Got the Blues?

Lowflynjack

Lowflynjack

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Jack Fleetwood
So I didn't have the right lens for ground-to-air photos at OSH, and was exhausted by the time the Blue Angels were performing. So the boss gave me some time off and told me to just enjoy the show. Of course I still took some photos!

For those of you who haven't heard the story... I was taking photos of the Angels flying over from show center. I had my camera up to my eye and then took it down to find a guy standing right in my face. He said he wanted a departure briefing. I pointed to where the briefing area was. He laughed and said, "But you are a briefer, you're wearing an orange shirt." I told him I just happened to wear an orange shirt that day, but I also had on my yellow EAA Photography vest and I was a photographer. He insisted that because I had on an orange shirt that I was a briefer and I needed to help him. I laughed and told him I figured I would know if I was a briefer. Then he decided to step toward me. Thanks to a Deputy Sheriff that was nearby, he was quickly taken down and removed. Nothing to do with the photos, but I love a good story!

Be sure to ask me for a briefing if you see me at OSH this year!

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Awesome pictures!!!!
Is the third picture a new airplane design for the pilot that doesn't know which side is the right side up? :)
 
ktup-flyer said:
You didnt get the collision did you?
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We were notified that something happened on the ground, but I thought it was one of them going off the taxiway, but I'm not certain. It only affected one of their practices.

I've got a few photos of Number 1 staring that I'll have to find. I think I was a little too close for his comfort when they were getting ready to take off. I was close enough to feel the heat coming off of his plane!
 
Lowflynjack said:
We were notified that something happened on the ground, but I thought it was one of them going off the taxiway, but I'm not certain. It only affected one of their practices.

I've got a few photos of Number 1 staring that I'll have to find. I think I was a little too close for his comfort when they were getting ready to take off. I was close enough to feel the heat coming off of his plane!
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I didn't see it, but the rumor going around was two of them bumped wingtips going out to practice.
 
Great pics, Jack! Just saw the other day they were going to be at the HOT Airshow in Waco in April...hope to make it there! Glad to hear that the Deputy gave the guy the "departure breifing" he was desperately searching for! :D
 
Wow some of the best shots I've ever seen of the Blues, or T-Birds. Speaking of the T-Birds, I expect equal treatment for the 'Birds Jack. Go AIr Force!
 
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Lowflynjack said:
So I didn't have the right lens for ground-to-air photos at OSH, and was exhausted by the time the Blue Angels were performing. So the boss gave me some time off and told me to just enjoy the show. Of course I still took some photos!
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Wow! Freakishly amazing!

He insisted that because I had on an orange shirt that I was a briefer and I needed to help him.
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"Fine. VFR not recommended. Have a good day!"
 
asicer said:
"Fine. VFR not recommended. Have a good day!"
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LOL LOL LOL.

Maybe better...

“Your briefing is, I suggest you don’t fly until your eyesight gets better or you get checked for heatstroke, since you can’t seem to read my vest or comprehend it. I’m not sure which.” :) :) :)
 
Great photos, Jack, as always! Despite growing up on a track to the Air Force (which I ultimate got out of), I always enjoyed the Blue Angels' show more.

At the beginning of the show season last year I noticed that the two-seat jet was moving around the formation from show to show, and there were a couple of shows with 2 two-seaters. I wondered aloud on Beechtalk if the Blues were running out of jets. It turns out that they are, and it can be tough to have 6 planes ready to go for any given show without anything else happening. I wonder if that collision is why the #2 pilot is flying the two-seat model

A former maintainer posted that they also have a set of number stickers ready to apply to the #7 jet to fill a position if they need to. They also swap jets mid-show sometimes.
 
Jack,

Amazing pictures! I agree - I'd love to see what you can do with the right lens - I don't see how it could get much better.

Thank you for sharing!

Dean
 
codeeno said:
Jack,

Amazing pictures! I agree - I'd love to see what you can do with the right lens - I don't see how it could get much better.

Thank you for sharing!

Dean
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Thanks. The photos I can't get are the ones where they fly straight up, halfway to the moon, and start back down! I'll spend another small fortune very soon and hope to get a new style of photo for me.
 
Dave Theisen said:
Damn. I'd love to see what you could do with the right lens! :)
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:yeahthat:

I was thinking about rushing out to buy the "wrong lens" for my camera; see if that would make any improvement. :nonod:

These are some of the best stills I've seen of the Blues!
 
Lowflynjack said:
Thanks! I'm about to buy it. Just need a little more reach for the airshow stuff.
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What are you thinking would be an ideal lens air show shots? I have been thinking that I would add a Sigma 150-600 for those shots for my next trip to Oshkosh.
 
skier said:
What are you thinking would be an ideal lens air show shots? I have been thinking that I would add a Sigma 150-600 for those shots for my next trip to Oshkosh.
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That's exactly what I'm buying. Recommended by a famous airshow photographer.
 
Very nice photos!

Just watched one of their practices 25 minutes ago. It’s shaping up to be a good season!
 
Nice pictures,can’t imagine how much better they could be ,with the right lens.
 
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