Tag: airshow

A Garden Airshow

A Garden Airshow

It’s that time of the year again, and indeed that year again, when the Farnborough Airshow is on.

The last time I went to the airshow was 6 years ago, and once again, I didn’t manage to get to it this time either. However, as I live on the other side of ‘the hill’ to the airfield (its not actually as close as it sounds) was are lucky enough to get aircraft overhead when they are on holding patterns or arriving at the show.

This time though, we didn’t really see the Red Arrows or any of the jets overhead. Maybe this is due to the new rules on airshows and where aircraft go, or can display. The Red Arrows was only a flypast. We didn’t see the Lancaster either.

It didn’t however stop a Spitfire circling above, nor a Yak & Corsair.

So, my garden airshow this time was like this.

Sadly all the aircraft seemed to circled around us, not too close.

Until it decided it was time to head to do its display, and fly right overhead! With this shot, the colours are straight from the camera and caused by the lens, but its created an interesting shot.

Then, an aircraft I didn’t recognise but a quick look on the Airshow website told me it was a YAK 3

This was taken in duller conditions so I made the images black and white and a bit grainy. I think it worked well.

There was definitely less aircraft over the garden this year but still so lucky to see them anyway.

After the show had finished, I was settled back at the computer and heard something noisy and low, I trapped the camera and got this photo of the A380 heading home.

Last Flight of the Vulcan

Last Flight of the Vulcan

Anyone who follows the Vulcan would have known that today, sadly it was doing it’s final tour. The weather reflected the occasion, it was dull grey skies, no nice blue sky and clouds to be able to capture any final images of it against.

We had had a busy morning with photo shoots and just happened to pop outside when I was reminded that the Vulcan was due to fly over Farnborough in 30 minutes time!

So I grabbed the camera, told the kids and we headed off on the walk up to the top of the hill over looking farnborough airport.
Checking my watch as we were walking, it was getting close!
We were a minute or so away, I checked twitter, the feed told me it was on time, but not exactly what time! 100 yards from the edge of the hill, someone shouted, there it is! I ran the rest of the distance, with the Kids, pointing it out to them and raised the camera!

It was dull, the camera struggled to focus on the aircraft way in the distance. The initial photo wasn’t great

Ok, deep breath, check the camera setting again, raise it, re-locate the Vulcan in the view finder and shoot again!


Better, great shot of it as it waggles its giant wings in acknowledgment to everyone watching.
Now its along side and starting to move away.
Keep shooting…


Moving away now, it starts to flying into the distance and with it comes the relization that this is the last time you will see it flying. Keep shooting.


Even with the large lens this impressive graceful monster of an aircraft is now looking small. The tremendous exhust fumes and heat, now making it more difficult to focus on the aircrart.


The last image, shows the Vulcan disappearing into the distance, back into history again.


The flypast from first to last images was just 48 seconds!
Another great aircraft now heading for the museum. First Concorde, now the Vulcan.

Unlike Concorde I’m pleased to have photographed this aircraft on a few occasions, its first show at Farnborough and now fittingly its last flight over Farnborough. It was such a pull to airshows, its size was immense and only matched be its noise. For aircraft lovers and airshows enthusiasts it will be surely missed and I will miss seeing it too.

Farewell to the Vulcan…

I’ve given the photos a slight old look as I felt it fitted the occasion. You can view other photos of the Vulcan in my Aicraft galleries

Happy 20th Eurofighter

Happy 20th Eurofighter

Wow, I can’t believe the euro fighter Typhoon is 20 years old! Where has that time flown too!

Anyway to celebrate, here is one of my favourite photos that I’ve taken of it.

This was taken at Farnborough Airshow back in 2010

Airshow from the Hill

Airshow from the Hill

I gave it a lot of thought, but decided that this time I would skip going to the airshow. This was partially to do with the weather, but also the cost. The ticket prices had gone up again.
So when a neighbour said they where walking to the otherside of the hill we live on, to watch if from there, I thought I’d join him.

It was great to see all the airfield below with some great cloud background. I thought I’d go for more scene and dramatic shots instead of the usual close aircraft images. This was mainly due to the fact the only aircraft that come low over the hill were the Red Arrows and Lancaster.

So here is hte first of the shots from Yesterday.
Airshow from the Hill