Special 2018 ISAP Symposium Photo Issue by International Society of Aviation Photography, Inc.

AP S I 8 201 L E A U I S C S E I SP UM I S O P SYM

WELCOME TO THE SPECIAL EDITION OF THE 2018 ISAP SYMPOSIUM The Pre Field Trip Speakers and Workshops Welcome Reception Sponsored by Nikon NPS The Symposium Field Trip Sunrise Tour Pima Air & Space Museum The Pima and Boneyard Perspective

Capturing History John Slemp The Symposium Banquet Sponsored by Nikon NPS FRONT COVER PHOTO: Scott Germain B-58 Hustler at dusk at the Pima Air & Space Museum BACK COVER: Kevin Hong The “Boneyard” Tour aka the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group (AMARG) Facility on the Davis-Monthan AFB

Rich Cooper ISAP’s goal is to bring together our members who share a love of aviation, and want to preserve its history through their images. Through our organization, members can seek to enhance their artistic quality, advance technical knowledge, and improve safety for all areas of aviation photography while fostering professionalism, high ethical standards, and camaraderie. ISAP continues to help our members to better their photography skills, workflow, and set up resources to help with business questions that our members have. Updates are being made to the ISAP website and member portfolio section, and we are showcasing ISAP members’ images and accomplishments on our social media pages. In this issue we are continuing to highlight ISAP members. I’m sure you will enjoy learning how your fellow ISAP members got started, as well as seeing some of their images and learning some tips. Remember that ISnAP is your publication to share your images, stories and tips with other members and the public. We look forward to each member sharing his or her stories with all of us.

Enjoy this issue of ISnAP! Sincerely, Larry Grace, President Kevin Hong, ISnAP Editor International Society for Aviation Photography www.aviationphoto.org • www.facebook.com/ISAPorg isnap@aviationphoto.org The ISnAP is a periodic publication of the International Society for Aviation Photography and is used to communicate news, functions, convention information, and other information of interest on the local, regional, and national scenes. The views and opinions expressed in this magazine are those of the authors and should not be construed as the views or opinions of the International Society for Aviation Photography.

2018 ISAP XIV SYMPOSIUM

TUCSON, AZ Photo and text by Larry Grace, ISAP President

You told us you missed the ISAP symposium, and the chance to get together, be inspired, learn, network, and socialize. Your ISAP board came together to plan for the return of the symposium in Tucson, Arizona for 2018. When plans for the Davis-Monthan airshow was canceled, the board looked at other options for our popular field trip day that our symposium have been known for. Our major goal for this symposium was for members to be able to get together and learn from each other. Added to this symposium was a pre-workshop and over 25 ISAP members took part. Starting out with Nikon NPS giving a presentation on lighting techniques would come in handy later in the day and ISAP member Scott Germain led a discussion on aviation photographers. Following the morning discussion, we headed out to Marana Regional Airport where members enjoyed a short airshow demo followed by a tour the facility at the airport. A T-6 Texan and A-4 Skyhawks were put on display for a photography and lighting class for members to watch and participate. Then we loaded back up on our bus for a sunset photography session at the Pima Air & Space Museum. When we looked at speakers for the symposium we also looked at a new idea to have workshops taught by fellow ISAP members. This was a way for members to share their knowledge with their fellow members. Most of all we wanted to build in time for ISAP members to interact with speakers and talk with sponsors who joined us this year. Our sponsors, Nikon Professional Services, Sigma, Red River Paper shared equipment, camera cleaning, and printing of images.

Also attending this symposium were 12 international members which added to the fellowship and learning for everyone. It was great to also have past ISAP Award of Excellence winners and past ISAP board members attend. Our lead sponsor Nikon Professional Services hosted our welcoming reception session and during the reception the new ISAP challenge coin was handed out to each member. Our field trip day started out with a sunrise photography session and other members joined us at the Pima Air & Space Museum. Later in the day we gathered together for our tour of the “Boneyard” and finished the day back at the museum for our group photo. Our final day was about member’s workshop and our closing banquet. This symposium honored one of the founders of ISAP, Jay Miller with our highest award The International Society for Aviation Photography George Hall Award of Excellence. During the banquet, our keynote speaker for this symposium was USAF Ret. Brig. Gen Keith Connolly and kept us all entertained with his time flying the F-100 Super Sabre. Not to be forgotten prizes were handed out along with the return of the Great Paper Airplane contest for the longest flight time and the longest flight path. With the goal the ISAP board set, all who attended in their comments told us that this symposium was a home run! In this issue, we would like to share with you members’ images and comments. I hope through their images and words you will get the feel of the symposium and what you missed.

THE PRE FIELD TRIP

Rich Cooper

Bonnie Kratz

Carl Wrightson

I attended both the symposium and pre-symposium workshop for the first time and as a new member of ISAP this year. Both were well organized events, both in content and logistics, with some thoroughly interesting and insightful presentations. Insider views of an air to air photographer, insider views looking out at us of a Public Affairs Officer, drones, photojournalism although each presentation was excellent and captivating. I did expect one or two to maybe not interest me but that was not the case, I benefited and was interested by all. The banquet dinner on the last evening involved great food and great company with the highlight being the keynote address by Brig. Gen Keith Connolly. Captivating. Inspiring. Courageous and a superb way, Jay Millers award aside, to end the symposium.

Carl Wrightson

Craig Swancy

What a great ISAP Symposium! Old friends, new friends, familiar faces, and loaded with several great photo ops at Pima, Marana, and Davis- Monthan AFB was great. The event was topped off with a great banquet and recognition of Jay Miller as our recipient of the “George Hall Lifetime Achievement Award.”

Sunrise and sunset opportunities at Pima Air & Space Museum yielded some very nice results in my camera and I can’t wait to see what other ISAP Members captured. Again, the Nikon Team brought out a ton of Speedlights and taught us how to light something as big as a B-58 and B-47. Very interesting to say the least.

I can tell you that I really enjoyed the three and half short days of classes, discussions, shooting and seeing old friends. As always, I learned a new technique from the Nikon Sales Staff on daylight shooting with strobes, overcoming the sun with high sync speeds between flash and camera. A fun shoot in itself. Picking up hints and seeing results from those that attended made for some hastily scratched notes. (Save for a later date.)

A day trip to Marana Regional Airport gave us a few moving aircraft, some old but cool static aircraft, and another AT-6 with 11 Nikon Speedlights lighting the craft in full daylight.

The meet and greet back at the hotel was fun in that we put the cameras away and just talked with each other over refreshments. A big thanks to Larry Grace, president of ISAP, for the new ISAP challenge coins. Very cool. Saturday evening came all too quickly with a great banquet. The lead up to presenting Jay Miller the “George Hall Award” was special. Jay has a long list of accomplishments in the Aviation Photography realm. Closing our banquet with the traditional Paper Airplane contest made everyone in the room yell and scream in support. This year’s award for “Longest Flight” and “Hang Time” resulted in some nice Nikon Digital Cameras.

Mayor’s duty back home called me away early and I missed the trip to Luke AFB which I bet was a blast. In closing I’d like to thank ISAP President Larry Grace, the entire ISAP Staff, our host hotel and the sponsors: Nikon, Sigma Lens, and Red River Paper for making ISAP 2018 my most fun Symposium to date. If you missed this one, you don’t want to miss the next one. ISAP is back!

Craig Swancy

Gary Edwards

In many ways, ISAP XIV was among the best of my experiences with the ISAP symposia - and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve attended all but the first. The presentations were uniformly excellent and addressed a number of new and critical issues facing our craft. The field trips were varied and unique in several ways. But most of all, I was able to spend time with a number of old friends who for various reason havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t been around for several of the last symposia. And, it was fitting that we were able to express our gratitude to Jay Miller for conceiving and being a major driver in the creation of this great organization. I hope all of the members will be inspired to help us continue to grow and reinvent ISAP as our times and challenges change and expand.

Gary Edwards

Larry Grace

Gary Daniels

I went to a really fun event in March! No, not the event you think I am talking about. My son Matt was married March 3 in Portland, Oregon. Quite frankly, I had not planned to go to the ISAP Symposium in Tucson. With all the planning around the wedding, along with the large stack of cash I had to shell out (I really feel sorry for the father of the bride) the Symposium had slipped to the back burner for me. But, after all the family fun was over, and I had returned to Dallas, I rethought going to Tucson. I realized this event would be special and I would regret it if I did not go. It was the first Symposium in a handful of years. I stay connected with many ISAP members via email and social media, but having the opportunity to reconnect in person has no equal and builds better friendships. Also, I am amazed with the talent of the ISAP members and having the privilege to mingle with these folks for three days was an opportunity I just could not turn down. But, most important to me was the honoring of Jay Miller with the ISAP George Hall Lifetime Achievement Award. I did not want to miss that well deserved

presentation. So, at the very last minute I pulled the trigger to go…I’m glad I did. Once there, I was very impressed with the entire agenda. All the speakers did a fantastic job. And, the sponsors’ commitment to the Symposium was much appreciated. The field trips were well coordinated and a fun opportunity for the members to reconnect and shoot together. I especially enjoyed the field trips to the Pima Air & Space Museum. Watching a large gaggle of photographers spread across the expansive museum grounds, eyeing a shot and working their magic, was inspiring. The imagery generated from the field trips has been impressive to see. In my career, I have been involved in the production of many special events. So, I respect how difficult it is to create a successful event. With that said, I want to say ‘WELL DONE’ to Larry, Kevin, Bonnie, and the ISAP Board for making this a great Symposium!

Gary Daniels

Jeff Krueger

Having attended a number of ISAP Symposiums in the past, the 2018 Symposium in Tucson was right up there with some of the most informative presentations. I learned a number of new tips and techniques. What was even better was that I was able to try these newly learned things at both the pre-symposium field trip and the main field trip. Our vendors were great and being able to try out a Sigma lens I had been thinking about really helped me make a buying decision. The printing demonstration and presentation by Drew Hendrix of Red River Paper was welcome as I do my own printing and presented some excellent info to up my game. Even though I’m a Canon shooter, I learned some great Speedlite tips from Nikon’s NPS rep JC Carey. Meeting new people and catching up with many members I have gotten to know over my years with ISAP is always a highlight at our symposiums and this time was no exception. Larry’s presentation of the new ISAP Challenge Coin was fun and the coin design is really cool. Thanks to all that participated and especially those that put it together. Can’t wait for the next one!

Jeff Krueger

Jim Froneberger ISAP XIV in Tucson was one of the best ever! In my opinion, the speakers were the best, most educational, and most relevant of any of the seven symposiums that I have attended since 2005. The pre-symposium workshop by JC Carey of Nikon also offered great insight into the use of speedlights, and then we were able to apply those lessons that evening at sunset. Great job by the ISAP staff. It was great seeing everyone, socializing, and learning a lot. Hopefully we can do it again soon.

Jim Froneberger

Jo Hunter

As soon as ISAP 2018 was announced, I knew I’d be going. I’ve always wanted to visit Pima and the Boneyard, and I knew that doing so under ISAP’s wings would not be disappointing. As well as being a great excuse to travel somewhere new (road trip!), I enjoyed spending five days with some of the best photographers in the world, many of whom I’m proud to call my friends, and it was great to see everyone again. These symposiums always rekindle my photographic spirit; they offer a chance to capture new subjects and learn from the experts. I took part in the pre-symposium field trip as well as the main one, and was very pleased with all the things we saw at Marana Airfield. The stark desert environment is quite different from what I’m used to and it was a treat to be able to investigate the airframes and artifacts so closely.

As for the Pima Air & Space Museum; well, I didn’t even know where to start. It really was amazing how so many photographers with all their gear could scatter and vanish - the place is so big. The sunset and sunrise shoots were great; the staff were all very friendly and helpful, the airframes were many, varied and in some cases quite rare, and the light was glorious. Last but not least, the Symposium itself - the speakers this year were great, and the topics were very geared towards the issues surrounding aviation photography in our current times, and how we can help each other. I look forward to the next one.

Jo Hunter

Mike Henry Where do I begin. For starters I’m a brand new member who was basically roped into joining and attending the Symposium by virtue having signed up for a trip with Rich Cooper and Steven Comber of the Centre of Aviation Photography. I had looked into ISAP on my own previously but as a relative newbie to aviation photography I felt the organization would be beyond my level and wouldn’t offer anything of substance to me. I could not have been more wrong. What I found once I got there was a completely enriching and invaluable experience. The first non-COAP person I met was Gary Daniels, and not only did he introduce himself and make me feel super welcome but also took the time to share his experiences and introduce me to other members. Such a class act and his images are awesome. The pre-symposium field trips were great. Sitting next to and hearing Jim Sugar’s stories while on the bus to Marana was fantastic and seeing the man in action was a revelation not to mention being at a location with so many interesting aircraft that few get to experience. Where do I start? The runway with the Pitts and Stearman doing impromptu fly-by’s? The Skyhawks and Corsairs under brilliant skies with cotton candy clouds? Seeing a newly restored Skyhawk with it’s fresh paint glistening in the sun? If that wasn’t enough for day one of the pre-Symposium activities, how about the sunset session at the Pima Air & Space Museum. I’ve been to Pima before but to get in after the doors have closed to be up close and personal with the aircraft to photograph them in an uncluttered state was awesome if not a little overwhelming given the options. Follow that up with a sunrise session and you basically have two bucket list items checked in a span of twelve hours. Once the Symposium got underway I found the presenters and attendees to be welcoming, knowledgeable and professional above all else. As an amateur I found the discussions on the professional side enlightening and the technical presentations both refreshing and revelatory. Will I ever need to utilize 13 strobes to photograph an aircraft? Unlikely but not only do I now know how and why you could, it’s provided the technical know-how to pull it off while providing inspiration for what is possible in pushing the envelope in capturing stunning images in new ways. The opportunity to try new equipment from Nikon and Sigma was fantastic. The member slideshow was amazing as well, so many great images made by really great people really held my attention and inspired me at the same time. I look forward to keeping in touch with the people I met at the ISAP Symposium and utilizing the new technical skills I learned both in class and on the field trips. To say that it was inspiring is an understatement. I’ve never been happier to be wrong about joining an organization and cannot wait for the next Symposium.

Mike Henry

Rod Reilly

Scott Germain

Since it had been several years since ISAP held a symposium, I felt like I needed to reconnect with the people that make the organization great. Above that, listening to the other speakers proved to be a fruitful and educational experience. The field trips were just icing on the cake, and some great opportunities to expand skills you may not get to practice much. Like many organizations, it’s the people that really make it great. ISAP is no different… I renewed some friendships and acquaintances, and made a lot of new friends. Hopefully we’ll get to work together in the future. I had the honor to speak twice at this year’s symposium. My first topic was Photographer Ethics, an open discussion with the audience about

some highly surprising, negative behavior by un-named photographers. We should all strive to act with professionalism and integrity - goals that will carry the entire group higher. My second topic was a highly condensed version of how to safely run air-to-air photo flights. I usually spend over four hours teaching this subject in a classroom environment, so the 75 minute discussion was fast-paced. It was a pleasure to share my expertise with the group! Couldn’t make ISAP 2018? Please plan on attending the next symposium; you won’t be sorry. You’ll come away learning some new tricks, some new friends, and a lot of drive and motivation to take your art to the next level.

Scott Germain

Steve Bondhus

The ISAP symposium was more than I expected and for a first timer it was a great learning experience. I’ve been to seminars before and most of the photographers wouldn’t give you the time of day much less answer any questions that I might have. The people at the symposium were the exact opposite and were more than willing to share information and experiences. This alone made it worth the time and expense of being there. I also enjoyed meeting people from other countries and listening to their experiences and way of life that is different from what we have in this country. The speakers were amazing, especially looking at what is possible to do with drones. This opens up a whole other world of photography. I appreciate Nikon for being there and learning about flash photography and having my cameras checked out and cleaned was a real plus. I’m looking forward to next year.

Steve Bondhus

Kevin Hong

This year was a challenging symposium compared to the previous ones we have had since I attended my first one at Nellis AFB. Being on the ISAP Board is never easy especially when we plan the symposiums and try to top the last event. The last symposium took place a few years back so everyone was happy to see another one. It takes a lot of time and effort to make a symposium happen and this year it was great to have some members from the Centre of Aviation Photography (COAP) join in the fun to bring some international flair. Nikon Professional Services, Sigma Corporation of America, and Red River Paper attended the symposium and made the event so much more enjoyable than normal. It was great to spend time with these guys and learn not only about the cameras and lenses but techniques to improve shooting not just the airplanes but the beautiful landscape of

what Arizona had to offer. Drew Hendrix of Red River Paper allowed members to print photos and share their experiences with all of us. Everyone looks forward to the field trips including myself but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the people I look forward to meeting. It was great to see old members and new members interact with one another sharing their stories about photography. I used to shoot a lot of photos at these events but I found it more beneficial catching up with old friends photographing them instead of the planes. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m glad we were able to get everyone the tour of the Boneyard especially for the international visitors since it was a rare opportunity to see the thousands of airplanes that served in the US military.

What was great about this year’s symposium was the landscape I had mentioned earlier. Some of our members including the speakers and the Nikon guys went out and explored the night sky waking up in the middle of the night. With tall cactus, mountainous terrain and a spectacular view of stars why wouldn’t you go out and shoot photos. I have to thank all of the speakers as well. ISAP is not just about shooting aviation when it comes to the symposium. It’s also about photography in general. Some of our speakers talked about copyrighting, social media and also using drones for photography. As much fun as we had I hope all of the members will continue to tell others about this organization and share their knowledge on how to be a better aviation photographer.

Over the years I have learned from some of the best photographers in the world and continue to stay in touch with them. Hopefully we can continue to keep having the symposia in the future. No matter where a symposium will be I hope the ISAP members will continue to come not just for the field trips but for the new friendships they make within the ISAP organization.

Kevin Hong

Jim Williamson

As a long-time Tucson resident, I’ve watched the Pima Air & Space Museum grow from a rather haphazard collection to a truly world-class museum. Combined with their collaboration with Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, it offers visitors an experience like no other. We were treated with pre-sunrise access to the museum grounds and certainly a first time treat for me. Each time I visit, I see things I’d never noticed before - this time it was the Martin 404 with a cylinder head sticking out of the engine cowling. That must have been an interesting flight! While the outdoor exhibits were the most popular for the photographers, the exhibits in the various hangars are interesting and well done. Each is staffed by friendly and knowledgeable docents, who were happy to answer questions and often offer personal recollections and experiences.

The Boneyard tour at DMAFB was a photographic challenge since we were shooting through the bus’ windows. Nonetheless, it was an interesting and entertaining tour staffed by very friendly docents. I was stationed at DM in the mid-1970s. The ‘Boneyard’ was called the ‘Military Aircraft Storage and Disposition Center’ or MASDC. At that time, the staff was somewhat offended by the Boneyard nickname and quick to point out that most of the aircraft in storage could be re-activated on short notice. Though the Boneyard nickname stuck, it is still true that the facility (now named the ‘Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group’ (AMARG) is a valuable, worldwide, resource for spare parts. It is also true that, occasionally, some of the aircraft are returned to service. Sometimes when flying out of Tucson International Airport, departure control will route you over DMAFB giving you a terrific view of the AMARG facility. Only then will you appreciate its massive size.

Jim Williamson

Gary Daniels

SPEAKERS AND WORKSHOPS

Gary Daniels

Hayman Tam

Kevin Hong

Hayman Tam

Kevin Hong

Larry Grace

Gary Daniels

WELCOME RECEPTION Sponsored by Nikon NPS

Gary Daniels

Hayman Tam

Jeff Schroeder

THE SYMPOSIUM FIELD TRIP

Having only been an ISAP member for a little over a year now, this was my first symposium to attend. I went back and forth multiple times whether I would make the trip out this year. But, Larry can be quite persuasive at times. Looking back now, I am glad that I followed his advice and attended. Being surrounded by some of the finest photographers in the world for 3 days had me out of my comfort zone. The symposium was filled with numerous informative breakout sessions covering a variety of aviation and photography topics. The quality of each presenter was superb. But, there is only so long an aviation photographer can be away from the camera. The Friday field trip was a great way to spend some time as a group and shoot some amazing aircraft. Having the ability to do a sunrise shoot at the Pima Air & Space Museum was fantastic. Having never been to this museum, I was overwhelmed by the scale of the grounds and the unique aircraft on display. The afternoon would bring even more sights to take in, but this time in the comfort of a bus tour around the Davis Monthan AMARG Facility. Friday, and the Symposium itself, was concluded with a wonderful Dinner Banquet to honor numerous ISAP members for their contributions to the organization. After reflecting over the 3 day event, I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t wait to start making plans to attend the next one. Thanks to everyone for making my son, Haydnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first symposium, a truly memorable occasion. Having only been a member for a couple of months now, it has made quite an impact in such a small amount of time.

Jeff Schroeder

Haydn Schroeder

Kristopher (Kris) Haugh

Wives day trip

Bonnie Kratz

Larry Grace

Larry Melby

This was my second event with ISAP and I had a blast. Wednesday started out as a very long day as we have inventory twice a year which just so happens to have fallen on the 14th. That meant besides having to be at work on what was normally my day off I must show up at 4:30 in the morning and taking a very late afternoon flight from Dallas to Tucson. I really wanted to attend that evening photo shoot but maybe next time. This was also my first commercial flight hauling a bunch of camera equipment. I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have nearly the TSA hassles I thought I might have with all my gear. I learned a lot in the few short days of the symposium and enjoyed the fellowship with the other ISAP members. I plan on taking the lessons that I learned to improve and grow in my aviation photography. I want to again thank all the ISAP members and sponsors who worked very hard to make this event a remarkable success. I look forward to the next one.

Larry Melby

Michael Pliskin

The 2018 ISAP Symposium in Tucson was an amazing experience all the way around. Although I did not make it to the pre-symposium workshop, there was still so much to do and see. This was my first symposium in a number of years and it was a great opportunity to make new friends and renew old friendships. I was most impressed with the collection of aircraft at the Pima Air & Space Museum. I finally got to see for the first time, and photograph, many of the airplanes I built models of when I was a kid. They have a B-58 Hustler, a B-36 Peacemaker, KC-50, KC-97, a Guppy version of the KC-97, and three different civilian and military variants of the Lockheed Constellation. There were also many unusual aircraft that I had never heard of or seen before, like the 1944 Budd RB-1 Conestoga stainless steel transport. The symposium featured a number of great speakers who talked about air-to-air shooting, videos, shooting with drones, printing techniques, Lightroom for Aviation and other fascinating and valuable topics for Aviation Photography. I am looking forward to future ISAP symposiums. They are fantastic opportunities to learn from other photographers, to shoot interesting aircraft, and mostly, to hang out with other aviation shooters from all over the world and make new friends.

Michael Pliskin

Mike Gagarin

Rod Cromer

My first ISAP Symposium! The opportunity to be among the top aviation photographers around; to listen to, talk to, and learn from the best talents in our craft. And Tucson did not disappoint me! The ISAP leadership team did a superb job planning and conducting a gathering that had something for everyone, from novice photographer to industry icon. The location was incredible. Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, the “Boneyard” (officially the 309th Aerospace Maintenance And Regeneration Group), Pima Air Museum, Pinal Air Park and the aviation facilities at nearby Marana made Tucson the perfect site for this year’s symposium. The accommodations at the Hilton Double Tree were excellent, with comfortable rooms, good eats and staff eager to make our visit the best it could be. For me the best part of the symposium was the people who attended. Everyone from the ISAP staff to the Nikon tech staff to the presenters was knowledgeable and helpful as well as the photographers. Every skill level was there, from industry icons to beginners like me. All talking about aviation photography! I met photographers whose work I see in print, or whose photographic workshops I want to attend.

I got to talk to these professionals, and listen to them discuss the techniques and nuances of aviation photography. Of all the memorable moments I experienced in Tucson, two stand above the rest. One was Michael Pliskin, a recognized teacher and post-processing expert, spending over two hours after the day’s activities teaching me some of the capabilities of Lightroom. The other was lunch on seminar day when I sat across the table from Jay Miller and next to Jim Koepnick! If you want to be a better aviation photographer, it just does not get any better! I’m ready NOW to sign up for next year’s ISAP Symposium. I heard a rumor that it could be in Pensacola, home of the Blue Angels. I know that if that comes true, the event will be something special and there will be boiled shrimp involved!

Rod Cromer

Kevin Hong

THE PIMA AND BONEYARD PERSPECTIVE

Jim Froneberger

Craig Swancy

Gary Edwards

Jim Williamson

Mike Henry

Jeff Schroeder

Gary Edwards

Gary Kratz

Hayman Tam

Steve Bondhus

Jim Williamson

Jo Hunter

Rich Cooper

Scott Germain

CAPTURING HISTORY Article and photos by John Slemp

As many of you know, I’ve been working on a book about WWII A-2 flight jackets, otherwise known as “bomber jackets.” For several years, I’ve known about the stash of jackets at several museums out west, so when it was announced that the ISAP Symposium this year was to be in Tucson, I was immediately on board. One of the museums I’d heard about was none other than the 390th Bomb Group Museum, a subset of the Pima Air & Space Museum. They graciously agreed to my photographing several jackets from their collection while I was at the conference, so with the able assistance and good cheer of fellow ISAP member Mark Hrutkay, we planned on driving out to Tucson with the needed gear, and continued on from there to California, which we did. To make a long story short, 33 jackets were photographed at the 390th, their entire collection. This was done so that the new curator would

have a visual record of the jackets in their collection, something she’s previously never had, and of course, it didn’t cost the museum anything except a little staff time. The images were shot on a medium-format camera/digital back, the Phase One 645DF, an 80mm lens, and a Leaf Credo 60 digital back. Each file (at full frame) is 360mb (16 bit) when opened in Photoshop, but since the form factor of the jackets is essentially square, it works out to about a 260mb file once cropped. Shooting the entire collection was an easy decision to make, in exchange for access to their collection. Upon completion of the conference in Tucson, we drove 400 miles to Riverside, California and photographed 18 jackets in the March Field Museum collection. The following day we drove about twenty miles down the road to Chino, and photographed 8 jackets in the 475th Fighter Group collection, also a subset of the Planes of Fame Museum. That afternoon we drove about 90 miles south to San Diego, for a shoot the

Kevin Hong

following morning at the San Diego Air & Space Museum, which had one very special jacket…an original Flying Tigers jacket. The following day, we photographed one jacket in a private collection in nearby El Cajon, and immediately afterwards started the three-day drive back to Atlanta, and West Virginia respectively. In all, we photographed 61 additional jackets towards the book, which now makes for about 120 jackets to choose from. Other museums that have participated include the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum, the National Naval Aviation Museum, the Kalamazoo Air Zoo, the Minnesota Historical Society, and the Lowndes County Historical Society, here in Georgia. The remainder have come from private owners. My original goal was 50 jackets, which we’ve obviously exceeded. There are a few more jackets that I’d like to get, to round out the collection, including an original Tuskegee Airmen’s jacket, and perhaps

a jacket worn by Jimmy Stewart. Nonetheless, we are getting close to the saturation point, and I’d like to wrap up the photography this year, so that production of the book may begin in earnest. The stories I’ve heard, the veterans I’ve met and photographed for the book, have been nothing short of amazing, and with any luck at all, the book with detail a period of American military folk art, along with information about the symbols that appear on the jackets, and a brief history of the jackets themselves. Now priceless artifacts, they also graphically detail the combat records of the owners, and are a visual reminder of a time we’ll never see again. That makes them very special, and worthy of the effort…

John Slemp

THE SYMPOSIUM BANQUET

Gary Daniels