T-34 “Mentor” Fly In
We had fifteen T-34 “Mentor” military trainers at the Palm Springs Air Museum for a few days of meet up and flying excitement. This was very fun!
Ale Plane
I have been busy over the last few days. Here is the “Ale Plane” visiting at the Palm Springs Air Museum for the Hop Growers Of America Convention. A jet just like this one was in the James Bond movie “Octopussy“! And the serial number on this one is “007”! Top speed is 320mph, empty it weighs 435 lbs. Sponsored by Virgil Gamache Farms. Let’s raise a beer to that!
Number 1 !
I must say that I am very proud and honored to be a part of the Palm Springs Air Museum. Not only do I do their photography and video, I also manage their Social Media and special projects. Occasionally I have been known to polish an airplane too! It’s all fun! Thanks!
Thank You Mercury News Newspaper for selecting us as their top pick of the five California museums that “belong on your must-see list”!
That along with CNN selecting us as one of the top aviation museums in the Entire World (not just the USA!) is pretty great! Thanks! Check it out at https://goo.gl/Ddv1uD
The Very First!
The very first of a new monthly feature in the “Palm Canyon Paradise” newspaper! Brought to you by the publisher of the long running “The Sun Runner” with a print edition circulation of over 50,000. The “Palm Canyon Paradise” will cover the Coachella Valley. The monthly feature written and photographed by me! Great Fun and Thanks!
Skyward!
I was at the Palm Springs Air Museum the other day and all the talk is the excitement of flying again for this season! This is a flying museum along with all kinds of great programs. You can watch historic aircraft take to the skies, sit in cockpits and see incredible one of a kind programs. Yes and you can fly too! Check it all out on the Palm Springs Air Museum website here at http://palmspringsairmuseum.org
And you will see me there with my favorite Hasselblad cameras. Hasselblad cameras were the choice for NASA taking into Space and to the Moon. So my first choice too!
F-102 Restoration
The restoration crew at the Palm Springs Air Museum are nothing short of magicians. This F-102 “Delta Dagger” sat in a forest for 40 years. This entire rear section has been re-created from jigs and templates that were 3-D printed from a survey of an intact F-102. Standing next to it up close made me think two things… First, now it almost looks like it just rolled off the assembly line. Second, it is a much bigger aircraft than I had realized. Especially having seen it on a truck when it first arrived at the Museum some time back.
The Convair F-102 “Delta Dagger” was the Interceptor that served as the backbone of the United States Air Force. It entered service in 1956 and 1,000 were built, designed to intercept invading Soviet strategic bomber fleets during the Cold War. In various versions, it had a top speed of Mach 1.22 and a service ceiling of 56,000 ft. The F-102 served in Vietnam, flying fighter patrols and serving as bomber escorts, finally retiring from USAF service in 1976. There are no flying F-102s in existence today.
By the way, The first operational service of the F-102A was with the 327th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron at George Air Force Base, near Victorville, right here in Southern California in April 1956. I am looking forward to seeing the completion of this F-102 and it making it’s permanent home not far from it’s beginnings. Very exciting!
Before Photo Courtesy of the Palm Springs Air Museum
Here We Go!
Coming up to that time of year when all of the activities at the Palm Springs Air Museum really get going. Flight demonstrations, special presentations and programs, chili cook-offs, car shows and so much more fun! And even when there is not something specifically scheduled, you never know what you might see.
This day we sure did know what to expect. A Navy EA-6B Prowler coming in from a carrier in the Persian Gulf to retire at the Museum. What a sight to see that was! Wow! You can check out that amazing aircraft today at it’s permanent home. Come take a look! You will often find me there with my cameras!
Dilemma
Start with an extraordinary, beautiful and fun model, Gabriella Muttone, take her to the Palm Springs Air Museum for a photoshoot with restored WWII fighter planes and what do you get? The dilemma of trying to pick the best shots from so many great photographs of her! Gabriella knows what that is like as well, because she herself is also an amazing photographer!
Gabriella
When I saw this gorgeous woman at the Palm Springs Photo Festival late night event party there was no question in my mind that she was a professional model. The way she carried herself, her presence, dress and makeup and hair, tall and slender. When we did meet and she told me her name was Gabriella, I thought how perfect is that. Such a romantic name that takes one away to beautiful places in Europe that so very much fits her. Then much to my surprise, I find that she is an extraordinary photographer herself. I am wondering now if I should hang out with more photographers. Just kidding, they mostly all just look like me. But that is how I came to be graced with Gabriella Muttone in front of my camera.
Gabriella Muttone in our photo shoot at the Palm Springs Air Museum. Photographed by Ian L. Sitren. Hasselblad digital camera equipment and Broncolor lighting. Only the best.
Fashion Model Flight Demo
During our photo shoot at the Palm Springs Air Museum, Gabriella Muttone did her best to do a flight demonstration. Limited by lack of flight clearance from the tower, she never the less looked really great in her liftoff.
I must tell you about Gabriella. Stunningly beautiful, a professional model who has worked around the world, been the face of Avon, and has graced such brands as American Express, Sony, CocaCola, Diet 7-UP, WonderBra, Sears, Faberge and Appolinaris. Gabriella is represented by the prestigious Spot 6 Management in Toronto, one of the most sought after modeling agencies in Canada.
There is yet more! Gabriella herself is a superb photographer. Incredibly talented and creative, you must check out her work at GabriellaMuttone.com. I truly admire what she does behind the camera!
How flattered am I to have this accomplished professional model and an extraordinary photographer stand in front of my camera. I would otherwise be without words but I had to say Thank You Gabriella Muttone. You are just wonderful!
I must also say that I am so happy I use the best gear possible, Hasselblad digital camera equipment and Broncolor lighting. Anything less would have been just that. Thanks!
So Much Fun With Gabriella
Sharing a laugh with an incredibly beautiful, gorgeous, talented and fun Gabriella Muttone. Behind the scenes in our photo shoot at the Palm Springs Air Museum. Made all the better with my Hasselblad camera and Broncolor lighting. Thank You Gabriella! You are wonderful!
Reserved Parking At Edwards AFB
Reserved parking for McDonnell Douglas YC-15 Advanced Medium STOL Transports with Short Take Off and Landing ability only. All others please use the parking lot around back. At Edwards Air Force Base on Friday. A most amazing tour of an incredibly exciting and historical facility.
Palm Springs Featured
Fun to see one of my photos at the Palm Springs Air Museum featured for one of the Palm Springs Facebook Groups! Thanks!
The Tread Mark On My Hat
Pilot Tom Nightingale almost left a tire tread mark on my hat as he did a low flyover at the Palm Springs Air Museum yesterday. What a great airplane too, wow! A 1943 North American SNJ-4 Texan Navy trainer. Also designated the T-6 Texan it is an airplane often seen in movies portraying the Japanese Zero. Get yourself out to the Palm Springs Air Museum, one of the best in the entire USA!
On The Tarmac
There was a big event the other night at the Palm Springs Air Museum. So many of the planes that are usually in the hangars got moved outside. I thought it might be a good time to go by and shoot some photos of these great historic aircraft in the bright sunlight.
Tuskegee Airmen Heroes Of WWII
Off in the distance you see them, a P-40 Warhawk and a P-51 Mustang closing fast. No, not an old photo I found, but this last Saturday in the sky at the Palm Springs Air Museum.
P-40 Warhawk and P-51 Mustang
A celebration of the Tuskegee Airmen of World War II and the 96th birthday of Lt. Col. Bob Friend, the oldest living Tuskegee pilot, having flown 140 combat missions over Europe. This is the Colonel sharing his times with some of the many visitors to the Air Museum. Tom Nightingale, the pilot flying the P-40 and often flying partner with the Colonel says that he remembers names and times and places of almost every photo that people can bring up to him. And that the Colonel can go hours on end, over and over talking to people, doing photographs and signing autographs.
Tuskegee Airman Lt. Col. Bob Friend on his 96th birthday
The P-51 here is an airplane that has been restored in commemoration to the Colonel’s P-51, nicknamed “Bunny”, that he flew over Europe during the war. But this Saturday “Bunny” had another very special guest, Tuskegee Airman Rusty Burns! At 90 years old I can personally say this man got in and out of that airplane like a 25 year old. Even after a number of high speed passes down the runway, he was all smiles as he left the airplane off the front of the wing, not the closer to the ground back of the wing. Just like he said he always did!
Tuskegee Airman Rusty Burns getting ready to fly in the P-51 “Bunny”
Thunderbolt Tomorrow!
Check out this P-47 Thunderbolt flying tomorrow at the Palm Springs Air Museum! 2300HP, a top speed of 433mph and a service ceiling of 40,000 ft. You have to go see this airplane! Do you think the person in the back seat got photos as detailed as my photo of them taking photos?
P-47 Thunderbolt over the Palm Springs Air Museum
Another T-34 For Now
So much fun and so many great photos yesterday at the Palm Springs Air Museum watching the T-34’s fly! So here is one more for now!
Lots Of T-34’s
Beechcraft T-34 “Mentor” military training aircraft at the Palm Springs Air Museum.
T-34 formation flying over the Palm Springs Air Museum
Lots Of Flying
Plenty of excitement at the Palm Springs Air Museum on Saturday. A flight demonstration with the Museum’s 1944 World War II C-47 Skytrain cargo plane. Along with people doing Biplane rides in this U.S. Army Stearman. The C-47 did passes about as low as possible without having to lower the landing gear and driving down the runway. You could get a ride in the C-47 too! What great fun and a living history lesson everyday!
1944 United States Army Air Force C-47 Skytrain Cargo Aircraft
Takeoff in a U.S. Army Biplane out of the Palm Springs Air Museum
The C-47 “What’s Up Doc?” does a low flyby with a U.S. Army Stearman on the ground out of the Palm Springs Air Museum
Voyage To Vietnam
Imagine laying in your bunk, not much to do, mind wandering, thinking about what is ahead of you, the unknown and the fear. On board your troopship, you just draw on the bottom of the bunk just inches above you. “Marking Time: Voyage To Vietnam” an exhibit at the Palm Springs Air Museum. Just one of the reasons to get over there today. Including the exhibit “Salute To WWII Flying Tigers in China” and a presentation “France 1940: The Invasion That Shook The World” followed by a flight demonstration with the Museum’s C-47. Be there, I will!
Man ‘O’ War P-51 Mustang
Man ‘O’ War at the Palm Springs Air Museum. A P-51D Mustang WWII fighter plane. Courtesy of the Southern California Wing of the Commemorative Air Force. Truly amazing and exciting to see legendary airplanes like this flying close up.
The Palm Springs Air Museum Gala
“The Palm Spings Air Museum Gala is coming. 2/12/16 we are honoring 8 Green Berets that held off a reinforced NVA regiment (2,000+ men) at the Battle of Ton Le Chong (8/67). Ken MIles revcieved his Silver Star for the action for airstrikes that saved the 8 Special Operations troops. We have reunited the “Mike A” team from all those years ago. I have attached the video promoting the event. Don’t miss this once in a lifetime opportunity to honor these troops.” – Fred Bell, Palm Springs Air Museum Managing Director
Join me for this once in a lifetime opportunity, I will be there. Thank You! More info and tickets at http://palmspringsairmuseum.org/gala/
High Speed Bearcat
A Grumman F8F-2 Bearcat coming down the runway at the Palm Springs Air Museum at somewhere around 275-300 mph. The last Bearcat was delivered in 1949 and is a 2100hp 425 mph beast of an airplane. An interesting fact is the outer 3 ft of wing was designed to break off under high stress saving the aircraft from catastrophic failure. You have to go visit the Palm Springs Air Museum! So very interesting and so very fun!
Photographed with FujiFilm X-Series cameras and lenses.
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