“Does This Plane Match My Outfit?”
Fashionably fit Sharon Lim deciding if the Boeing Navy Stearman matches her outfit or if she should keep shopping. Personally I think this is the one Sharon should take home with her. What do you think?
From our photo shoot at the Palm Springs Air Museum. Makeup and Hair Styling by Natalie Lyle. Thanks!
Flight In Palm Springs
The skies alive with flight. The 18th Anniversary of the Palm Springs Air Museum.
A Rolls In The Grass
They never let me park on the grass. A really beautiful vintage Rolls Royce at the Palm Springs Air Museum for the Classic Car Show and Chili Cook Off yesterday.
1956 Chevy Convertible
Is this just too great! A 1956 Chevy Convertible parked out front at the Palm Springs Air Museum for the Classic Car Show and Chili Cook Off yesterday.
AND CONTACT!
“GAS ON, SWITCH OFF, THROTTLE CLOSED, BRAKES SET AND CONTACT!” Get ready you are flying with Sharon Lim out of the Palm Springs Air Museum. Buckle up, she is taking all the turns and looking good! From our photo shoot with Makeup and Hair Styling by Natalie Lyle.
Pick You Plane For Your Photo Shoot
Thank You to so many of you for your notes and e-mails about shooting with me. I just want to be clear that we cannot just run over to the Palm Springs Air Museum with lights and cameras and wardrobe and a makeup artist, set up and start shooting photographs on the tarmac with a P-51 Mustang or the four engine bomber of your choice. This is well arranged ahead of time and there are costs involved. Sharon Lim and I had discussed this early on, and with some bumps in the road, I was able to make this happen. So I would love to shoot with you with that P-51 or maybe a helicopter but send me a note and we can chat about it. Thanks!
Rule #1
Rule #1 in my photo shoots is have fun. Rule #2 in my photo shoots is see Rule #1. And having fun with Sharon Lim at the Palm Springs Air Museum was what we did. Looking outstanding in that fit body hugging dress with our airplane du jour, a 1946 Boeing Stearman is just too perfect! Big Thanks to Natalie Lyle for our outstanding Makeup and Hair Styling.
Take Off With Us…
“Take off with us! Take off with us!”
“Up there where the clouds are pillowy…”
“What’s you’re answer, chum?
Are you gonna come on the coolest, hottest
Coolest, hottest, coolest, hottest trip that’s ever been?”
Sharon Lim and her Boeing Stearman adventure.
An Aviatrix Of Fitness
Let’s get those seat backs and tray tables up and your seat belts snug. Your pilot is Sharon Lim and it is going to be a bumpy ride! From Singapore to the NPC True Strength Games in Irving Texas, then to Palm Springs, we thought Sharon needed a different plane this time. A 1946 Boeing PT-17 A75N1 Stearman. U.S. Navy 555 at the Palm Springs Air Museum.
One Of Only Three Zero’s Still Flying In The World
One of only three World War II Japanese Zero’s still flying in the entire world. In the skies over the Palm Springs Airport courtesy of the Palm Springs Air Museum earlier today. This Zero, owned and operated by the Commemorative Air Force, was delivered to the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Group #3. It originally had an air cooled rotary engine producing 1,130 hp and a top speed of 388 mph at almost 20,000 feet. In today’s flight demonstration you could easily see it’s nimble and powerful maneuverability. I also have video which I will post here in the next day or two. Very Fun! Here is the video I shot of the Zero starting up and heading out to taxi. https://vimeo.com/93085158
The Only Dual Control P-51 Mustang
Another photograph from Wednesday at the Palm Springs Air Museum. The Collings Foundation P-51C Mustang, the only fully dual control version still flying. As well, there are fewer than five of the early B and C versions still flying. General Dwight Eisenhower rode in the back seat of one of these two seat versions over the beaches of Normandy to direct the D-Day Invasion of World War II.
The Only Flying B-24J In The World
The only restored flying B-24J in the world taking off from the Palm Springs Airport. Owned and operated by the Collings Foundation flying last weekend for the Palm Springs Air Museum, the Consolidated B-24 Liberator flew during World War II in the Pacific and Europe. I find it very exciting to point my camera at these tremendously fascinating and historic aircraft.
Supermarine Mk XIV Spitfire
A Supermarine Mk XIV Spitfire starting up and going out to do a fly by at the Palm Springs Air Museum yesterday. The British fighter made famous in the Battle Of Britain in World War II, this specific plane carries the paint scheme of the Indian Air Force. It’s supercharged engine at over 2000 horsepower drove it though the air at 450 miles per hour.
A Spitfire Mk XI in a flight on April 27, 1944 made the true airspeed of 606 mph in a dive. The propeller broke off, the pilot blacked out as the plane reached 11 g’s and when he regained consciousness he found himself at 40,000 feet with the wings swept back at an angle.
On February 5, 1952 another pilot flying out of Hong Kong took a Spitfire 19 to 51,550 feet. He ended up in an uncontrolled dive recovering below 3000 feet. Flight data showed he had reached 690 mph, Mach .96, which is the fastest flight ever recorded for a propeller driven aircraft.
Are You Ready To Climb In?
Are you ready to climb in? A United States Navy SNJ-5 training aircraft which first flew under the designation NA-16 in April 1st in 1935. Later it became more known as the AT-6 Texan. Interestingly 20 of the AT-6 Texans were flown by the Syrian Air Force against Israel in 1948. This Navy version yesterday at the Palm Springs Air Museum.
Bearcat Fast & Low!
From yesterday at the Palm Springs Air Museum, here is that Grumman F8F-2 Bearcat fast and low over the runway at the Palm Springs Airport.
Bearcat Waking Up!
A Grumman F8F-2 Bearcat starting up and taxis out from the Palm Springs Air Museum on March 29, 2014. The Bearcat was developed during World War II but did not see service until the French Indochina War (Vietnam 1946-1954). The Bearcat is flown in air racing. One named the “Rare Bear” set the 3 km World Speed Record for piston-driven aircraft (528.33 mph/850.26 km/h) in 1989, and a new time-to-climb record (3,000 m in 91.9 seconds (6,425.9 fpm), set in 1972. Fast, loud and powerful, watch this thing start up!
Mystery Military Jet
It came out of nowhere and did one more pass at high speed. I barely caught it with my camera. Leaving the Palm Springs Airport right after the T-28 flight demonstration yesterday. The Palm Springs Air Museum did not even know about the jet or it’s owner. It had been seen only once before after a previous event at the Air Museum. Do any of you know anything about it?
T-28 Leaving The Runway
Another look at the U.S. Navy T-28B leaving the runway for a flight demonstration. Yesterday at the Palm Springs Air Museum.
T-28
A U.S. Navy T-28B returning to the Palm Springs Air Museum after a flight demonstration yesterday. The T-28 saw service primarily as trainer starting in the 1950’s into the 1980’s. It is a very impressive aircraft to see, and hear, flying.
“What’s Up Doc?” C-47
“What’s Up Doc?” A Douglass C-47 Taxi’s into The Palm Springs Air Museum. Originally a 1944 United States Army Air Force Skytrain transport aircraft. This aircraft also saw service with the RAF, Belgian Air Force, the French Air Force and finally the Israeli Air Force before coming to the Palm Springs Air Museum.
The World’s Only FLYING WWII PB4Y Patrol Bomber
The World’s Only FLYING Privateer PB4Y Patrol Bomber (Navy variant of the B-24 Heavy Bomber) coming in to the Palm Springs Air Museum yesterday. I had to see it and take photos for sure!
P-51 Mustang Very Low and Very Fast!
The P-51 Mustang “Wee Willy II” at The Palm Springs Air Museum yesterday. He made four passes low and fast! Very low and very fast, and I also stood as tall as I could to shoot the photographs!
P-51 Mustang “Wee Willy II”
P-51 Mustang “Wee Willy II” Taxi Out At The Palm Springs Air Museum March 15 2014. A P-51D “Wee Willy II” was originally sold as surplus at McClellan Air Force Base in 1958. It crashed in 1979 at the Reno Air Races and has since been restored and has it’s home base in Chino California.
My Morning So Far…
My morning so far…. Coffee outside by the pool, throwing the ball for the dogs, making some notes in my journal, reading the latest issue of Vanity Fair and taking photographs of the P-51 Mustang overhead going in to the Palm Springs Air Museum.
SecondFocus Blog 