Category Archives: military

Storch Delivery

Leave a Reply

The Fiesler Storch was a most unusual aircraft.  It was used for utility purposes and was able to drop in to the smallest of locations and get back out again.  Speed was not its thing but it was the one for special missions.  I have seen scale versions in private use and some in museums but I am not sure I have ever seen a genuine one fly before.  Skyfair included a performance by FHCAM’s example.  I got some shots of it airborne although the dark paint scheme was not ideal on a sunny day.  When it came to take off, I figured stills would not show anything about the performance so I switched to video.  This allows you to see just how quickly and easily the slatted wing lifted the plane off the ground.

Crewing a Recce Jet

Leave a Reply

I was on the wrong tower at Hyakuri when the crews came out on the recce ramp to crew up.  Rather than get down and move around and potentially miss it, I accepted that shooting through the trees would have to do.  The ground crew did their work efficiently and the flightcrew walked around the jet before jumping in.  Soon they were powered up and coming towards us.  This was early in the day and the beginning of a fun day out!

A Loaded Black Hawk

Leave a Reply

The UH-60 Black Hawk is a pretty neat helicopter but in the standard fit, it is not terribly exciting.  However, I do like it when they are kitted up with a lot more stuff.  The external stores support system makes them look very purposeful and a flight refueling probe is another good addition.  The UH-60JA at Hyakuri had both with tanks fitted to the pylons.  It was at the far end of the ramp so, when it took off, I couldn’t get anything worthwhile.

It returned later in the day and came almost directly overhead.  Shooting a dark blue/gray helicopter looking straight up on a cloudy day is not a great combination but you aren’t going to ignore it.  I wish it had flown a few patterns or even taxied by, but I guess it was not to be.  Still, it was good to see it up close.

Spirited B-25 Pairing

Leave a Reply

The two B-25s that live on Paine Field are regular performers.  When they both went up at Skyfair, I have to admit that I was not so excited.  However, I was not anticipating a series of flypasts that were significantly better than I had seen from them before.  They brought them in with a tight formation and some angles that allowed some great topside shots as they curved around on to the runway alignment.

Watching them line up, you could see that they weren’t going to come so close and ruin the photo opportunities.  Instead, we got lots of banking and pulling with far better shots than I had achieved previously.  I was not alone in appreciating the effort.  Everyone around me was most impressed by the performance.

Hyakuri Pano

Leave a Reply


Any visit to a base includes time when nothing much is going on.  This can be time to take a break, have a snack, text someone an update on how things are going or even nap.  Or, you can take panoramas.  In the morning the light on the ramp was not ideal.  It improved later in the day.  Even so, you never know how much stuff is going to be out at any one time so shoot while you can.  You can always delete later.  Here is a zoomable and pannable pano from Hyakuri.

F-4 Bi-Plane

Leave a Reply

These Phantoms were taxiing towards me from the ramp and they headed out to depart.  As the came along the taxiway, I got a moment as they started to merge from my position and, briefly, there was a moment when one was hidden behind the other with the exception of the wings.  For that second I had a Phantom bi-plane in front of me before the effect was gone.  I consider this the rare Phantom II/IV!

Two Seat Scooter

Leave a Reply

The A-4 Skyhawk is a great little jet and I really miss seeing the Warbird Heritage Foundation’s Scooter on a regular basis.  I haven’t seen others fly for quite a while, despite one being based on Boeing Field.  I had intended to go to a show at Tacoma Narrows to see it but the weather was bad so I didn’t bother.  This one had taxied out at Olympia last year and then scrubbed.  However, it was scheduled for Skyfair this year so I was hoping to finally have some success.

Indeed I did.  Not only did I see it fly at Skyfair but I was lucky enough to be at Paine Field the evening before when it came in from Boeing Field.  It was fashionably late but this only improved the light so I wasn’t complaining.  The two-seater might not look quite as slick as the single but it is still a pretty neat jet.  The passes it gave at Skyfair were nice and close and, despite the harsh heat haze, I was pleased to see it up and about.

T-4s A’plenty

Leave a Reply

Hyakuri might be a base for Phantoms but it also comes with a ton of Kawasaki T-4s.  The JASDF allocate T-4s to the squadrons to provide utility and training so you see a few of them on each of the ramps in squadron markings.  I think this was the first time I had seen a T-4 for real.  Having seen so many images of them over the years, I felt like I must have seen them but I don’t think I have.  It is an interesting looking jet.  A lot of similarity to the configuration of the Alpha Jet with a high wing and twin engines.  It seemed to have a reasonable level of performance.  Interestingly, they taxied with the canopy open which is something I don’t think I have ever seen done with the Hawk.  Maybe the air conditioning isn’t great on the ground or maybe they just like it!

Shiny Butcher Bird

Leave a Reply

The FHCAM FW-190 is one I have seen on the ground a few times but I have been thwarted with regard to it flying.  It was scheduled to fly at Skyfair so I was optimistic.  While waiting for the Skyhawk to arrive, we were pleased to see the 190 taxi out and depart.  Hopefully it would be a short test flight and after a few minutes, it came back into the overhead.  A very nice early turn to final brought it around the waiting crowd and there was much rejoicing!

On the day of the show it flew again.  A nice bunch of passes and some good maneuvers to give us a view of the topside of the glossy paint scheme.  The light was a touch harsh but the plane was definitely worth it.  Combine that with the extra from the evening before and this will count as a success for me.

Recce Jets and Pretty Colors

Leave a Reply

Japanese jets have a reputation for interesting colors and, while the fighter units were pretty dull gray, the recce jets were far more interesting.  Most of the flying jets I saw were in the blue camo scheme and they look very nice.  One the first wave I saw, there was also a jet in green and brown camo.  Sadly it only flew once and I messed up a bunch of my shots.  The other scheme on the ramp was a green and grey scheme that looked a lot like the old German colors.  Sadly, it stayed on the ramp the entire time I was there.