Favorite catches of 2014

[jerslice]

Let's see your favorite catches of 2014. They don't have to be your best shots (I'm sure a best-of 2014 thread will pop up soon), but they do have to be something rare, or that you've been chasing for awhile, or were just plane pleasantly surprised to see on final!

For me there were four:

NOAA P3
https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2945/15392314056_e9fdd747f3_z.jpg

Surinam Airways A340
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5560/15017635860_5989297d34_z.jpg

Super Guppy
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7230/13541256215_5ea90bfd12_z.jpg

Chengdu J-7:
https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3831/12708892965_c55cb06809_z.jpg

[eric8669]

http://i895.photobucket.com/albums/ac155/southpawcaptures/southpawcaptures045/IMG_0001_zpsfa1f77f0.jpg (http://s895.photobucket.com/user/southpawcaptures/media/southpawcaptures045/IMG_0001_zpsfa1f77f0.jpg.html)

http://i895.photobucket.com/albums/ac155/southpawcaptures/southpawcaptures045/IMG_0513_zpsd517ad61.jpg (http://s895.photobucket.com/user/southpawcaptures/media/southpawcaptures045/IMG_0513_zpsd517ad61.jpg.html)

http://i895.photobucket.com/albums/ac155/southpawcaptures/southpawcaptures045/IMG_0253_zps64670bf5.jpg (http://s895.photobucket.com/user/southpawcaptures/media/southpawcaptures045/IMG_0253_zps64670bf5.jpg.html)

http://i895.photobucket.com/albums/ac155/southpawcaptures/southpawcaptures045/IMG_0121-Edit-Edit_zpsda5c8195.jpg (http://s895.photobucket.com/user/southpawcaptures/media/southpawcaptures045/IMG_0121-Edit-Edit_zpsda5c8195.jpg.html)

http://i895.photobucket.com/albums/ac155/southpawcaptures/southpawcaptures045/IMG_0538_zpsbb7b69af.jpg (http://s895.photobucket.com/user/southpawcaptures/media/southpawcaptures045/IMG_0538_zpsbb7b69af.jpg.html)

http://i895.photobucket.com/albums/ac155/southpawcaptures/southpawcaptures045/IMG_0664_zpsbbbbd11d.jpg (http://s895.photobucket.com/user/southpawcaptures/media/southpawcaptures045/IMG_0664_zpsbbbbd11d.jpg.html)

[megatop412]

I had a great year catching up with all of you here and in person, and snapping away at these beauties in particular:
http://media501.dropshots.com/photos/476411/20140527/b_200524.jpg

http://media502.dropshots.com/photos/476411/20140514/b_200456.jpg

http://media500.dropshots.com/photos/476411/20140326/b_153912.jpg

http://media502.dropshots.com/photos/476411/20140616/b_193439.jpg

http://media600.dropshots.com/photos/476411/20140706/x_204225.jpg

http://media700.dropshots.com/photos/476411/20140928/b_094317.jpg

[NickPeterman]

Had a very late-breaking entry to my favorite catches of the year, taking the top place at the 11th hour

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8603/15443785093_44217d4ec9_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/pwHrfM)IMG_5227 (https://flic.kr/p/pwHrfM) by Nicholas Peterman (https://www.flickr.com/people/53263228@N04/), on Flickr


https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3922/14621626314_76d138a08a_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/oh4E6q)IMG_9839_filtered (https://flic.kr/p/oh4E6q) by Nicholas Peterman (https://www.flickr.com/people/53263228@N04/), on Flickr


https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3920/14484149297_95d3c9ba50_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/o4V3Y2)IMG_0113_filtered (https://flic.kr/p/o4V3Y2) by Nicholas Peterman (https://www.flickr.com/people/53263228@N04/), on Flickr


https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7370/13899372706_1f3ec7391e_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/nbeVg1)IMG_1962_filtered (https://flic.kr/p/nbeVg1) by Nicholas Peterman (https://www.flickr.com/people/53263228@N04/), on Flickr


https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3894/14484442663_9fbbae96d2_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/o4Wyb4)IMG_1567_filtered (https://flic.kr/p/o4Wyb4) by Nicholas Peterman (https://www.flickr.com/people/53263228@N04/), on Flickr

[moose135]

I didn't even know they had one of these until this taxied past me while I was waiting for a flight at T5!

http://www.moose135photography.com/Airplanes/Airliners-and-Airport-Spotting/Kennedy-Airport/i-tCms9fh/0/XL/JM_2014_10_13_A7-BAB_001-XL.jpg

This was never going to visit CLT (or even JFK) so I'm glad I was able to catch it at SEA, again, while waiting for a flight.

http://www.moose135photography.com/Airplanes/Airliners-and-Airport-Spotting/SeattleTacoma-International/i-DG9tGwF/0/XL/JM_2014_09_11_N318AS_001-XL.jpg

Another one of those "I didn't even know it existed" until I caught it at CLT for a NASCAR charter.

http://www.moose135photography.com/Airplanes/Airliners-and-Airport-Spotting/Charlotte-Douglas-Airport/i-b2RHzsf/0/XL/JM_2014_02_28_N176CA_001-XL.jpg

Probably the first time I've seen a Garuda plane of any sort - they're not exactly regulars at CLT.

http://www.moose135photography.com/Airplanes/Airliners-and-Airport-Spotting/Paine-Field/i-Jx6ZgQb/0/XL/JM_2014_09_08_PK-GIG_010-XL.jpg

Final DC-9 flight by a US airline, arriving at CLT for the museum. I ran down to the airport on my lunch hour, and was refreshing FlightAware on my phone every 23 1/2 seconds to track its progress, hoping it would arrive before I needed to head back to the office...

http://www.moose135photography.com/Airplanes/Airliners-and-Airport-Spotting/Charlotte-Douglas-Airport/i-xHsz3KL/0/XL/JM_2014_01_23_N779NC_003-XL.jpg

Insel comes into CLT once a week, and always uses the "wrong" runway for spotting - I have plenty of distant, heat-hazed shots of it arriving on Rwy 23 - so when I saw it taxi up to 18C, next to the overview, on a nice day, I knew the spotting gods smiled on us!

http://www.moose135photography.com/Airplanes/Airliners-and-Airport-Spotting/Charlotte-Douglas-Airport/i-GtkNGN5/0/XL/JM_2014_09_06_PJ-MDF_003-XL.jpg

[SengaB]

We still have several more days in 2014 but so far here are my most memorable (NEW Catches for me for 2014 so far). After having 2-3 year lull in worth catches 2014 proved to be the exact opposite. I think I enjoyed getting the RSAF A330MRTT and the TUAF Airbus A400M and the JMSDF C-130 and the Kuwaiti C17 the most.
Note: I had already shot the Netherlands AF KC-10 and the Israeli AF 707 However the 707 is in the updated dark grey colors now and the NAF KC-10 is a solid shot considering what I got years back. I will let others deal with the excessively over shot visitors from this year.

I will start with my top from 2013
Open Skies TU-154M
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7313/9452651640_2a3a333d0b.jpg

Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force C-130
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5569/14669124227_d641cc712b_o.jpg

Saudi Arabian Air Force A330MRTT
https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3717/13201439394_39eee5c7b2_o.jpg

Turkish Air Force A400M
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7569/16038924152_9e9fb5d416_o.jpg

Kuwaiti Air Force C-17
https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3837/14577437304_b764284a51_o.jpg

United Arab Emirates 787-800
https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3906/15266071716_c2564ec03f_o.jpg

Netherlands Air Force KC-10
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5607/15602862428_a9038fa4b1_o.jpg

Niger 737-700BBJ
https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3851/15279968936_450e7b576d_o.jpg

Israeli Air Force 707-300
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7559/15650223100_2f99eeba8b_o.jpg

Indian Air Force C-17
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7534/15835071345_801f66d07a_o.jpg

Pakistan Air Force Gulfstream 4
https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2944/15159291527_ef048c44aa_o.jpg

Ireland Air Force Gulfstream 4
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5316/13992811740_d297aca100_o.jpg

Honeywell CVLT
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5571/14951804615_18b6c9c60d_o.jpg

Pakistan Air Force C-130
https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3875/14447097864_403277f02a_o.jpg

Netherlands Air Force Gulfstream 4
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5602/15479846595_4f30b09a75_o.jpg

Royal Saudi Arabian Air Force C-130
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5529/12697375474_95782f0576_o.jpg

Turkish Air Force KC-135R
https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2943/15200390627_22fe5ca4c9_o.jpg

Belarus TU-154M
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5564/15312972881_e068c3e755_o.jpg

United Arab Emirates Air Force C-17
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7473/15298265853_027fa6dd42_o.jpg

Oman A320
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5037/13968418739_13905395f1_o.jpg

United States navy P-8
https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3841/14852226801_13c2b512dc_o.jpg

Turkish Air Force A330-200
https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3893/15293082686_302acd33d1_o.jpg

Mauritania Airlines 737-700
https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3846/14847779505_612a182f96_o.jpg

Panama Air Force Embraer 135
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7402/14062017273_9768a34735_o.jpg

Mali 737-700
https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3844/14867662333_8ddc080d3a_o.jpg

[Hiflyer]

http://i446.photobucket.com/albums/qq189/quokka/1399438_10200986609587355_2308030611924354975_o_zp s8b75a66c.jpg (http://s446.photobucket.com/user/quokka/media/1399438_10200986609587355_2308030611924354975_o_zp s8b75a66c.jpg.html)

PLAAF Ilyushin IL-76 20541

http://i446.photobucket.com/albums/qq189/quokka/UR-8200800_zpsc3658766.jpg (http://s446.photobucket.com/user/quokka/media/UR-8200800_zpsc3658766.jpg.html)

Antonov Design Bureau An-124:100 UR-82008

http://i446.photobucket.com/albums/qq189/quokka/10003634_10200955488289342_1494376670_o_zps29f688f f.jpg (http://s446.photobucket.com/user/quokka/media/10003634_10200955488289342_1494376670_o_zps29f688f f.jpg.html)

Royal Australian Air Force B737-7ES Wedgetail A30-005

http://i446.photobucket.com/albums/qq189/quokka/30_zps48e430d0.jpg (http://s446.photobucket.com/user/quokka/media/30_zps48e430d0.jpg.html)

Westar Aviation Group B727-23 N800AK

http://i446.photobucket.com/albums/qq189/quokka/29_zps3e745362.jpg (http://s446.photobucket.com/user/quokka/media/29_zps3e745362.jpg.html)

Air New Zealand B787-9 Dreamliner ZK-NZE

[Zee71]

Thanks to Rich and Chris I was able to get this shot at BOS
http://mbsphotography.smugmug.com/Aviation/Airplanes-and-Spotting/Logan-Airport-BOS/i-DWsw66D/0/L/CaboVerde_02_BOS_11Aug2014_Taxi_D4_CBP_80-400mm-L.jpg

While on a work related trip I was able to catch this bird at MCO in March
http://mbsphotography.smugmug.com/Aviation/Airplanes-and-Spotting/Orlando-International-Airport/i-gK3XHNR/0/L/AI_ANWA Est_01_MCO_10Mar2014_Ramp_HZ_AB3_18-300mm-L.jpg

Though I been to Vegas a bunch of times, it was nice to see this come into LAS during my first spotting trip
http://mbsphotography.smugmug.com/Aviation/Airplanes-and-Spotting/McCarran-International-Airport/i-bDNQcrz/0/L/Condor_01_06Nov2014_LAS_25L_D_ABUM_70-200mm-L.jpg

While in the LA area for work, I took a ride to Victorville
http://mbsphotography.smugmug.com/Aviation/Victorville/i-vXSGjfG/0/L/Victorville_17_09Jun2014_GE Aircraft Engines_N747GE_18-300mm-L.jpg

A few rare visitors to JFK
http://mbsphotography.smugmug.com/Aviation/Odd-Stuff/i-8JCk57g/0/L/RoyalNetherlandsAirForce_01_JFK_14Nov2014_Ramp_T_2 35_70-200mmD4s-L.jpg

http://mbsphotography.smugmug.com/Aviation/Odd-Stuff/i-2bNp7tj/0/L/SkyLeaseCargo_03_JFK_16Jul2014_Tow_N950AR_70-200mmD4S-L.jpg

http://mbsphotography.smugmug.com/Aviation/Airplanes-and-Spotting/Kennedy-JFK/i-r2Vh4wM/0/L/Primera_01_JFK_16Nov2014_22R_OY_PSC_80-400mD4s-L.jpg

http://mbsphotography.smugmug.com/Aviation/Airplanes-and-Spotting/Kennedy-JFK/i-ZTDwwfB/0/L/RoyalJet_01_JFK_01Sep2014_22L_A6_RJY_70-200mm14D4s-L.jpg

http://mbsphotography.smugmug.com/Aviation/Airplanes-and-Spotting/Kennedy-JFK/i-nRXzwMc/0/L/Oman_01_JFK_10May2014_22L_A40_AJ_80-400mm-L.jpg

http://mbsphotography.smugmug.com/Aviation/Airplanes-and-Spotting/Kennedy-JFK/i-sJ3Qk2k/0/L/SierraAmericanCorporation_01_JFK_23Jul2014_Taxi_N4 65TW_70-200mm14D4s-L.jpg

http://mbsphotography.smugmug.com/Aviation/Airplanes-and-Spotting/Kennedy-JFK/i-vTQSGXC/0/L/NationalAirlines_02_JFK_07May2014_Ramp_N567CA_24-120mm-L.jpg

http://mbsphotography.smugmug.com/Aviation/Airplanes-and-Spotting/Kennedy-JFK/i-NqgKqzj/0/L/TurkeyGovernment_01_JFK_05Apr2014_Ramp_TC_ATA_80-400mm-L.jpg

From UN Week, but taken as I was departing off 31L
http://mbsphotography.smugmug.com/Aviation/UN-Week/Sept-2014/i-LGH5rpf/0/L/ArabRepublicOfEgypt_01_JFK_24Sep2014_RAMP_SU_GGG_1 8-300mm-L.jpg

A late addition
http://mbsphotography.smugmug.com/Aviation/Odd-Stuff/i-4vX4mB2/0/L/VolgaDnepr_01_JFK_30Dec2014_Ramp_RA_76511_SonyRx10 0-L.jpg

[RWB]

2014 was a very good year for me. A few rare encounters here in San Antonio that I probably won't see again.
Caught a DC-6 coming here for maintenance, 1st time to see one ever.
http://e1.photos.flightcdn.com/photos/retriever/6d6e04bb3c7515c5ded2f24867af64201f7d6e34

Got to see a brand new Embraer Legacy 500 that was here on demo.
http://e1.photos.flightcdn.com/photos/retriever/70164124f148a851c35a972b3881b8748de2a2ce

And the Honda Jet
http://e1.photos.flightcdn.com/photos/retriever/297e0fbc5bd70eef13f5ac7232baa8ee3500a72e

This just popped in one afternoon
http://e0.photos.flightcdn.com/photos/retriever/91cae3bbf57f2840458b8d34f91f64164e86df3f

Never thought I see the inside of a Gulfstream 650, thanks to Mike at Landmark for making that happen.
http://e1.photos.flightcdn.com/photos/retriever/29e4b009a411c743fea09d51af03eecb42e36af6

And recently a fire bomber that came for maintenance
http://e0.photos.flightcdn.com/photos/retriever/66222c52fdf0befb409cd3d36a171ed86a4521ca

[AA757]

Great catches everyone, here are a few of my favs:

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5507/12176461653_cf6f71c81a_c.jpg

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3685/12320496375_122d2b0794_c.jpg

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3763/13111720134_a531c2bd5f_c.jpg

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7236/13610975174_1f3b218332_c.jpg

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5584/13740892255_31ce24cd16_c.jpg

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5528/14182468446_33c9624e8d_c.jpg

https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2933/14340826965_1e1225b169_c.jpg

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3874/14326350870_10e0e19894_c.jpg

https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2900/14542625191_31d1e24198_c.jpg

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3890/14558434860_06cd55446f_c.jpg

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3846/15146973482_76a957cd60_c.jpg

https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2943/15153215889_d4c8aa9cd2_c.jpg

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5609/15470230898_d66bb2edfc_c.jpg

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5614/15166520244_b9849c2957_c.jpg

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8614/15951079281_67a21f8bb4_c.jpg

Stopped at Pease ANG base on delivery flight enroute to MIA
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7545/16058137322_8fee5eddd6_c.jpg


Rich B

[USAir767]

I didn't have that many good ones this year, but here are my favorites

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7541/15141118564_f56d5abd7c_b.jpg

Don't know it this one counts, but it's the carbon fiber A350 flying over CLT on its way to DFW
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5239/14002631329_4d094e22c4_b.jpg

My first time seeing a 787
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7408/14209382603_711eeb9786_b.jpg

First time catching a "west" US Airways plane
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7533/15327000114_e87414ea09_b.jpg

That's all for me.