wing mounted pyrotechnics and bright LED lights, and he was instrumental in the development of innovative theme acts such as Adventures of Aviore, which was featured at EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.

Nate’s path to becoming an airshow star began in up-state New York where his father was a pilot for the airshow at the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome. He took his first airplane ride at just two weeks old, riding in his mother’s lap. When the family moved to Kentucky in the early 1990s, his dad became the crew chief and ferry pilot for Steve Oliver and Suzanne Asbury-Oliver of Pepsi SkyDancer and Pepsi SkyWriter fame. Nate quickly became a twelve-year-old ramp rat, helping his dad, Steve, and Suzanne any way that he could.

Nate soloed at age sixteen, and by age eighteen, he had earned his commercial pilot license. A few years later, he took over from his dad as Steve Oliver’s crew chief and ferry pilot for the SkyDancer, a highly modified Super Chipmunk. As his experience grew, Steve suggested that Nate learn how to sky write and start working on getting his low-level aerobatic card in the Chipmunk. Steve wanted the show to be able to go own even if he got sick or couldn’t fly for some reason. Nate’s first skywriting assignment was over the Atlanta Motor Speedway with 100,000 spectators and a national television audience looking on. When the Olivers retired from airshows in 2016, Nate took over full control of the SkyDancer, renaming it GhostWriter.

In addition to flying his day and night airshow routines, Nate has also been a driving force behind the Black Flag airshow training camps, which began in 2020 during the Covid-19 lock downs as a way for aerobatic pilots to stay sharp. Black Flag has since become an annual event, helping experienced aerobatic pilots stay sharp and providing a pathway for new airshow pilots to get coaching and mentoring to improve their proficiency and advance their airshow careers.

The Bill Barber Award for Showmanship began in 1986 and is awarded to airshow performers or teams that have demonstrated great skill and showmanship. World

Airshow News magazine and the friends and family of the late Bill Barber present the award annually.

The 2023 Bill Barber Award for Showmanship presentation is currently planned to take place during EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, scheduled for July 24-30, 2023.

Past

For more information on The Bill

contact

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Normally I look forward to airshows but this year has been brutal especially down here in Texas with the heat. Every year I have to work two twilight shows in the Tyler, Texas area. What a better way to celebrate our independence than watching an airshow with the military and fireworks. One show was at the Tyler Pounds airport and another over Cedar Creek Lake but with the temperature over 105° during the day and 95 at night it was miserable no matter the time.

It’s amazing to have a twilight show but to have one over the lake is even more spectacular at sunset. We had a great line up at the Rose City Airfest/Cedar Creek Veterans Foundation Thunder Over Cedar Creek Airshow. It was nice to hear a lot of jet noise from the USAF F-16 demo, the US Navy Growler Demo Team, 3 ship of Mig 17s, USAF T-38s, T-33, T-37 and Jerry Conley with the Vampire jet.

Other performers included CAF warbirds and local aerobatic performers such as Stephen Covington in his SRC Raptor Pitts.

Aeroshell performed at the end of each airshow and did not disappoint doing a special missing man formation dedication to our military and the people who lost their lives in the mid air collision of the B-17 Texas Raiders crew and P-63 pilot Craig Hutain at the end of their act. Even though both shows are only twilight shows, the lighting was pretty amazing and was long enough to satisfy an airshow crowd sweating and melting in the sun.

The money raised from the shows support non-profit organizations Camp V and Cedar Creek Veterans Foundation.

Celebrating Freedom Bring on the noise!

Article and photos Kevin Hong / Airspeed Editor

Kevin Hong

Kevin Hong

Jim Wilson

ISAP MEMBER’S SHOWCASE

Blue Angels practice for The Great Pocono Raceway Airshow, Long Pond, PA

Camera:

Article and photo by Frank Moriarty

ISAP MEMBER’S SHOWCASE

Blue Angels’ Fat Albert crew hanging out at the Red White and Blues Pensacola Beach Air Show 2023.

Camera: Canon R5 Lens: Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + Canon 1.4x III ISO: 500 Shutter speed: 1/2000 Exposure: f/5.6

Processed in Lightroom Classic and Topaz

Article and photo by Todd Whitaker

ISAP MEMBER’S SHOWCASE

Article and photo by Steve Zimmermann

In March, 2023, Rich Cooper and Steven Comber of COAP (the Centre of Aviation Photography) and ISAP member Joe Copalman organized a week of air-to-air photo missions in the Phoenix area. As in all endeavors of this kind, the stars did not align for every opportunity on the planning list. Even so, we were able to fly to remote wilderness locations and shoot a modified Bell 412 from Dillon Aero; we were privileged to photograph, air-to-air, the world’s only flyable Consolidated PB4Y-2 Privateer; and in one remarkable, three-hour mission we photographed four air-to-air subjects in two widely separated locations: two Yak-50s from the Red Star Squadron, a pristine T-33 owned by Dillon Aero, and a Lear 35. For the latter mission seven stills photographers and a videographer clustered around the open jump door of a Cessna Caravan.

Camera: Nikon Z7 Lens: NIKKOR Z 24-120mm f/4 S ISO: 360 Shutter speed: 1/320

Processed in Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom Classic

Exposure: f/14

HOW I EDITED THE SHOT

Article and photo by John Ford

SUBJECT: Macchi Saeta MC 200

EQUIPMENT:

Camera: Nikon D850 Lens: 80-400mm @ 320mm ISO: 200

Shutter speed: 10 sec Exposure: f/16

7 images taken w/tripod

THE SHOT:

The image I was going for was a clean and compressed image. Since I wanted the compressed image look I chose my 400mm lens, that dictated the area where I was to shoot from. The shooting point ended up being about 8” off the ground and about 50’ away, jammed up against some aircraft. To get the whole aircraft in focus I chose to do focus stacking and I ended up with 7 images to get from the tail to prop in focus. I was sitting on the ground looking down at the view finder to get the shot. I used F/16 to get as much depth of field with each image, I was basically guessing where each new focus point should be.

EDITING:

After getting the images out of focus stacking, there is always a bit of funky edging after this process so I cropped that out. This aircraft is under a B-24 and in the background is a Beaufighter, so there is a lot of aircraft parts that I wanted out of the image. To accomplish that I used the brush tool set to black with s soft edge and took out the background. A layer or two were used to clone out dust and other spots. A couple of other layers are for fixing up the windscreen and other minor details. I then converted to B&W and for whatever reason this took out the prop that can be seen through the windscreen. I added an 85 warming gel set to 41 points. Then I added a brightness/contrast layer, brightness set to -21 and contrast to +53, and that’s it.

MEET OUR MEMBERS

Eric Mason

Aviation Photography©

I currently reside in Lebanon, PA, a small town just outside of Hershey, PA. My main profession is being a shop/ service manager at a bicycle shop in the coolest small town in America which is Lititz, PA. I am an advanced amateur photographer with no formal training. I started photographing around 20 years ago, primarily cycling races. My passion for aviation started when I was young and watched the movie, “The Final Countdown”, and became obsessed with the F-14 Tomcat. I started photographing aviation when we went on family vacations to Virginia Beach, VA and made daily visits to NAS Oceana.

I am currently using the Nikon Z9 paired with the Sigma 60 - 600mm f/4.5-6.3 DG OS HSM Sports lens. The Sigma lens is my go-to lens for air shows as it very utilitarian since it allows to cut down on the number of lenses that I need to bring. Depending on the show, I also have a

variety of lenses to use, such as, Nikon Nikkor Z 35mm f/1.8, Nikon Nikkor Z 85mm f/1.8, Nikon Nikkor Z 70 - 200mm f/2.8, and a Nikon AF-S Nikkor 500mm f/4E.

I am currently shooting in RAW as it allows me to capture the highest level of detail. Lightroom is my preference for processing photos. However, I have been starting to use Photoshop as well depending on the adjustments I need to make.

I recently joined ISAP after I came across a few current members Instagram profiles and decided to check out the website. It is truly amazing to see so many other photographers that have the same passion for aviation as I do. The advice I would like to give to any aspiring photographers is to not be afraid to ask questions. I have asked numerous questions to other photographers throughout the years and everyone has been incredibly supportive. I believe we can inspire each other, regardless of our skill level.

Eric Mason

Eric Mason

Eric Mason

Eric Mason

Eric Mason

Eric Mason

After 37 years in Healthcare, Pharma and Biotech it was time to retire. Now my wife and I have more time to travel around the world looking for exciting things to photograph. Gulf Breeze, FL is a wonderful place to live with plenty to see and do year-round.

Canon has always been my equipment of choice. Currently use a Canon R5 with a 500mm f/4 IS III as my primary, second is a Canon 5DsR with a Canon 100 - 400mm f/4.5-5.6. With both bodies near 50mpx, jpg works for me along with Lightroom and minor Photoshop touches if necessary.

Late June 2023 is when I joined ISAP following my wife’s lead. Professional groups can bring value and education to their membership when guided and supported by open minded thinking leaders. There is always a different and sometimes better way to accomplish the task at hand.

Helping those with less experience or equipment is always the best option. If they listen, they can get better and grow, if not they will remain stale and rooted in their own uncertainties. Keep your eyes and ears open and you might just learn something new and beneficial.

Todd Whitaker

Todd Whitaker

I FEEL the NEED for SPEED

AIRPLANE SILHOUETTES

by John Ford

Identify these aircraft. The answers are found next to the Kenyon Gyro Ad.

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Answers to Airplane Silhouettes

1. Mitsubishi A6M2-K Japanese

2. Mizuho Shinyru II Japanese

3. Rogozarski R 313 Yugoslavia

4. Short SA 4 Sperrin UK

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 at our location or online at www.bhphotovideo.com

We continue to expand to meet your needs with showrooms, classes, educational and social media, and more.

Delkin’s New BLACK CFexpress™ Type B Cards

Deliver Up to 1700 MB/s Sustained Speeds

POWAY, CA, MARCH 30, 2021 – Delkin Devices, a manufacturer of flash storage solutions and camera accessories, announced today the newest addition to their top-selling line of memory cards: BLACK CFexpress™ Type B memory cards. Specially designed to meet the ever-growing demands of today’s broadcast, cinema and photography industries, Delkin’s BLACK CFexpress™ cards leverage today’s latest technology in order to provide the fastest speeds on the market.

Other competing CFexpress™ Type B cards may state a maximum write speed, but BLACK takes things further with sustained sequential write speeds of at least 1400 MB/s (higher depending on capacity). This sustained speed versus potential write speeds is what guarantees flawless cinema-quality video capture, including DCI 8K RAW 12-Bit @ 30fps (2600 Mbps) in the Canon R5. This is especially valuable during events like weddings, sport meets, concerts and other situations you cannot redo. The cards are also capable of offloading data at speeds reaching up to 1730 MB/s, ensuring the quickest, most efficient data transfer from card to computer for immediate file access and sooner post-production.

“With more camera manufacturers deciding to integrate support for CFexpress™ Type B memory cards into their new camera models, we felt the need to provide camera owners with a card that they could trust to protect and preserve their precious memories” says Jenn Sherry, Delkin's Retail Sales & Marketing Manager, “As cameras continue to advance and new data-heavy modes are introduced, it has become even more important for storage mediums to be able to keep up. We believe that BLACK CFexpress™ is the solution for complete video capture, just as the creator envisioned.”

Each BLACK CFexpress™ Type B memory card has undergone extensive testing to ensure full functionality and performance in today’s high-end cinematic hosts, including ones from Canon® (C300 Mark III, C500 Mark II, 1D X Mark III & R5) and Nikon® (D6, Z6 II & Z7 II). Select hosts originally designed with native support for XQD cards can also accept CFexpress™ Type B cards via firmware upgrade.

In addition to their “Lifetime Warranty” policy, Delkin continues to offer a unique built-in insurance policy for their BLACK memory cards, known as the “48 Hour Replacement Guarantee”. Delkin will replace any non-working BLACK card within 48 hours or less (not including weekends - in the US and UK), prior to receiving the non-working card. Cards can also be replaced over-the-counter at any authorized Delkin BLACK reseller. Additional information on Delkin BLACK can be found here: www.delkindevices.com/delkin-black/.

ABOUT DELKIN DEVICES, INC.

Delkin Devices’ consumer group manufactures storage devices and digital accessories for the photography market. Delkin has been in business since 1986 and has offices in both the US and UK. If you would like more information regarding this product or any other Delkin product, please contact Jenn Sherry at jsherry@delkin.com.

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.