Posted by Brian Jackson on March 15, 2010 at 5:33 PM
A little off topic, but these guys are just amazing to watch. I went down to Vegas a couple weeks ago to shoot Red Flag and just get a little warmer for a week or so. Red Flag is advanced aerial combat training exercise hosted at Nellis Air Force Base. For you movie watchers it's kind of like TopGun. I have base access so I have great access to get some good shots. Don't know if there are any Air Force Veterans, but if so thank you for your service, and hope you enjoy.
Posted by Brian Jackson on March 15, 2010 at 5:33 PM
F22 Raptor
Posted by Brian Jackson on March 15, 2010 at 5:33 PM
Thunderbirds
Posted by Brian Jackson on March 15, 2010 at 5:34 PM
F16
Posted by Brian Jackson on March 15, 2010 at 5:35 PM
This guy seemed to go from about 100 feet to outer space in a few seconds flat. Pretty much 90 degrees straight up. Way cool!
Posted by Laurie Wendt on March 15, 2010 at 5:45 PM
Brian, These are wonderful! Love the moon in the 1st one. I'd really be interested in your camera settings for these shots? May I ask how you got access to the base? I've wanted to make the trip to Vegas to see the Thunderbirds during the open house at Nellis in November for a long time.
Posted by Todd Caudle on March 15, 2010 at 6:00 PM
USA! USA! USA! USA! USA!
These are fantastic, Brian! Especially that first one with the moon, and the last one with the contrails. I love anything that goes fast enough to create vapor trails. I've seen some in-car stuff of Indy cars creating them off the back wing. Cool, cool stuff! Boy, that Raptor is one bad-a$$ machine. And the desert paint scheme on that F16! That's what guygasms are made of!
I remember coming into Vegas along I-15 one time, just as the Thunderbirds were taking off in formation. And as many of you know, they lift off and then go vertical instantly. Quite the unexpected treat to be driving by their home base just at the right time.
Posted by Adam Schallau on March 15, 2010 at 6:15 PM
Really nice work, Brian.
As a former aviator, I do have one little nit pick and a question: There should be a "-" in the aircraft model number, for example, F16 should be F-16.
[geek on] I'm curious if you have cloned-out the landing gear or if they are hidden by other parts of the jet in your F-16 shots. The reason I ask is that you can see that the gear doors are open and the flaps are in a landing configuration.[/geek off]
Again, really nice work and I'm jealous that you have base access.
Posted by Brian Jackson on March 15, 2010 at 6:50 PM
Adam - Great catch. The Thunderbird and brown F-16, I did clone out the front wheel. The back wheels are covered by the wing. It looks kind of weird only seeing the front wheel. I can understand the nit pick of the "-" as I follow the Air Force quite closely.
Todd - Thanks for the comments and the Thunderbirds are really cool to watch. I got permission to go out on the F-22 Raptor Flight Deck and watch as the Thunderbirds were practicing. Unreal!
Laurie - I leave my EXIF data on almost all my shots so you can look for yourself if you are interested on the camera settings. I work for the Dept of Defense as a contractor so I have access to all military bases.
But Nellis actually has some really good civilian locations right outside the Speedway. I spent about half my time outside the base in that area as it's a great place to watch as well.
Posted by Bob Falcone on March 15, 2010 at 7:23 PM
They're all great shots, Brian!
My second tour of duty in the USAF was as a firefighter at an alert F-16 base on the east coast. They were always a blast to watch from our fire station which was a short distance from the runway.
Their complexity makes them prone to all sorts of in-flight emergencies, so I spent a fair amount of time crawling under and around them. My only regret was never having had the chance to go for a ride!
These are some of the best military jet photos I've seen yet. All are just awesome. My sister and her husband were both career Marines. He was a mechanic who worked on F-4's, F-18's and Hawker Harrier's. As a young boy I got to sit in the cockpit of an F-18 that was parked in a hangar while the mechanics worked on it. Sitting in that seat (which was much higher off the ground than they look in photos) was quite a high.
Adam: I had no clue you were an aviator. Military?
Posted by Darren Huski on March 15, 2010 at 8:15 PM
Fantastic images!!!
#1 with the moon and the desert paint scheme one are primo. The first F-22 is nice too
All of those planes are built right here in Cowtown, so I feel like I am watching a local in action.
Thumbs up!
Posted by Adam Schallau on March 15, 2010 at 8:28 PM
Bret,
As a kid and young adult I desired nothing more than to pursue a career in military service, but an accident when I was very young kept me from doing so.
For nearly 14 years I was in a volunteer search and rescue organization that was closely associated with the U.S. Air Force. My operational duty assignments included flying, where I was responsible for navigation, radio operation and coordination with ground units. I was also a qualified ground team leader. In addition to my operational qualifications, I also served as a unit Safety Officer, Training Officer, and for 4 years, I was a unit commander.
It was a lot of fun and I really miss it, but I no longer have the time or resources to do the job well. Flying is not something that you can safely accomplish in a half-@$$ed manner, you have to dedicate yourself to it.
Posted by Adam Schallau on March 15, 2010 at 8:32 PM
Brian,
I think you could also clone out the right main landing gear door on the Thunderbirds Viper. I've always loved the upside-down #5 on the intake.
Posted by Kalin Wilson on March 15, 2010 at 8:44 PM
Great shots, Brian! I love watching the Raptors down there. I went to Nellis and some of the Nevada operating areas for several exercises towards the end of my career. I'm partial to Navy aircraft being a carrier aviator, but I've always loved the look and lines of the F-16. I haven't seen one of the Raptor flight demonstrations yet but I bet it's awesome.
The shot with the moon is great!
Thanks for sharing!
Posted by Todd Caudle on March 15, 2010 at 9:44 PM
I always wondered whether a hyphen was needed. Now I know. Thanks Adam!
Posted by Dan Walters on March 15, 2010 at 10:15 PM
Amazing images! Love the details in the jets.
Posted by John Mumaw on March 15, 2010 at 10:49 PM
These are simply outstanding, especially #1!
Seeing those pilots so close up is thrilling!
Posted by Roger Rouch on March 15, 2010 at 10:58 PM
Great photos. Whenever I see these guys on a fly-by I say a little expression of thanks that they are on our side. The first one is especially good!
Just awesome images! When I work at Buckley and the boys take off for their daily patrols, I have to go outside and watch them go. Would love to be able to feel that power.++++++++++++++++++
Posted by John Klotz on March 16, 2010 at 12:15 AM
These are just AWESOME! My bro rode back-set in an F4 during Viet Nam from the Independence. Proud of all our fly-guys and gals!
Posted by Brian Jackson on March 16, 2010 at 10:58 AM
Thanks for all the great comments. As others have said it's a pretty proud feeling being in their presence.
Posted by Don George on March 16, 2010 at 11:52 AM
A different twist for my blood shot eyes! Brings back many memories. Go Air Force!
Nice set of images Brian thanks for sharing them.
Posted by Jack Brauer on March 16, 2010 at 11:54 PM
Awesome! I saw an F-16 (I think... I could be wrong) roar overhead one time when I was backpacking at Twilight Lake in the West Needle Mountains in the San Juans. The guy came out of the Animas River gorge and was banking a hard 180 right above the trees. Came out of nowhere and practically blew our eardrums out! Needless to say it was really cool.
Very cool shots, would love to ride in one! My next door neighbor got a chance to fly a 2-seat fighter jet for his birthday via a commerical outfit in southern CA that rents time in jets. He said it was the thrill of a lifetime. He actually had the controls for a half hour.
I was driving east on US 50 between Cotapaxi and Canon City when 2 fighter jets, fully banked in a hard turn, crossed in front of me. They were below the level of the canyon, and the sighting only lasted about 2 seconds as they disappeared up a side canyon. I had to pick my jaw up off the floor mats!!!!
Discussion
25 repliesThese are fantastic, Brian! Especially that first one with the moon, and the last one with the contrails. I love anything that goes fast enough to create vapor trails. I've seen some in-car stuff of Indy cars creating them off the back wing. Cool, cool stuff! Boy, that Raptor is one bad-a$$ machine. And the desert paint scheme on that F16! That's what guygasms are made of!
I remember coming into Vegas along I-15 one time, just as the Thunderbirds were taking off in formation. And as many of you know, they lift off and then go vertical instantly. Quite the unexpected treat to be driving by their home base just at the right time.
As a former aviator, I do have one little nit pick and a question: There should be a "-" in the aircraft model number, for example, F16 should be F-16.
[geek on] I'm curious if you have cloned-out the landing gear or if they are hidden by other parts of the jet in your F-16 shots. The reason I ask is that you can see that the gear doors are open and the flaps are in a landing configuration.[/geek off]
Again, really nice work and I'm jealous that you have base access.
Todd - Thanks for the comments and the Thunderbirds are really cool to watch. I got permission to go out on the F-22 Raptor Flight Deck and watch as the Thunderbirds were practicing. Unreal!
Laurie - I leave my EXIF data on almost all my shots so you can look for yourself if you are interested on the camera settings. I work for the Dept of Defense as a contractor so I have access to all military bases.
But Nellis actually has some really good civilian locations right outside the Speedway. I spent about half my time outside the base in that area as it's a great place to watch as well.
My second tour of duty in the USAF was as a firefighter at an alert F-16 base on the east coast. They were always a blast to watch from our fire station which was a short distance from the runway.
Their complexity makes them prone to all sorts of in-flight emergencies, so I spent a fair amount of time crawling under and around them. My only regret was never having had the chance to go for a ride!
Adam: I had no clue you were an aviator. Military?
#1 with the moon and the desert paint scheme one are primo. The first F-22 is nice too
All of those planes are built right here in Cowtown, so I feel like I am watching a local in action.
Thumbs up!
As a kid and young adult I desired nothing more than to pursue a career in military service, but an accident when I was very young kept me from doing so.
For nearly 14 years I was in a volunteer search and rescue organization that was closely associated with the U.S. Air Force. My operational duty assignments included flying, where I was responsible for navigation, radio operation and coordination with ground units. I was also a qualified ground team leader. In addition to my operational qualifications, I also served as a unit Safety Officer, Training Officer, and for 4 years, I was a unit commander.
It was a lot of fun and I really miss it, but I no longer have the time or resources to do the job well. Flying is not something that you can safely accomplish in a half-@$$ed manner, you have to dedicate yourself to it.
I think you could also clone out the right main landing gear door on the Thunderbirds Viper. I've always loved the upside-down #5 on the intake.
The shot with the moon is great!
Thanks for sharing!
Seeing those pilots so close up is thrilling!
Nice set of images Brian thanks for sharing them.
I was driving east on US 50 between Cotapaxi and Canon City when 2 fighter jets, fully banked in a hard turn, crossed in front of me. They were below the level of the canyon, and the sighting only lasted about 2 seconds as they disappeared up a side canyon. I had to pick my jaw up off the floor mats!!!!