May 2010
Manchester Airport
A couple of hours of shots taken from the popular Aircraft Viewing Area including the recently acquired Nimrod MR2
Images here
RAF Brize Norton
A hot sunny day, but pretty low on activity with only a Tristar being active
Images here
Birmingham International Airport
A few shots taken from Birmingham Airport throughout May - this was my first attempt at shooting in RAW
Images here
A Tour Around Lincolnshire
Including stop offs at RAF Coningsby, RAF Waddington, RAF Cranwell and Metheringham Museum
Images here
Abingdon Air And Country Show
A few shots taken at the Air and Country show which had more of an international flavour this year with
a stunning performance from the RNLAF F-16 Display Team.
Images here
April 2010
Birmingham International Airport
A selection of shots taken on various days throughout April
Images here
March 2010
Practice Hawk Display
On Monday 15th March, Flt Lt Tom Saunders was cleared to begin his practice displays at 500ft. I was lucky
enough to catch some fairly early displays
Images here
RAF Valley
Two days at RAF Valley. The Reds were due to display on the Wednesday, but poor visibility and high
winds forced them to cancel.
Images here
Project Curium - "Wiltshire's Role in the Afghan Conflict" - MOD Boscombe Down
The past few months have seen the skies over Wiltshire filled with two strange, foreign machines which are
shortly due to depart our shores. Steve Smith reports for AeroResource…
Images here
Full Report on AeroResource here
February 2010
RAF Museum Cosford and No.8 AEF, University of Birmingham AS, Cosford
It was cold and wet and judging by how busy Brize had been lately, I opted for somewhere indoors. As I left the
new Tutors assigned here were towed out onto the ramp so I stayed another couple of hours to catch
their activity.
Images here
216 Squadron Visit - RAF Brize Norton
FighterControl.co.uk managed to pull off a visit to 216 Squadron as a prize for their Specialist Photo
Competition in November 2009. I was given one of the top 10 runners up prizes and booked myself in for the
visit. The fact I organised the competition had nothing to do with it....
Images here
January 2010
RAF Brize Norton and Lyneham
I started this Sunday at Brize Norton, but two movements in five hours meant I ended the day at Lyneham
and was lucky enough to catch two movements in ten minutes in the Sunset.
Images here
Birmingham International Airport
I was going to give Brize another go today, but given the late start and quiet Saturday, I opted for a
couple of hours at Birmingham Airport. Viewing is hard and the Sun was low, but I managed a few decent
shots in my two hours there.
Images here
RAF Brize Norton
First trip out of the year and clear blue skies were to be had. As could be expected at this time of year,
flying was not regular and the number of movements was limited
Images here
2009
RAF Brize Norton - 19 December 2009
More good light, as always with clear skies at this time of year and the RAF were a bit more accommodating
this week as well. All I seem to get at present is Tristars though!
Images here
RAF Brize Norton - 4 December 2009
My first visit for a while, and whilst blessed with great light for most of the day, the airbase was unusually
quiet
Images here
RAF Valley Base Visit - March 2009
A few re-edited photograph's from my base visit in March
Images here
MOD St Athan, RAF Fairford, RAF Brize Norton - October 2009
Various movements from a road trip on the way back from Pembrokeshire. VC-10 air-testing at Fairford, U-2
Dragon 51 leaving Fairford and a couple from Brize
Images here
RAF Pembrey Sands - 14 October 2009
I had never photographed at a bombing range before and found the range boundaries to be too far out
for a 300mm lens. However, I was invited into the control tower to view some of the action from the
best vantage point on the range
Images here
RAF Brize Norton - 4 October 2009
Not many RAF movements on this Sunday, but plenty of chartered flights from Air Italy, Antonov, Polet,
Asureus and ACT
Images here
Special Feature - 2009 Hawk Display Team Photoshoot
This photoshoot took place at the former RAF Abingdon, the day after Abingdon's season-opening
airshow, and features the two Hawker-Siddeley Hawk aircraft in the 2009 display scheme.
The aircraft are part of 208 Squadron and fly out of RAF Valley.
Images here
Southport Airshow - 27 September 2009
The last sea-side airshow of the season, and a fitting climax to my airshow season as well. The light was poor
for a lot of the afternoon, but plenty turned up to see this varied show
Images here
Duxford Airshow - 5/6 September 2009
Some photo's from Duxford headline airshow of the 2009 season.
Images here
RNAS Yeovilton - 1 September 2009
My first visit here and whilst photography was not overly easy, there were plenty of movements including
Navy Sea Kings, Navy and Army Lynxs and a couple of Navy Hawks.
Images here
RAF Brize Norton - 23 August 2009
Two AN-124s arrived together with a couple of C-17 arrivals and VC-10 movements, and of course, the Vulcan
departed and arrived after displaying at Bournemouth and Shoreham
Images here
RAF Lyneham - Families Day - 8 August 2009
The flying schedule was not the most exilarating for Lyneham's Families Day, but did include the Vulcan,
Team Viper, Chinook and King Air displays and the unforgettable Red Arrows
Images here
RAF Brize Norton - 25 July 2009
The Vulcan departs and returns home after a 3 hour sortie to display at Windermere and East Fortune
Images here
RAF Cranwell - 14 July 2009
The light was better at Cranwell than Coningsby, and activity was pretty good - Tutors, Dominies and King Airs
Images here
RAF Coningsby - 14 July 2009
Coningsby was as busy as usual this Tuesday with sorties from Typhoons, Tornados and Harriers as
well as a visiting Dominie from Cranwell.
Images here
RAF Brize Norton - 13 July 2009
Just a few more unusual angles from the local
Images here
RAF Valley - 10 July 2009
Well, it makes a change from Brize Norton...T2s ZK016 and ZK020 were out and about as was one of the
RAFs new Augusta 139s and the Reds were in town for a short stop before flying to Bristol for their
displays at Yeovilton.
Images here
RAF Brize Norton - 9 July 2009
Yet again I found myself here - this time on a weekday to sample a few more of the locals doing
their circuit bashing and general training exercises
Images here
RAF Brize Norton - 5 July 2009
A warm Sunday involving three Tristar movements, three VC10 movements and a C-17 returning
from the sandy place.
Images here
Cosford Airshow - 14 June 2009 - Now Online!
58,000 people made the decision to head to Cosford airshow, making this years show and un-rivalled
success! A varied program - BBMF, Typhoon, Chinook, Vulcan and loads more!
Images here
RAF Brize Norton - 30 May 2009 - Now Online!
Just a couple of shots from the local
Images here
RAF Valley - 26 May 2009 - Now Online!
I was lucky enough to still have my borrowed Nikon lens when we went to Valley. We managed to spend
all day Tuesday by the base, and the day included three runway changes! This was the first time I had
photographed Hawk T.2s which are slowly being brought in to replace the aging T.1 fleet.
Images here
RAF Brize Norton - 24 May 2009 - Now Online!
I was lucky enough to have free run with a Nikkor VR 80-400mm lens, so I made full use of it
at the local
Images here
Abingdon Airshow - 3/4 May 2009
Unfortunately, whilst the display was excellent, the conditions for photography were not great. I was
lucky enough to be invited back on the Monday following the show to take some static shots of the display
Hawks on the flightline. Many thanks to Neil and the rest of the Fighter Control team for arranging this.
Images here
RAF Brize Norton - 1 May 2009
Friday before the bank holiday, and one of the few days I have been at Brize when regular RAF weekday
operations were on-going. A visiting Puma, Chinook and the display Grob (in preparation for
the display on the Monday at Abingdon), along with some based locals were present.
Images here
RAF Chivenor - 1990s
From the collection of Andrew Smith
Images found here
RAF Mildenhall - 10 April 2009
A rare visit to Suffolk to the USAFE base at Mildenhall. It had been busy in the weeks before my visit,
but being Good Friday, trade was a little slow
Images found here
RAF Valley - 16 to 20 March 2009
Anglesey was our holiday destination for mid March, and we stayed within close proximity to RAF Valley.
Friday saw a Red Arrows practice display, and I got on base to see 208 Squadron up-close!
Images found here
RAF Cottesmore - 25 February 2009
My second trip in recent months, however fate was not on my side and the base was quiet. We had a few
Harrier sorties and a GR4 overshoot, but not a lot else
Images found here
