captmjk16
2014-08-11, 06:35 PM
Following my less than successful spotting/practice outing on Friday I headed out to Willow Run once again on Saturday for Thunder Over Michigan. As usual the lighting started off decent for statics, but by the time the first aircraft were in the air the backlight fest had already started on the main showline, severely limiting the number of keepers from the day's early flight acts. The poor lighting problem was aggrivated by a large concrete plant at show center, blocking the view for a large part of the GA seating area.
When it came time for the headlining USAF Thunderbirds to take to the skies, it came to light that their showline would be off to the side, at about a 45 degree angle to the majority of the crowd, putting everyone except a small number of folks in a VIP chalet at least half a mile from show center. The only positive aspect of this layout was that some of the maneuvers were far better lit as they came over the crowd, but all in all it was quite a tough show to shoot.
First a few statics with an ultrawide.
http://i1244.photobucket.com/albums/gg570/captmjk/tm2.jpg (http://s1244.photobucket.com/user/captmjk/media/tm2.jpg.html)
http://i1244.photobucket.com/albums/gg570/captmjk/tm3.jpg (http://s1244.photobucket.com/user/captmjk/media/tm3.jpg.html)
Hopefully the black and white isn't too cliche... I kinda thought it worked better given the subject (and would probably work better still with some added grain and aging)
http://i1244.photobucket.com/albums/gg570/captmjk/tm4.jpg (http://s1244.photobucket.com/user/captmjk/media/tm4.jpg.html)
And now for some aerial action:
http://i1244.photobucket.com/albums/gg570/captmjk/tm6.jpg (http://s1244.photobucket.com/user/captmjk/media/tm6.jpg.html)
http://i1244.photobucket.com/albums/gg570/captmjk/tm7.jpg (http://s1244.photobucket.com/user/captmjk/media/tm7.jpg.html)
http://i1244.photobucket.com/albums/gg570/captmjk/tm8.jpg (http://s1244.photobucket.com/user/captmjk/media/tm8.jpg.html)
http://i1244.photobucket.com/albums/gg570/captmjk/tm9.jpg (http://s1244.photobucket.com/user/captmjk/media/tm9.jpg.html)
http://i1244.photobucket.com/albums/gg570/captmjk/tm10.jpg (http://s1244.photobucket.com/user/captmjk/media/tm10.jpg.html)
http://i1244.photobucket.com/albums/gg570/captmjk/tm15.jpg (http://s1244.photobucket.com/user/captmjk/media/tm15.jpg.html)
http://i1244.photobucket.com/albums/gg570/captmjk/tm16.jpg (http://s1244.photobucket.com/user/captmjk/media/tm16.jpg.html)
http://i1244.photobucket.com/albums/gg570/captmjk/tm17-s.jpg (http://s1244.photobucket.com/user/captmjk/media/tm17-s.jpg.html)
http://i1244.photobucket.com/albums/gg570/captmjk/tm19.jpg (http://s1244.photobucket.com/user/captmjk/media/tm19.jpg.html)
http://i1244.photobucket.com/albums/gg570/captmjk/tm20.jpg (http://s1244.photobucket.com/user/captmjk/media/tm20.jpg.html)
A rare Bell P-63 was part of the show, flying not only in the WWII Victory flight (along with a pair of P-51s, a B-17, and a P-38), but also a full aerobatic demonstration as well.
http://i1244.photobucket.com/albums/gg570/captmjk/tm22.jpg (http://s1244.photobucket.com/user/captmjk/media/tm22.jpg.html)
When it came time for the headlining USAF Thunderbirds to take to the skies, it came to light that their showline would be off to the side, at about a 45 degree angle to the majority of the crowd, putting everyone except a small number of folks in a VIP chalet at least half a mile from show center. The only positive aspect of this layout was that some of the maneuvers were far better lit as they came over the crowd, but all in all it was quite a tough show to shoot.
First a few statics with an ultrawide.
http://i1244.photobucket.com/albums/gg570/captmjk/tm2.jpg (http://s1244.photobucket.com/user/captmjk/media/tm2.jpg.html)
http://i1244.photobucket.com/albums/gg570/captmjk/tm3.jpg (http://s1244.photobucket.com/user/captmjk/media/tm3.jpg.html)
Hopefully the black and white isn't too cliche... I kinda thought it worked better given the subject (and would probably work better still with some added grain and aging)
http://i1244.photobucket.com/albums/gg570/captmjk/tm4.jpg (http://s1244.photobucket.com/user/captmjk/media/tm4.jpg.html)
And now for some aerial action:
http://i1244.photobucket.com/albums/gg570/captmjk/tm6.jpg (http://s1244.photobucket.com/user/captmjk/media/tm6.jpg.html)
http://i1244.photobucket.com/albums/gg570/captmjk/tm7.jpg (http://s1244.photobucket.com/user/captmjk/media/tm7.jpg.html)
http://i1244.photobucket.com/albums/gg570/captmjk/tm8.jpg (http://s1244.photobucket.com/user/captmjk/media/tm8.jpg.html)
http://i1244.photobucket.com/albums/gg570/captmjk/tm9.jpg (http://s1244.photobucket.com/user/captmjk/media/tm9.jpg.html)
http://i1244.photobucket.com/albums/gg570/captmjk/tm10.jpg (http://s1244.photobucket.com/user/captmjk/media/tm10.jpg.html)
http://i1244.photobucket.com/albums/gg570/captmjk/tm15.jpg (http://s1244.photobucket.com/user/captmjk/media/tm15.jpg.html)
http://i1244.photobucket.com/albums/gg570/captmjk/tm16.jpg (http://s1244.photobucket.com/user/captmjk/media/tm16.jpg.html)
http://i1244.photobucket.com/albums/gg570/captmjk/tm17-s.jpg (http://s1244.photobucket.com/user/captmjk/media/tm17-s.jpg.html)
http://i1244.photobucket.com/albums/gg570/captmjk/tm19.jpg (http://s1244.photobucket.com/user/captmjk/media/tm19.jpg.html)
http://i1244.photobucket.com/albums/gg570/captmjk/tm20.jpg (http://s1244.photobucket.com/user/captmjk/media/tm20.jpg.html)
A rare Bell P-63 was part of the show, flying not only in the WWII Victory flight (along with a pair of P-51s, a B-17, and a P-38), but also a full aerobatic demonstration as well.
http://i1244.photobucket.com/albums/gg570/captmjk/tm22.jpg (http://s1244.photobucket.com/user/captmjk/media/tm22.jpg.html)