Salton Sea Not A Painting
Not “photoshop” either. From yesterday on another photo excursion and location scouting. The Salton Sea is ever fascinating.
Posing Movement Fun
Amber Flowers was so great in front of the camera that I had to share a little of how wonderful she moves. Especially in this grunge elegant wardrobe creation. So very fun! Click on the video below. Lighting was continuous light from a Broncolor Move 1200L and Para 133. Video shot on a Fuji X-T1 camera system.
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.
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.
Lots Of Cars!
Some of the over 600 antique, classic, sports and special interest cars on Saturday. At the McCormick’s Palm Springs Collector Car Auction. Very Fun!
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”
Presidential Uber
President Obama in a motorcade of Chevrolet Suburbans about to drive past me in Palm Springs this morning. Funny thing is that here in Palm Springs the “Uber Black” choice of vehicles seems to be mostly the Chevrolet Suburban. Maybe he could have just gone Uber.
President Obama in a motorcade of Chevrolet Suburbans
Air Force One Is Here
President Obama arriving on board Air Force One this morning at 11:30 here in Palm Springs on a very warm, bright sunny, blue sky day! Very Fun!
President Obama arriving on board Air Force One in Palm Springs
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 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
Operation Santa Claus
Yesterday Santa arrived at the Palm Springs Air Museum and even brought Mrs. Claus along to meet all the kids. Actually “Operation Santa Claus” started during the Berlin Airlift in 1948. The Soviet Union had blocked access to Western Sectors of Berlin cutting off food and supplies to the population. The Western Allies began an airlift of supplies with over 200,000 flights in just one year alone.
Then on December 20, 1948 “Operation Santa Claus” flew Christmas gifts to 10,000 Berlin children. The C-47 aircraft like this one was one of the primary aircraft used to bring supplies to the people of Berlin. The Palm Springs Air Museum is very proud to continue this tradition of bringing Santa Claus to the kids, traveling on an original C-47 aircraft.
Santa waving to the crowd arriving at the Palm Springs Air Museum
Santa arriving at the Palm Springs Air Museum
Santa and Mrs. Claus arriving at the Palm Springs Air Museum
That moment when you have to decide what Santa should bring you.
It really is snow at the Palm Springs Air Museum.
Pearl Harbor Commemorative Fly By
Attack on Pearl Harbor Commemorative Fly By of a Japanese Zero Fighter and VAL Dive Bomber at the Palm Springs Air Museum 2015. Zero Pilot Robert “Lips” Hertberg and VAL Pilot Tom Nightingale.
Video photographed on FujiFilm X-Series Cameras and Lenses
One of only three World War II Japanese Zero’s still flying in the entire world. 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 the flight demonstration you could easily see it’s nimble and powerful maneuverability.
The Aichi D3A Dive Bomber, nicknamed “Val”, was the aircraft carrier borne airplane that flew in almost all actions, including Pearl Harbor to the end of World War II. It was responsible for sinking more Allied warships than any other aircraft. This replica flying out of the Palm Springs Air Museum was flown in both the movies “Tora! Tora! Tora!” and “Pearl Harbor”.
The Dive Bomber Of Pearl Harbor
Yesterday at the Pearl Harbor Commemoration at the Palm Springs Air Museum. Flown by Pilot Tom Nightingale. This Japanese VAL Dive Bomber remains on display for December at the Museum, so I urge you to get over there and take a look. It is truly something to see.
The Aichi D3A Dive Bomber, nicknamed “Val”, was the aircraft carrier borne airplane that flew in almost all actions, including Pearl Harbor to the end of World War II. It was responsible for sinking more Allied warships than any other aircraft. This replica flying out of the Palm Springs Air Museum was flown in both the movies “Tora! Tora! Tora!” and “Pearl Harbor”.
Photographed with FujiFilm X series camera and lens
Much Goings On
Always so much going on inside and outside the Palm Springs Air Museum. My favorite place to bring my cameras. Check it out!
Photographed with a FujiFilm XT-1 camera and the FujiFilm 50-140 lens. What a great lightweight versatile camera system!
Some Navy Training
Not only yesterday but pretty much everyday you can go take a ride in this PT-17 Stearman Navy trainer at the Palm Springs Air Museum. There were over 10,000 built in the 1930’s and 1940’s. If you learned how to fly in the military this was your classroom.
Photographed with a FujiFilm XT-1 camera and the FujiFilm 50-140 lens. What a great lightweight versatile camera system!
Fun In The Skies!
Yesterday at the Palm Springs Air Museum as their C-47 “What’s Up Doc” does a fly by. Always fun there, you could watch from the ground or even have grabbed a ride headed down to the Salton Sea and back. Bring your camera too and check out the goings on, pretty much everyday, on their website at http://palmspringsairmuseum.org
Photographed with a FujiFilm XT-1 camera and the FujiFilm 50-140 lens. What a great lightweight versatile camera system!
SecondFocus Blog 