Monday, November 14, 2011

Summer 2010 Recap

For the 2010 airshow season I didn't see a whole lot of action, as I had class on almost every Saturday. I did, however, get to make it out to the McChord AFB Air Expo Friday through Sunday, which was SPECTACULAR! Each year the McChord show gets better and better! Last years show had a LOT of vintage jets, including the FJ-4B Fury, MiG-15, MiG-17, 2 F-86 Sabres, and an F-4 Phantom. It was amazing to see a vintage formation including the FJ-4 Fury, F-86, MiG-15, and MiG-17 all together for Sundays show. The airshow did not have the Thunderbirds, but instead had the Patriots. For my first time seeing their show, I was VERY impressed! And if having them in place of the Thunderbirds means a greater selection of performers, I welcome them yet again for the 2012 show!

A few times I was able to sneak out of class during lunch time and make it to the airport just in time to catch the warbirds taking off for the Flying Heritage Collection's free fly days. I was very thankful that class was only about 10 minutes from the airport.

Below are some of my favorite images from 2010:

McChord Practice 1053
Fj-4 Fury turning final at McChord

McChord Practice I 957
F/A-22 Raptor on final approach as the National Anthem is played over the loudspeakers at McChord AFB

FHC Fly Day 5-22 235
Flying Heritage Collection's Curtiss P-40C Tomahawk and Supermarine Spitfire Mk. Vc flyby in tight formation

McChord Day Two 904
Navy Legacy Flight featuring the FJ-4 Fury and F/A-18F Superhornet

McChord Day Two 470
You don't see this often! From top: FJ-4 Fury, F-86 Sabre, MiG-15, MiG-17

McChord Day One 427
Two F-86 Sabres pass by in formation. The lead (green camo) aircraft is flown by Capt. (ret) Dale "Snort" Snodgrass

McChord Day One 258
Air Force Heritage Flight featuring the F-16 Falcon, A-10 Thunderbolt II, F-4 Phantom, and F-86 Sabre

Colling's Foundation 6-24-10 092
Colling's Foundation B-17G Flying Fortress

VAW 881
Historic Flight Foundation's Grumman F7F-2 Tigercat

VAW 861
Historic Flight Foundation's Grumman F8F Bearcat

VAW 652
Historic Flight Foundation's B-25D Mitchell "Grumpy" gets a figher escort from their P-51B Mustang and Heritage Flight Museum's P-51D Mustang during Vintage Aircraft Weekend

Luftwaffe day (144)
One of my favorite days of last year was Flying Heritage Collection's Luftwaffe Day featuring their Fieseler Storch and Messerschmitt Bf-109E-3 Emil, shown here!

Summer of 2011 saw the addition of a Focke-Wulf 190A-5!

Enjoy and I will keep the pictures coming!!

Sunday, November 13, 2011

Wow, sorry for the absense!

As is usually the case, life has indeed gotten in the way, yet again! A few things have changed since my last post on March 24, 2009:

  • I enrolled in a 2-year teacher education program at City University of Seattle
  • I got married
  • I moved
  • I finished my teacher ed program
  • I am now looking for a full-time teaching position
  • I have had my first photographs published
  • I had my first flight in a WWII aircraft (CAF Arizona Wing B-25 "Maid in the Shade")
  • I had my first air-to-air photo shoot (platform: B-25 "Grumpy" Subject: F8F Bearcat)
  • Many new aircraft have arrived at Paine Field: Focke-Wulf 190A-5, B-25J Mitchell, Supermarine Spitfire Mk. IXe, Me-262 flight testing (now gone to its home in Virginia).
  • And I have become completely obsessed with ice hockey, thanks to my wife!

As you can tell, I have some SERIOUS catching up to do!

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