Love the last shot, Jeremy :-) You should be able to get good shots... Imperial Hill is a big place... Or you could always do what I do and suicide!!!!
Love the last shot, Jeremy :-) You should be able to get good shots... Imperial Hill is a big place... Or you could always do what I do and suicide!!!!
Manny Gonzalez
Thrust Images | General Photography | R.I.P. Matt Molnar 1979-2013
BRING BACK THE KJFK/KLGA OBSERVATION DECKS
And that's that. With that landing, unless one is moved by helicopter for some reason in the future, you'll never see an airborne Space Shuttle again.
Email me anytime at [email protected].
I ended up at Imperial Hill to catch the Space Shuttle Endeavour. I arrived around 5:30am in order to find a parking spot that was close enough and to find a suitable location. My parking spot was about 4 short blocks from Imperial Hill, at the hill plenty of folks had already claimed prime spots. I ended up being behind those individuals. Standing from the early morning hours till the shuttle made her pass over runways 25 was no easy task. As the shuttle became visible in the mountain hazy people cheered as the she made her way to downtown Los Angeles. The shuttle made her first low pass at around 700 feet over the 24s at LAX (which must have been a great sight from the terminals). The cheers were even louder as she made her first LAX pass. After flying over other notable Los Angeles landmarks the shuttle made another low pass but this time it was over the 25s and the crowd roared with enthusiasm. I managed to get a few shots which I will post once I return home. When I left the hill there must have at least a thousand or more people up and down the hill. Even folks on the roof of their home, call it spotting craziness! The shuttle finally landed on runway 25R ending her journey.
Mark, how far did she roll out? In front of the hill or past it? And then, did it move on somewhere at the very far end or back towards the Museum/Cargo area.. ?
Great pics you sent me BTW :-)
Manny Gonzalez
Thrust Images | General Photography | R.I.P. Matt Molnar 1979-2013
BRING BACK THE KJFK/KLGA OBSERVATION DECKS
Just got back to the hotel room. A long day in the field; Kevin and I went down to the Proud Bird area at 0730. Got a prime location and watched the madness build around us. Got the usual LAX traffic while waiting. Got the some decent shots, but a few light poles jumped into my shots.
Spent the rest of the around LAX and hanging with other spotters from OKC, Phoenix, Preswick Scotland and the locals.
Ended up at Imperial Hill for a couple night shots. No tripod with me, but a gorrila pod onto the fence may yield something.
It has been a great trip so far, and we still have 1/2 a day left!
Jeremy in Minnesota
My pictures on jp.net
Manny .... As soon as she made her second low pass at LAX I hustled back to my car. She landed on 25R and my understanding was she was not going to be by the museum but rolled out to the end of the runway by the United hanger. There is where they staged all the dignitaries as well as the cranes, which were already assembled.
For the record what was the exact time of touchdown at LAX? Wish I was there however I get panic attacks when I see large crowds. Nice to see the enthusiasm out West for the Endeavour. I had predicted the wrong runway arrival. I figured she would arrive on the north side closer to the UAL Hangar; on 1 of the 24's. I even thought they would go for the widest runway (200')25L, but she arrived on the longest runway. Very interesting. The landing made NBC Nightly News as well as the controversy regarding the removal of hundreds of trees to widen the pathway. Looking at a map, I thought they would use a freeway but evidently they will go through residential areas. Imagine seeing a Shuttle pass by your house next month!
I don't have an exact touchdown time but it was near 1pm. Went to the field early this morning and the Endeavour was already removed off the SCA. Virtually impossible to get a clean shot of her. Looking back I think I probably would have gotten better images from Burger King since everyone flocked to Imperial Hill.
I agree. I can't see any Shuttles being flown in the air anytime soon. Even if the Intrepid builds their new pavilion across 12th Ave., it would most certainly get moved by tractor-trailer across the avenue. So now it's over, all the Orbiters have been flown-out and delivered; reminds me how I felt after Concordes retired and after the final flight. The saddest part is we have no passenger SST nor any Orbiter on the horizon. Sad for the U.S.
Jeremy in Minnesota
My pictures on jp.net
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