It had been so many years since I attended this show when it wasn't cloudy that I forgot how much backlighting there was when it's sunny. Also, there wasn't a lot of real military aircraft performing. They did their combined strike, which includes fly-bys by legacy Hornets, C-130s, Hueys, cobras and Sea Stallions, but only one fast-jet dedicated performance, the F-16 (no Super Hornet, no F-22, or F-15). My guess is it's expensive, and they probably have other things to do with all that's going on in the world right now.

Nevertheless, it was a good show, and I got to see the Snowbirds for the first time, which was a treat. Unfortunately, halfway through their performance, the leader hit a bird, and to be safe he landed and took off in a backup plane, but they didn't get a chance to do their full show.

Here's a selection of shots:

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NOW those are some low-transitions. Fantastic captures! How cool is that to see the Blues and the Snowbirds at the same show!

The photo of the AH1 is interesting and unique: I change anyone to find me a cleaner USMC AH1.

Great Shots!

Great pictures! Thanks for sharing.

Thanks everyone!

Counterman, I was bummed that I wasn't paying attention and missed a good shot - #6 continued low past the end of the runway and pulled up over dirt and churned up a cloud, but I didn't see it until it was too late to get the shot. It looked very cool, though.

The ones you got a very good.
Missing one or two is bound to happen.

Was "Fat Albert" that low or is that a camera trick ?


Wheels

KEN!

You didn't post the one of the Snowbirds doing their diamond loop here! I just saw it on Fence Check, it's fantastic! -Must share it with people here.

Fantastic shots all, thanks for sharing those. Puts

Thanks Counterman, very nice of you to say. I processed a few more after posting here, and that was one of them.

Wheelsup, Fat Albert really was that low, basically getting the, well, wheels up at takeoff, then staying low until the end of the runway.

Here's the shot Counterman mentioned, and a couple more:

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Amazing shots Ken!

May you share with us what camera & lens(es) you use?

Thanks Ken.
He is definitely low.

BTW-Nice pun.


Wheels

Thanks Lars, I'm shooting a Canon 1D Mark III with a Canon 100-400 L 3.5-5.6 IS USM lens.

Thanks, that is a very nice setup for airshow photography

Nice shots! I was able to attend the afternoon session on Sunday and had a really good time. This was my first time to attend a show at Miramar, and the fact that I was able to convince the GF to go along with me made it that much more fun.

Great shots Ken. See PM that I just sent to you.
BadBud
www.simflite.com

Excellent work Ken!

I don't think I've ever seen Fat Albert that low in flight. Wow.

And of course the Cobra shots are terrific.

Really nice shots Ken. The Cobra is one mean looking helo..(are you reading this Eagle Dynamics??)

You know that although the Apache is hands-down a better attack helo than the Cobra, I just love the Cobra. That was the helo gunship for most of my time in the service.

Nothing has the "right" look of a Cobra.

+1

Very nice work Ken - as always.

+2


Wheels

Great shots Ken, at Rhode Island we have a good vantage point to see this move as well.




To the left of the take off point is where the helo's take off and it would be awesome to sit down there when they take off but I'm not sure the blues allow it. There is an ILS light just the left of the second shot. You are allowed to park up there and it looks right down the runway. I should sit out there one day just to capture this angle.

Hope we can hook up at Nellis Ken if you're still going?

Great shot, Dave, and yep, that's the shot I missed!

Heck yeah, I'm going to Nellis! I'll PM you some contact info before the event.

Lovely shots Ken! Fat Albert is a peach and the I agree with the others about the Cobra, what a machine!